Most children attend preschool in the USA. The age a child enters preschool depends on the parents’ wishes and state regulations. Generally, preschool students are between the ages of three and five. Children can attend one or two years of preschool before entering the first grade. The first year is sometimes called pre-kindergarten and the second year is called kindergarten. Both years help prepare children for the first of twelve grades they need to complete to earn a high school diploma. Students learn to count, recite the alphabet and perform other elementary tasks like coloring. Children may also play games, learn songs, and learn how to spell basic words and write simple sentences. Parents can send their children to private or public preschools. Today, most states offer preschool programs that are funded through tax dollars. Head Start is a unique national preschool program for underprivileged students. Head Start provides education and health programs for children and their families throughout the country. Head Start usually provides its students with healthy lunches and snacks, transportation to and from preschool, and school supplies. Since its creation in 1965, Head Start has prepared over 21 million children for school.