Head Start Annual Outcomes Report 2025
One Vision, One Team
For 60 years, Lorain County Community Action Agency Head Start has provided essential services to people in need. What makes our program so special isn’t just what we do, it’s how we do it: together.
Our theme for the year 2024-2025 was “It Takes a Team.” This year – which begins as I write this – our theme is “One Vision, One Team.” It’s a reminder that while each of us brings something unique to the team, we’re all working toward the same goal: giving every child and family the support they need to grow, learn and thrive.
“Team” is a recurring word in our annual kick off themes because it’s a recurring reality in our daily work. I’m proud to work alongside such an amazing group of people whose work truly matters – from the classroom, to the kitchen, the office and beyond.
This wonderful team responded with poise and grace when we received an unannounced federal review this past March. The Focus Area Two (FA2) review provides an opportunity for individual grant recipients to demonstrate their effectiveness
in implementing a highquality program for children and families served over the course of their grant cycle. The review includes: quality of education services; intentionality of family and community engagement; monitoring of fiscal operations; effectiveness of health and safety practices; focus on eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance; and oversight of program structures.
The stories behind the data they reviewed are found in this report. Each point adds up to one truth: Head Start Works!
Stefanie L. Drew, MS Head Start Director
What is Head Start?
Head Start is a federally funded program focused on comprehensive child development. LCCAA is Lorain County’s only Head Start provider. We offer center-based, school-based and home-based options. Head Start serves children ages 3 to 5 and prepares them for kindergarten.
LCCAA’s 2022 Community Needs Assessment showed that more than a quarter of all children under five in Lorain County live at or below the poverty level. This represents approximately 4,750 children who likely qualify for Head Start or Early Head Start.
Current funding allows 580 slots in Head Start. At full enrollment, we are currently able to serve approximately 12 percent of the eligible children in Lorain County.
Quality, Well-Located Centers
LCCAA Head Start meets children and families where they are by taking care to locate its centers and collaborative partners where needs are the greatest. LCCAA’s latest Community Needs Assessment verifies that our Head Start Centers are located where the highest population of young children lives and where they are likely to be in low-income families.
Directly Operated
LCCAA Head Start @ Central Plaza, 1949 Broadway Ave., Lorain 44052
LCCAA Head Start @ Elyria, 631 Griswold Road, Elyria 44035
LCCAA Head Start @ Firelands 10643 Vermilion Road, Oberlin 44074
LCCAA Head Start @ Hopkins-Locke, 1050 Reid Avenue, Lorain 44052
LCCAA Head Start @ Wellington 305 Union Street, Wellington 44090
LCCAA Head Start @ LaGrange 12079 LaGrange Road, LaGrange 44050
LCCAA Head Start @ South Elyria 107 Oberlin Road, Elyria 44035
Partners
Horizon Educational Centers (3 sites)
Little Lighthouse Learning Center (1 site)
Eligibility Criteria
Head Start uses 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for priority placement. In addition, the program can serve 35% of families whose income is between 101 and 130%. Ten percent of families can exceed 130% of the FPL.
New regulations allow programs to calculate housing expenses to reduce over-income calculations.
Families in the following situations are automatically eligible:
Receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
Receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families)
Receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
Homeless, Foster Care or Kinship Care
Exceeding Standards
LCCAA Head Start follows exacting standards from both federal and state agencies. Additionally, the agency has its own core values and strategic goals which are based on best practices in early childhood education. The federal office of Head Start defines school readiness as children possessing the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for success in school and for later learning in life.
As a Head Start grantee, LCCAA Head Start is required to have school readiness goals and we are responsible for measuring outcomes to ensure children’s development and learning progress through the school year.
Among the criteria we follow are:
Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: a comprehensively researched set of standards regarding what young children should know and be able to do.
Ohio’s Early Learning and Development Standards: child development standards reflecting the rapid development of young children.
