7/1/2023 – 1/1/2024
$50,000
Trust for Learning will host the first ever in-person Ideal Learning Head Start Network
(ILHSN) convening in July 2023. The two-day event will prioritize the development of a
research plan that is responsive to our members’ needs, priorities, and schedules. This
network of Head Start and Early Head Start programs constitutes a community of early
childhood education practice, offering support, collaboration, and resource sharing for
educators striving to implement comprehensive learning approaches aligned with the
principles of ideal learning environments.
ILHSN members recognized the development of a research agenda as a key strategy to
transform early education and to increase receptiveness to ideal learning approaches. This
geographically and racially diverse group of Head Start innovators holds the potential to
collectively impact and influence Head Start and early childhood education nationally. At
the same time, ILHSN members have highlighted the challenges of workforce issues,
lingering covid impacts, and the many competing priorities of running a high-quality HS
program. With the partnership of Brady Education Foundation, the Trust is investing in a
collaborative planning process and convening to advance the development of a strategic
plan, research agenda, and sustainable growth plan for the Network—with the aim of
overcoming chronic challenges and building a more equitable system.