ADVOCACY

Congress Cuts Funding to Low-Income Programs in Latest Budget (12/01/2004)

Budget Bill Passes
Last week, Congress passed an appropriations bill that contained funds for a large number of special projects, but at the same time cut low-income programs across the board. Despite our best efforts, Head Start received only a $68.5 million increase for fiscal year 2005. Our budget team has calculated that Head Start will be able to maintain enrollment at current levels. Also hard hit were homeless assistance programs, environmental protection, and a variety of other social services providers. These cuts came about due to an across the board cut of .83% made to all domestic spending programs in a deal hammered out in negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.

Budget watchdog groups, however, say that there was plenty of money available to provide meaningful increases to Head Start and other important domestic programs. They point to the unbelievable number of special pork projects, which totaled more than $15.8 billion. Some noteworthy pork projects include $1 billion for the president’s Moon to Mars Program and $2 million for the Navy to repurchase the presidential yacht. Here’s a listing of 20 pork items from Taxpayers for Common Sense:

• $25,000: Curriculum development for the study of mariachi music, Clark County School Distinct, Nevada, Labor-HHS.
• $25,000: Banana Factory for an arts and technology after school program, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Labor-HHS.
• $45,000: A+ for Abstinence for abstinence education and related services, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, Labor-HHS.
• $300,000: CyberSeniors Inc. - Experience Senior Power Program, Detroit, Michigan, Labor-HHS.
• $225,000: National Wild Turkey Federation, South Carolina, Agriculture.
• $250,000: Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, Tennessee, VA/HUD.
• $1,000,000: Missouri Pork Producers Federation: converting animal waste into energy, Missouri, VA/ HUD.
• $75,000: Renovations of the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Auburn, New York, VA/HUD.
• $100,000: Punxsutawney Weather Museum, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, VA/HUD.
• $306,000: Restroom repair at Porter Beach at Indian Dunes NL, Indiana, Interior.
• $4,989,000: Stabilize bathhouses for adaptive reuse, Hot Springs, Arkansas, Interior.
• $800,000: Soybean Rust Research, Ames, Iowa, Interior.
• $1,400,000: Laser lines of tug roads and lake Hood Seaplane base, Ted Stevens International Airport, Alaska, Transportation.
• $1,593: Potato Storage, Madison, Wisconsin, Agriculture.
• $250,000: Asparagus Technology and Production, Washington, Agriculture.
• $50,000: Feral Hogs, Missouri, Agriculture.
• $150,000: Coca-Cola Space Science Center, Columbus, Georgia, VA/HUD
• $150,000: Beaver management and damage. Wisconsin, Agriculture
• $250,000: Sidewalks, street furniture, and facade improvements. Boca Raton, Florida, VA/HUD
• $200,000: American Cotton Museum. Greenville, Texas, VA/HUD.

When Head Start or other programs for low-income children and families do not receive adequate funding it is not because Congress has run out of funds, it is because they have their priorities in the wrong place. With reauthorization back in full swing as early as the beginning of February, now is the time to prepare.

Two Easy Action Items
NHSA recommends that the Head Start community take two easy steps before Congress returns in January.

• Invite Your Member to Visit Your Head Start program. This is the most important advocacy step you can take right now. To set up a site visit contact the scheduler in your member’s office. Dial the switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be transferred to your member’s office. Be prepared to follow up with a written request.

• Have the Following Information Available. Each program should produce a one pager on the success of its program and highlights of any research. Include your best two or three parent success stories and identify experts in particular areas that can be called upon to produce information quickly. Also identify individuals you would like to speak to the press (such as parents or key staff).

Once we know more about the timing of reauthorization, we will provide you with very specific action steps, so stay tuned.

State-Funded Preschool Quality Uneven, Study Shows

The National Institute for Early Education Research released its second annual survey of state-funded pre-kindergarten programs. The survey found that high-quality state preschool programs are the exception, not the rule. There is also a huge disparity in availability from state to state and even within state boundaries:

• In 21 states, lawmakers cut funding for preschool programs.
• In 12 states, there are no state-financed programs at all.
• Poor families and wealthy families are more likely to have access to high quality preschool than families with incomes just below the national average ($40,000-$50,000).
• Almost half of all poor children lack access to government-funded programs due in part to lack of funding.

