ADVOCACY

December 19, 2007

NHSA 24th Annual Parent Training Conference Update

The National Head Start Association held its 24th Annual Parent Training Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, December 14-18, 2007. The gathering offered the participants, formal and informal opportunities for cross exchanges with colleagues in early child care and exposure to best practices and networking. The conference also included Special Tracks and Educational Sessions presented by practitioners in the education and public policy field.

As you are aware, the Improving Head Start Act for School Readiness Act of 2007 was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Bush on December 12, 2007.  The remaining issue was Congress’ funding of Head Start. As Congress approached adjournment, it was clear that the funding bills necessary to fund federal programs, such as Head Start, would have to be incorporated into the catch-all Omnibus Appropriations funding bill for fiscal year 2008. At the Parent Conference, we learned that Congress acquiesce to the President’s threat to veto the Omnibus funding bill if it was significantly over his budget request.

At the conference, we learned that funding in FY 2008 for Head Start would be drastically cut to $13.7 million from the proposed $154 million increase. We were further informed that funding for Head Start programs for FY 2008 will actually be cut by $10.6 million over FY 2007, resulting in a reduction for 2008 to $6.877 billion from $6,888 billion.

Participants at the Parent Conference were informed of the proposed reduction in funding and its impact on Head Start programs back home. Instantly, they responded by writing letters to their congressional representative and two senators.  

Impact of the $10.9 million cut to Head Start Programs  
The impact of the funding for Head Start in the approved 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Bill by $10.6 million is a reduction from $6,888 billion in FY 2007 to $6,877 billion in FY 2008. This funding cut would be equivalent to reducing Head Start and Early Head Start services to 26,506 children in FY 2008, and each Head Start and Early Head Start child would receive 3 cents per day less in services. Moreover, this funding cut would actually mean that Head Start programs would have experienced a real cut of 11 percent since FY 2002 (inflation-adjusted). This cut means that a Head Start program receiving $1 in FY 2002 is only receiving 89 cents in FY 2008.

Over the course of the next two weeks NHSA will begin the review this funding reduction. In early January we will forward an assessment of the cuts’ impact on Head Start program along with our call to action. We invite you to attend and support NHSA’s Leadership Institute taking place in Washington, DC, on January 28 - February 1, 2008. The institute will afford you the opportunity to visit with your member of congress and question their lack of support for Head Start.

Although Congress and the President have given children and families of Head Start a “lump of coal”, that will not deter us from celebrating the Holiday Season.  

NHSA and the staff wish you a most Joyous Holiday Season and look forward to seeing the Head Start community at its Washington, DC Leadership Institute in 2008

Dollar Per Child
Thank you to those of you who have already begun sending your donations for the 2007-2008 Dollar per Child campaign.

Please continue to mail checks to NHSA Dollar per Child Campaign, P.O. Box 890080, Charlotte, NC 28289-0080. Be sure to note which program, state, or region your donation is representing. Thank you for all of your support.