head start

head start

An early start before the official or typical time to start something. Billy liked to get a head start on his homework before leaving school so he had more time to play with his friends when he got home. If I don't get a head start on the project, I'm going to miss the deadline.
See also: head, start
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

* a head start (on something)

an early start on something [before someone else starts]. (*Typically: get ~ have ~ give someone ~.) I was able to get a head start on my reading during the holidays. If I hadn't had a head start, I'd be behind in my reading.
See also: head, start

* a head start (on something)

an early start on something, [before someone else starts]. (*Typically: get ~ have ~ give someone ~.) I was able to get a head start on my reading during the holidays. If I hadn't had a head start, I'd be behind in my reading.
See also: head, start
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

head start

An early start that confers an advantage, as in This year we'll get a head start on the competition by running more ads. The expression comes from racing, where it was used for a horse being given an advantage of several lengths over the others. Its extension to other areas dates from the early 1900s.
See also: head, start
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

a ˌhead ˈstart (on/over somebody)

an advantage that somebody already has before they start doing something: Being able to speak French gave her a head start over the other candidates.
See also: head, start
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a head start
  • have a head start
  • you want to start something
  • Anytime you are ready
  • anytime you're ready
  • clean sheet
  • clean slate
  • a clean sheet
  • a clean sheet/slate
  • spread (one's) wings
References in periodicals archive
But this change includes the termination of all staff presently employed in the preschool and current Head Start classrooms, which includes five union staff members and one nonteaching professional staff member.
Head Start runs a preschool and subleases to Early Childhood CARES, a University of Oregon program that teaches children with speech impediments, autism and other special needs.
Mom and Head Start volunteer Marissa Maros, secretary of the policy council and chairman of the parent council, said, "Preschool is so important for these kids, but it's so expensive.
In light of the overall focus of the Head Start program on improving school readiness, most evaluations of the program assessed the impact of Head Start on test scores or other measures of educational success.
Americans United's legislative department sent letters to lawmakers urging them to keep Head Start's non-discrimination safeguards intact.
Under a career ladder program created through the bill, Head Start agencies can partner with historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and tribal colleges and universities to increase the number of Head Start staff earning associate and bachelor's degrees.
"I still had that support even through high school," said Cook, now a custodial supervisor at Midway Airport, who also serves as the Head Start representative and local school council chairperson for Hansberry.
Another Head Start mother, pregnant with her third child and receiving Transitional Aid to Needy Families [TANF], formerly welfare, described her plight:
Eminent education historian Maris Vinovskis has crafted a thorough account of the creation and launch of Head Start. The pleasantly brief text, which spans just 155 pages, offers a clear explanation of how anti-poverty policy, national politics, education policy, and changes in views of child development shaped the program in the 1960s.
In the weeks prior to the mark-up of the bill, NLC staff held several meetings with Republican and Democratic staff to ensure the concerns of local governments that administer Head Start programs are addressed in the legislation.
While some policy-makers have set their sights on Head Start, millions of low-income children still do not have the benefit of a strong early-education experience.
The structure, evaluation, and funding level of Head Start has always been dependent upon a mixture of scientific evidence, public opinion, and changing governmental support (e.g., Chafel, 1992; Peters, 1980; Zigler & Muenchow, 1992).
To date, classes have been provided at five Head Start/Early Head Start child development centers in Yolo County, and at a series of parenting sessions organized by Yolo Connections, an umbrella agency whose mission is to promote volunteerism, mentoring, and community partnership.
As the 39-year-old federal Head Start program once again comes before Congress for reauthorization, several unanswered questions that have dogged the program since its inception should be considered.