Divisions ⇒ Early Childhood

In addition, the School Board became a direct grantee for its Head Start Program in 1996. ANSB began a BIA Family & Child Education program in 1993. As of 11/1/98, ANSB became a grantee with the Head Start Bureau to expand services to infants & toddlers in an Early Head Start Program. The development of programs that serve children 0-5 was the impetus for the Board to reorganize the education division and develop a new division to serve children 0-5 and their families.

In the Spring of 1999, ANSB sub-contracted early intervention services for this targeted age group and on July 1, 1999 began providing case management services. In 2000, the division added wrap-around childcare services through the Navajo Nation Child Care Development Block Grant. The reorganization has culminated in one Early Childhood Division serving children 0-5 with an overall budget of $1+ million. A new Early Childhood Center was collaboratively funded with Head Start and Child Care Development Block Grant funds and the center and the family services it provides have contributed greatly to improving the education of children 0-5.