Knox County Head Start Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Committed to the future of Knox County and its changing and diverse needs, Knox County Head Start works in partnership with the community to provide quality early education, childcare and family services. Our purpose is to engage children, families and staff in reaching their full potential.
- Income
- $5.8 million
- Spending
- $5.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 2.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 70%
- Employees
- 146
- Volunteers
- 249
- Highest pay
- $123,900, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $3.3 million spent. Early Head Start is a federally funded, community-based program for low-income families with infants, toddlers and pregnant women. Its mission is to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, to enhance the development of very young children, and to promote healthy family functioning. Knox County Head Start is funded to serve 64 infants, toddlers and pregnant women and their families in the Early Head Start program at any one time. During the 2024-25 program year, KCHS provided services to 110 infants and toddlers and five pregnant mothers in the 64 funded slots, with 92 infants/toddlers enrolled more than 45-days (ten children transitioned to Head Start within 45-days of enrollment or the start of the program year). Twelve children served were identified with disabilities or developmental delays under an individualized family service plan. At the end of enrollment, 90 of 110 children (82%) were up to date on all required primary and preventive health care and screenings, and 98/101 (97%) were current on immunizations, with 91 fully up to date, 5 having received all immunizations possible; and two (2) exemptions from immunizations. Of those children not up to date, nine of the children were enrolled less than 45 days. KCHS provided center-based slots, in full day, full year centers in Fredericktown, Gambier and Mount Vernon, Ohio, with full-day care provided from ten to eleven hours per day, five days per week, 50 weeks per year. Head Start is a federally funded, comprehensive developmental preschool program for income eligible children ages three to five and their families. Knox County Head Start, Inc. receives grants from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services for the operation of the program. In the 2024-2025 School Year, Knox County Head Start served 198 children in 149 funded Head Start slots; 83 of those children transitioned to kindergarten in August 2025. All enrolled children made developmental progress, with the percentage of preschool children achieving widely held developmental expectations by area: Social-Emotional (90%); Physical (98%); Language (85%); Cognitive (92%), Literacy (89%) and Math (81%). Thirty-four (34) children served received special education and related services under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Children received screenings for health issues, including physicals, lead and hemoglobin screenings, speech, hearing and developmental screenings, dental screenings, and mental health screenings. Seventy-three (73) children, or 40% of children served, required follow up medical care, and 63, or 86%, of those children received the follow up care needed. Twenty-two (22) children, or 11% of children served, required follow up dental care, and 18 of those children received the care needed, for a follow up rate of 82%.
- $189,466 spent. The Child and Adult Care Food program provides support for children's meals for children attending licensed child care centers, including Head Start, Early Head Start and child care classrooms. Knox County Head Start ensures that children participating in all classrooms have access to nutritious meals, including a variety of foods served that introduce children to new food options and offer balanced meals. Meals are served family style to encourage children's healthy development. Children in full day classrooms receive breakfast, lunch and snack. Children served in half day preschool classrooms receive either breakfast and lunch in morning classrooms or lunch and snack in afternoon classrooms. Additionally, KCHS provides information to parents about healthy eating and the importance of exercise and movement as part of both the Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
- $1.7 million spent. Child Care Program and Corporate Activities. The Child Care program incorporates Head Start Performance Standards into full year/full day care for infants through preschool, with Head Start programming for preschoolers, and Early Head Start programming for infants and toddlers. Child Care services are also provided at one location for school age before and after school care, and full-time school age care during most snow days, school holidays and summer months.
- (Expenses $ 1,741,541 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 1,377,182) Child Care Program and Corporate Activities. The Child Care program incorporates Head Start Performance Standards into full year/full day care for infants through preschool, with Head Start programming for preschoolers, and Early Head Start programming for infants and toddlers. Child Care services are also provided at one location for school age before and after school care, and full-time school age care during most snow days, school holidays and summer months.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1965.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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