To view the survey please go to http://www.nieer.org/news/index.php?NewsID=947

Millions of Americans Are Unable to Purchase Adequate Food

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its annual report (based on Census Bureau surveys) on hunger and food insecurity. It showed a fourth consecutive year of increase in the number of food insecure and hungry people. The total number of people living in food insecure households – with or without hunger – went up to 36.3 million in 2003. This number included 23 million adults (10.8 percent of all adults) and 13.3 million children (18.2 percent of all children). The number in 2002 was 34.9 million, and in 1999 it was 31 million. If you would like to view the report go to http://www.frac.org/Press_Release/11.19.04.html

Perry Pre-School at 40
The latest information on the Perry Pre-School Project was released last week. The news was overwhelmingly good. The study followed low-income children who participated in a high-quality early childhood care and education program and found the program had significant long-term benefits. At age 40, adults who had participated in the preschool program in their early years had higher earnings, were more likely to hold a job, committed less crime, and were more likely to have graduated from high school.  Overall, the study documented a return to society of more than $17 for every tax dollar invested in early care and education. To view the study, please go to http://www.highscope.org/Research/PerryProject/perrymain.htm

Idaho Head Start Association Gets Great Editorial Published

Editorial

Idaho Daily Statesman

November 29, 2004

I'd like to ask readers to take a moment and reflect on the important role non-profits play in our community. In so many ways, the quality of life is strengthened through the unsung heroes working in these organizations, and most of us don't stop to realize the impact they have in making Idaho a great place to live.

Nationally, there has been an overreaching concern with regard to the financial astuteness about how non-profits are managed. People want to know that public and private dollars are put to good use. In light of this, I'd like to call attention

In June 2005, our organization will recognize 19 years of providing Head Start services in Ada and Elmore counties. The last three years, we have also offered Early Head Start for expectant parents, babies, and infants up to age 3 and their families.

Head Start programs are centered on the concept of federal-to-local grants. Along with federal funding comes a significant level of accountability, auditing and comprehensive reviews that hold each Head Start program to a high level of standardized quality. In fact, our program has been through an intensive year of program improvement as a result of federal review findings from May 2003. As a result, we are currently celebrating a successful follow-up review in September. We have been hard at work putting lasting changes in place that ensure public funds translate to quality early childhood education and social services. These changes, along with a committed group of volunteers and staff, have provided our community with successful Head Start programs in Meridian, Mountain Home, Garden City, Boise, and Glenns Ferry, which brings me to the real point of this letter ... why Head Start?

Money spent on early childhood development in Idaho is an investment, not just for the well-being of children, but because it is smart use of public funds. Head Start is an income-eligible program in which 90 percent of the families must be below the poverty level to qualify.

Research has shown that investing in high-quality, early childhood development programs has a future savings of public money that may otherwise be spent on social welfare programs, school dropout rates, workplace productivity, crime reduction, public education programs, and incarceration expenditures. The latest report from Robert Lynch of the Economic Policy Institute, "Exceptional Returns," clearly outlines the importance of quality early childhood programs. EPI, a well-known independent economic research organization, found that if we fund in 2005 just 20 percent of all 3- and 4-year-olds to receive high-quality early childhood development services (such as Head Start), by 2050 taxpayers would realize a savings of $61 billion. That is an investment worth making.

A tenet of Head Start (and a regulatory requirement) is to build strong partnerships with local community organizations. A recent collaboration that we are particularly proud of is with the Boise School District at Madison Early Childhood Center (formerly Madison Elementary). Madison now houses both Head Start and Boise school pre-kindergarten classes — a perfect partnership that has the ability to provide early education to children of all economic levels. Pooling the resources of caring and quality teachers, education staff, equipment, and facilities are just a few of the benefits that have been reaped thus far. And we invite you to see for yourself by volunteering to read in a class, mentoring a young child, taking some time to share breakfast or lunch with a class of 18 smiling 4- and 5-year-olds.

There are so many ways you can get involved. We are accepting applicants to serve on the Friends of Children and Families all-volunteer board of directors. The particular skills that would be helpful to our program are human resources, corporate management, community clergy leaders, media, fund development, and cultural leaders. The one prerequisite is that you have a strong desire to do good for children and give back to your community. Your job will be both challenging and rewarding, and when you see the children smile ... so worthwhile.

Marc Swinney of Eagle is the executive director of Friends of Children and Families (Head Start and Early Head Start).

Please remember that this document is paid for by the Dollar per Child Campaign!