Teacher Credentials: 54 percent of LCCAA employed teachers have a bachelor’s degree or higher in Early Childhood Education or a related field.
Screenings and Assessments: all students are evaluated within 45 days of enrollment so their unique needs can be met. Quarterly assessments monitor growth and progress.
Environment: both classroom environments and teacher interaction with students are regularly evaluated using the seven-point Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS).
54% of LCCAA teachers have a bachelor’s degree or higher
LCCAA Head Start continues to achieve the highest possible rating under the State of Ohio’s Step Up to Quality system. SUTQ recognizes and promotes early learning and development programs that meet quality standards over and above the minimum health and safety licensing requirements.
Successful Student Outcomes
Staff are trained to assess children at different points throughout the year based on Widely Held Expectations. The tasks and skills children of a certain age are expected to know and be able to perform apply to all children in an age group regardless of their household income.
Head Start students make tremendous progress over the course of the school year. Many preschoolers enter Head Start with little to no learning background. By the end of the year, the number of children exceeding expectations has skyrocketed and very few remain below average. By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, an average of 70% of students across all LCCAA Head Start sites were meeting or exceeding expectations. That’s a jump from 46% at the beginning of the year. Students gained the most in the physical domain (see below) this year.
Learning Domains in Head Start
Social Emotional Development: how children are learning to control their behavior and emotions, including getting along with other children.
Physical Development: walking, running, healthy eating, gross and fine motor skills ranging from throwing a ball to holding a crayon.
Literacy: identifying letters and their sounds, some basic print concepts, story retelling and children learning to write their names.
Cognitive Development: lengthening attention spans, problem solving, connecting experiences, beginning to understand symbolic thought.
Language Development: speaking and understanding words, following directions, using complete sentences, growing vocabulary.
Mathematics: counting, shapes, patterns and beginning measurement, scientific inquiry and, later, geography and social studies.
Every Child and Family
Head Start is designed as a two-generational approach. We support parents with information about important developmental milestones, guidance on family selfsufficiency goals and more.
Family Service Assistants empower parents by connecting them with other needed services. They also provide support by building relationships and making sure each unique need is met.
Staff made 79 referrals for early intervention
LCCAA is deeply committed to early intervention. Head Start works with local school districts through screenings and referrals on a wide range of disabilities. While developing children sometimes acquire skills and abilities at different rates, therapies or other services may help.
Head Start families with concerns should talk to their child’s teacher or their Family Service Assistant. Speech therapy is one of the most common referrals and most concerns are mild and correctable. Referrals are also made for developmental delays, mental health, hearing or visual impairments, autism, fine or gross motor delays and learning disabilities.
Success in school...
Head Start Grad Becomes Special Ed Teacher
Early childhood education has been part of Leila Brown’s life since before she was born.
Leila’s mother, Julie Charles, started working for LCCAA Head Start in 1997 shortly before she learned she was pregnant with Leila. After she was a Head Start student, Leila became a volunteer in her mother’s classroom.
Now, with a new degree from Ashland University, Leila will have her own kindergarten classroom at the Elyria Early Childhood Village this fall.
“I’ve been in this special education world since I was 19,” Leila said. “I just can’t stay away; I love this population.”
When Leila joined her mother in her classroom her natural gift for teaching began to emerge.
“I had a really rough class that year, but Leila helped by playing with them, paying attention to them and giving them tasks to keep them busy,” Charles said. “She has such a good spirit; children are naturally drawn to her.”
At Elyria High School, Leila was a three-sport athlete named a McDonald’s Student Athlete of the Week. She was also selected for the junior Ohio Model United Nations. At both Lorain County Community College and Ashland University, she made the Dean’s List every semester.
As a para-professional at Elyria Early Childhood Village,
Leila used many of the activities she remembers from her years as a Head Start student and volunteer.
“It’s totally transferred over,” she said. “My kids really need the structure. All of my play-based activities, having centers and rotation, that all came from Head Start.”
