<P> The 2011 federal budget for Head Start was $8.1 billion . 85% was to be devoted to direct services and no more than 15% on administration, serving approximately one million students . </P> <P> Local grantees must provide a 20% cash / in - kind match . Each local grantee is required to obtain an annual financial audit, if it receives more than $500,000 in federal support . </P> <P> Grants are awarded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regional Offices and the American Indian--Alaska Native and Migrant and Seasonal Program Branches directly to local public agencies, private organizations, Indian tribes and school systems . </P> <P> The individual Head Start classrooms / centers "repay" the grant through a program known as InKind . The Inkind program is a way to get their parents and their students working together on out of class studies . </P>

Head start program was a federal funded program meant to decrease the achievement gap in the usa