Welcome to Head Start!

Head Start provides a variety of family services to help your child excel in school.

What is Head Start?

Head Start is a program for qualifying families designed to prepare children, ages 5 and under, to attend school and excel there. Head Start will help your family by addressing any health needs, connecting you to social programs and providing education services so that the whole family will enjoy a successful school experience. 

Head Start is a federal program. It promotes the school readiness of children starting at birth and building through age 5. It works by enhancing children’s mental development, social skills and emotional growth. 

Head Start provides a rich learning environment that supports children’s growth in many areas. Children grow in their language abilities, reading, and in social and emotional development. 

Head Start emphasizes the role of parents as their child’s first and most important teacher. 

The program helps build relationships between families to support family well-being and nurture positive school experiences. 

Where is Head Start?

Wichita Falls Independent School District operates three Head Start campuses in Wichita Falls for 3-year-old children:

Farris Early Childhood Center located at 710 Burkburnett - 940-235-4302

Brook Village Early Learning Center, located at 2222 Brook – 940-235-1132

There are also Head Start classes at the Cunningham Elementary and Booker T. Washington Elementary campuses.

Where do 4-year-olds attend Head Start?

When a child turns 4, he/she will attend a Head Start 4-year-old class at one of four WFISD campuses. Currently, Farris Early Childhood Center, Brook Village Early Childhood Center, Cunningham Elementary and Booker T. Washington Elementary have 4-year-old Head Start classrooms underway.

How many children attend Head Start in Wichita Falls?

WFISD serves approximately 400 students in its Head Start program. 

Who directs WFISD’s Head Start?

Head Start Principal is Letitia Willis. Contact her at (940) 235-4302 or by email at lwillis@wfisd.net.

How long has Head Start been helping qualifying families?

Head Start was launched nationally in 1965 during the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency and has served 32 million children and their families since then. The Head Start Act of 1981 expanded the program. It was revised again in 2007. Head Start has become the nation's longest-running program to address poverty issues that affect many American families.