At the EECV this fall, she will be part of a new, first-of-its-kind wing for kindergarteners who need special education. She would love to open her own facility one day to help those with special needs of any age.
“For our population, there’s nothing around here. I would love to provide that,” she said.
Leila said she wants to keep learning and loves being part of a family centered on young minds.
“My hunger for knowledge is just ever expanding,” Leila said.
Both Leila and her mother credit Head Start with her success.
“I’m sure her having such a positive first experience set the foundation,” Charles said.
Head Start Helps Mother Gain Confidence
When Family Service Assistant Rhonda Brown first met Sarah, she was trying to enroll her daughter Anna at Central Plaza while struggling with the loss of her own mother.
“She explained how she recently lost her mom who had been her person that helped her with all her paperwork, important documents and appointments,” Rhonda said.
Four-year-old Anna was full of questions and curious about everything. Without a car, Sarah walked Anna to school every day allowing Rhonda to get to know her better.
“I was extremely proud to see her attend our parent meetings,” Rhonda said. “We made it through the school year with many conversations and laughs.”
Rhonda also helped Sarah get utility assistance, help from the Produce Center and some clothing. Meanwhile, Sarah fought for and secured an IEP for her older daughter and sought treatment for her own anxiety.
“Each time she met a new goal, her confidence grew,” Rhonda said.
“Without you and Head Start I would not have done any of this,” Sarah told Rhonda. “You helped do this and gave me the courage to put myself out there again for my kids and me.”
For longer versions of these stories, please visit our website at www.lccaa.net.
...and throughout life.
Head Start Mother and Son
Earn Degrees Simultaneously Alumni Makes a Difference
For Niko Holmes, academic success didn’t begin with textbooks or test scores. It started in a nurturing, playbased classroom at LCCAA’s Head Start in 2010. It continued as he was named salutatorian of the Lorain High School class of 2025.
Niko came to Head Start along with his mother, Carla Rodriguez. Rodriguez started at LCCAA in 1999 as a receptionist and today she serves as the agency’s Human Resources Director.
“Head Start gave Niko more than just a place to learn,” Rodriguez said. “It provided a safe, encouraging environment where he could grow socially, emotionally, and academically.”
His former teacher said he stood out from the start.
“Niko was a little leader in the class, especially during free play,” said Teresa Pagan. “He would say to the kids ‘How about if we do this?’ and ‘Who’s going to go first?’.”
Niko’s early love of learning helped him thrive even during challenging times. As a freshman, he enrolled in LHS’s Early College program, taking college-level courses while navigating the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I wanted to challenge myself and get back to socializing more with other students,” he said.
In addition to serving as the salutatorian, Niko earned his Associate of Arts degree from Lorain County Community College through the Early College program.
Meanwhile, Niko’s mother nurtured her own love of learning and led by example. She earned her bachelor’s degree when Niko was only five and earned several promotions at LCCAA. She has served as the Human Resources Director since 2017. As Niko was finishing his diploma and degree, she completed her Master’s in Business Administration.
“I believe education is one of the most powerful tools for growth and success,” she said. “Earning my bachelor’s degree as a full-time working single mom wasn’t easy, so I waited until he was older to enroll in graduate school — and in 2025, we proudly graduated together!”
Niko is now preparing to begin the Diagnostic Sonography program at LCCC, funded by the college’s Presidential Scholarship, which will cover two more years of tuition.
The Head Start Chase Farris got in Lorain County provided him with a solid foundation throughout his academic career and beyond.
Farris, now the Executive Director of Save Our Children of Elyria, attended Ohio State University before signing with the Detroit Lions. He was a member of the 2017 Super Bowl winning New England Patriots. After his football career, he returned home and found a new passion in Save Our Children and as head football coach for Elyria Catholic High School.
Farris’ passion for helping in Lorain County comes out of gratitude for his childhood there. Head Start Family Service Assistant Dana Daniels encouraged him to get involved with the Head Start Men Making a Difference group last year. His visit was a big hit with many old friends in attendance. “Head Start was the first place where everybody got together from all sides of town,” Farris said. “Those first few years provide a solid foundation. That’s priceless.”
