This paper presents an overview of the Head Start program. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), $1 billion will be provided to the Office of Head Start to promote the school readiness of low-income children, including children on federally-recognized reservations and children of migratory farm workers, by enhancing their cognitive, social and emotional development of low-income children, through the provision of comprehensive health, educational, nutritional, social and other services and to involve parents in their children's learning and to help parents make progress toward their educational, literacy and employment goals. Head Start also emphasizes the significant involvement of parents in the administration of their local Head Start programs. This overview provides the following information relating to the Head Start program: (1) Funding Table; (2) Objectives; (3) Activities; (4) Characteristics; (5) Delivery Schedule; (6) Environmental Review Compliance; (7) Measures; (8) Monitoring and Evaluation; (9) Transparency; (10) Accountability; (11) Barriers to Effective Implementation; and (12) Federal Infrastructure. (Contains 2 tables.)