05/06/2026
Office of Head Start Director Lizbeth Casco White took the stage today and left no doubt about where she comes from — or where she's going. A first-generation American, former teenage mom, and Head Start parent, she went from a high school diploma to a juris doctorate, often with her son in class beside her. Today, she stood before thousands of Head Start professionals and delivered a challenge that will stay with us:
"Go back to your classrooms, centers, and boardrooms and look for the Liz in the lobby — the mom who feels invisible and the child society has already dismissed. Be the architect of their fresh start every day."
And she reminded us why this program exists: "In Head Start, we don't just enroll a child. We embrace a family."
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