Fiscal Accountability
Like all Head Start programs nationwide, LCCAA’s program is funded by grants from the department of Health and Human Services and was originally part of the War on Poverty. LCCAA is the only Head Start provider in Lorain County and has been providing services since 1966.
Funding Sources
2024-2025 Expenditures
In-Kind
LCCAA Head Start leverages grant dollars with in-kind contributions from our partners and our volunteers. Our in-kind contributions exceed requirements.
2024-2025 Proposed Budget
(classroom & program
Innovative, Dedicated Staff
LCCAA emphasizes professional development by supporting staff members as they seek credentials and degrees, offering tuition reimbursement and celebrating accomplishments.
Head Start Performance Standards lay out the training and qualification requirements for all levels of staff and LCCAA staff typically exceed these requirements. In 2024-2025, more than a dozen staff members sought and earned additional credentials. (Some declined recognition.)
After nine years as Site Administrator at Griswold Head Start, Diana Gifford was promoted to Education and Disabilities Specialist over the summer. Jennifer Bartlebaugh left the agency for a position with the State of Ohio.
Central Plaza Head Teacher Delilah Jones was promoted to lead the Griswold site, a change that came on the heels of her earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati this spring. Griswold teacher Sabah Ajeel-Jamar was promoted to administrator of the Firelands Head Start site and the agencies collaborative partnerships.
Additionally, Early Childhood Service Worker Kiara Olmo Velez at Hopkins-Locke earned her bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University in March.
The Child Development Associate is considered the foundational credential for the early childhood education profession. The following staff members earned their CDA during the 2024-2025 school year:
Yamilette Alicea Vazquez, Family Service Assistant, Hopkins
Ty’Shae Chaney, Assistant Teacher, Central Plaza
Maria De los Santos, Assistant Teacher, Hopkins
Ashley Hough, Early Childhood Service Worker, Griswold
Barbara Garced Rosario, Early Childhood Service Worker, Hopkins
Alyssia Gonzalez, Assistant Teacher, Hopkins
Yeymary Gordian, ECSW, Hopkins
Maria (Lucy) Miranda, ECSW, Hopkins
Rachel Nichols, Assistant Teacher, Hopkins
Sheena Sudama Ramroop, FSA, Hopkins
Christine Sturgis, Assistant Teacher, Griswold
Bernice Tirado, Family Service Assistant, Hopkins
Healthy Meals and More
LCCAA Head Start supplies quality, balanced meals three times a day in our classrooms. Meeting strict USDA standards, the Health and Nutrition staff is now working out of a Central Kitchen on Eighth Street in Lorain to create the delicious, scratch made meals students love. Meanwhile, staff work to expand both the skills and equipment in family kitchens with the innovative Out of the Box program.
The number of meals provided has increased by approximately 13 percent each of the last two school years. In 2024-2025, 115,065 meals were served for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Visit our website for menus and our recipe blog.
Parent Policy Council
Head Start requires convening of a Parent Policy Council for each program throughout the country. Parents are encouraged to participate to help make decisions about the program.
Parents are elected by their centers to serve on the council and the president of the council holds a full, voting seat on the LCCAA Board of Directors. The following people served on the Policy Council during the 2024-2025 school year:
President Coreasa Portis
Janessa Aponte
Ashley Bond
Kathleen Brown
Jessica Garcia
Emily Gilbert
Amanda Hembree
Craig Hignett
Megan Hite
Robin Krasienko
Dana Maschari
Tana Panter
Nairelys Perez
Amarillis Portalatin Torres
Cali Potts
Adrianna Rodriguez
Genesis Rodriguez
Kathryn Salters
Joe Sclimenti
Craig Wandra
McKayla Williams
Mercedes Williams
By the Numbers
