Renee Shaktivel
Staff Writer
In the United States, there are 4.8 million college students raising children, and 26% of those students are undergraduates.
Of the 26%, only one half are predicted to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years of their enrollment.
If that isn’t enough to be a hindrance for student-parents, 61% of them have a limited income, leaving almost all of them with nothing to put towards education expenses, let alone anything to put towards a quality daycare to enroll their children in. At least 54% of Idaho children belong to low socioeconomic families.
In order to help combat poor daycare and preschool options, the Pocatello-Chubbuck area launched the Head Start program within School District 25. The program offers preschool and family development services at no cost to families that qualify. The program services low-income families that meet or are below the federal poverty guideline.
“We love the kids and families here,” said Gloria Betzner, family services manager. “We are devoted to building school-ready families. We’re learning also, all the time, ways to improve service to families.”
The Idaho Early Learning eGuidelines has been aiding low socioeconomic status (SES) families in Idaho for over 50 years. As one of the first programs in the nation to cater to low SES families, its goal was to create a program that supports and encompasses the diversity in socioeconomic status, cultural and racial backgrounds, gender, personal ability, family, and regional variations. Catering to the direct focus on the individual development of the child, physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively, the program believes that parents are at the center of children development.
Children must only meet two qualifications to become eligible for enrollment. They must be between the ages of three and four and parents must meet the income requirements.
However, a few select areas can grant children instant eligibility, such as parents that receive social security income (SSI), are homeless or children being raised in foster care. Children with disabilities allow parents to have a higher income rate at 130% of the poverty level instead of the standard 100%.
Head Start provides family support in aiding their children for a lifetime. One of their missions is to make sure that children and parents are ready for public schools, Betzner mentioned.
In order to accomplish this, they do more than just make sure children are learning. In addition, they offer health screenings at the beginning of the year to check on the children’s social and emotional health along with tracking physical and dental exams.
“We also personalize our service by providing a whole family services component, that assists families in determining their strengths and challenges, setting goals and moving forward in their lives,” Betzner said.
Teachers are required to have a four-year degree in education and most hired have been certified as teachers. This allows the classes to be tailored to each student based on their individual strengths and weaknesses.
The children are able to mingle during the outside play and the group circle time.
“Many ISU students meet these qualifications,” Betzner said. “I want to make sure ISU students know we are here and they are welcome.”
