Congress weighs changes to Head Start program
8/12/03 -- The House narrowly passed a bill July 25 to overhaul the Head Start program. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats, in an attempt to counter the Republican-led reforms, introduced an alternative proposal.
Both bills would increase the program's emphasis on improving the preliteracy skills of young children and raise the qualifications of Head Start teachers, but there are major differences between them:
• The House bill (H.R.2210) would allow eight states to take over the program and combine federal Head Start money with state funding for early childhood programs. The Senate Democrats' bill (S.1483), introduced by Sens. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), rejects this block grant concept.
• The Dodd-Kennedy bill would authorize more money -- up to $16 billion a year by 2008, more than double the amount in the House bill -- which would be used to raise teacher salaries and expand services to all eligible children. Currently, Head Start serves some 900,000 children, about 60 percent of those eligible.
• The House bill would require half the Head Start teachers to have four-year college degrees by 2008. The Dodd-Kennedy bill would require all Head Start teachers to meet this standard.
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) also introduced Head Start legislation that rejects the state takeover option. His bill would create a nationwide network of 200 "centers of excellence" to showcase exceptional Head Start programs.
NSBA submitted a letter to Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee urging Congress to retain the current delivery system but modify the program to better meet the educational needs of children.
"Research has consistently shown the vital connection between the school readiness of prekindergarten children and their ultimate success in school," says NSBA Associate Executive Director Michael A. Resnick.
"Local school districts have increasingly sought a stronger connection between Head Start and local education programs," he says. "In addition, given the increased accountability placed on schools and school districts under the No Child Left Behind Act beginning in grade 3, local school districts will have a greater stake in the quality of educational services provided within Head Start."
According to Resnick, states should be given greater authority to design and implement Head Start programs. This would ensure better coordination among agencies that support school readiness and school districts.
However, NSBA opposes any efforts to give states access to existing federal funding pools without significant increases in the total allocation or permit states to transfer funds away from school districts. "If such a proposal were adopted," Resnick says, "local communities and school districts would be forced to choose between reducing the quality of services and reducing the number of children who are being served. None of these options would be acceptable."
A recent study by California psychologist John H. Meier shows every dollar spent on Head Start saves the nation $8.74 through increased earnings, decreased welfare dependence, reduced grade repetition, and other factors.
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| Reproduced with permission from the 2003 issue of School Board News. Copyright © 2003, National School Boards Association. Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect positions of NSBA. This article may be printed out and photocopied for individual or educational use, provided this copyright notice appears on each copy. This article may not be otherwise transmitted or reproduced in print or electronic form without the consent of the Publisher. For more information, call (703) 838-6789. |