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| Early Childhood Education: the Head Start Program |
Head Start provides educational, health, nutritional, and other services to poor and otherwise disadvantaged children aged 0–5 to help ensure that they are ready to learn when they reach kindergarten. Head Start, enacted in 1965, currently serves more than 900,000 children aged 3 and 4; Early Head Start, established in 1995, provides similar services to more than 62,000 children aged 0–3. The program is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and funds are distributed to local agencies rather than through the states. Head Start programs are encouraged to use non-Head Start resources in their communities for Head Start children and their families.
Legislative Outlook
President Bush signed the Head Start for School Readiness Act (PL 110-134) into law on December 12, 2007, which marks the first reauthorization of the law since 1998. The reauthorization process had stalled during the past two years over opposition to a provision allowing faith-based providers to hire based on religious preference. With that provision stripped from the House bill, conference negotiations moved forward between the House and Senate.
The reauthorized law increases eligible family income levels from 100% of the federal poverty level ($20,560 for a family of four) to 130% ($26,728 for a family of four). It also requires half the teachers in the program nationwide have a bachelors degree by 2013. The overall authorization for the program will increase to $7.65 billion for FY09, $8 billion for FY10, and such sums necessary through 2012. The bill also authorizes $100 million for "Early Education and Care" federal incentive grants for states to promote the development and expansion of state early education systems.
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document last updated 1/2/2008
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