HEAD START “DOWNWARD SPIRAL” SEEN IN GROWING NUMBER OF PROGRAM CLOSURES AND PAINFUL CUTBACKS IN SERVICE
Federal Cuts and Failure to Keep Up With Rising Costs Put Squeeze on Local Programs; Examples Cited from CT, ID, IN, KY, MD, NJ and WA of “Alarming Trend.”
WASHINGTON,
D.C.///June 22, 2006//Hundreds of Head Start programs across the United States are in the grips of “vice-like cost squeeze” today that may result in a major jump in program closures and severe program shutdowns, according to a warning issued today by the National Head Start Association (NHSA) and local Head Start grantees from around the U.S.
NHSA officials highlighted examples from seven states as the leading edge of an alarming trend in Head Start programs unable to deal with the “double whammy” of federal budget cuts and spiraling costs for health care, wages, transportation and other major expenses. Last year, Congress imposed a 1 percent cut on Head Start programs at the same point when local programs were seeing operating cost hikes ranging from 7-10 percent.
National Head Start Association President and CEO Sarah Greene said: “Congress and the American public need to understand that we are sending out a big S-O-S emergency call today. Local Head Start programs are in the grips of a vice-lock cost squeeze today that is going to mean widespread program shutdowns and unacceptably severe cuts in service unless proper funding is made available and further cuts are suspended. This is a very grave situation that imperils the school readiness of a million of America’s most at-risk children. I fear that we already are seeing the start of the downward spiral of Head Start.”
Amy Collier, administrator, Head Start and Family Support Programs, Catholic Charities, a Head Start grantee in Baltimore, MD, said: “We already made every kind of cut that we could find to make leading into last year. Because of the (1 percent) federal funding shortfall I could not find any further services or staff to cut without reducing the quality of our program, which is something I refuse to do. So I had no other choice but to not renew our contract of two Head Start programs for next year. These two programs had been serving 459 children … We are working with the grantee now to ensure that these children get some services elsewhere, but there is no guarantee that services won’t be interrupted. We may be closing the door of opportunity on 459 children.”
Rudy Taylor, Head Start grandparent and legal guardian, Kitsap Community Resources, Bremerton, WA, said: “Due to several years of minimal funding and a 1 percent budget cut passed last year by Congress, however, our program had to make significant service reductions. (Our legal guardian) Kris had what they call an ‘active shadow’ — an aide whose job it was to provide one on one attention to him throughout the day. With cuts in funding, however, our program had no other choice but to eliminate this position. Without his ‘shadow,’ it has become increasingly difficult for Kris to function in the classroom, so my wife and I had to pull Kris out of the Head Start program for five weeks … I cannot understand why Congress keeps cutting funding for this incredible program. I worked in construction for 25 years until I suffered a stroke and could not work. The program has embraced my family with open arms. Through Head Start I have learned how to advocate for services for my grandchild and to get the support I need. My family would not have anything right now without Head Start. It just doesn’t make sense to cut this program.”
Greene encouraged all concerned parents, grandparents and other citizens to go to SaveHeadStart.org (http://www.saveheadstart.org) to tell Congress that they want to see more funding for Head Start and an end to further federal cuts.
Examples of recent Head Start program closures and severe cutbacks include the following:
- SULTAN, WASHINGTON – The Snohomish County Head Start program is planning to close its 17-year-old center here at the end of June as part of $50,000 in budget cuts forced by inadequate federal support. Most of the children served in Sultan were from Spanish-speaking homes. The program provided children with valuable English language skills and a leg up when entering elementary school. Another nearby Head Start program is making $250,000 in cuts by leaving open positions unfilled, increasing class sizes, reducing transportation and trimming its year-round Early Head Start program for infants and pregnant mothers.
- HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - The Community Renewal Team, an anti-poverty agency that administers the Head Start and other programs in Hartford, is now warning that several Head Start centers are going to be closed, due to federal cuts and inability to keep up with rising costs.
- MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY - Many Head Start programs operating on reduced federal funds are unable to deal with the shock of any other disruption in their financial picture. Because the state of New Jersey is withholding $197,000 of a two-year grant, up to 40 preschool children at the Community Head Start organization of Morris County will have to be removed from the program. In a letter to Governor Jon Corzine, local program officials wrote: “We are sure you do not understand all of the extremely damaging ramifications of withdrawing our funding from the upcoming school year … Withdrawing our funding may result in savings today, but will result in far more costs to the state for remedial and bilingual services once these children enter the public schools.” Due to inadequate federal funds, the local program already had a waiting list of 70 students.
- LEWISTON, IDAHO - Bus transportation for the Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program will end in September, leaving 14 buses out of commission. The buses serve 220 children in Lewiston, Clarkston, and Asotin. In addition, six bus drivers have lost their jobs. The Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program’s Executive Director Dorlan Hergesheimer said that the decision was based, in part, on not having the money to replace them and to pay for the fuel to drive them … Within a couple of years, he anticipates eliminating transportation for outlying sites in Moscow, Orofino, Kamiah, Grangeville, and Riggins. In addition, federal budget cuts have resulted in some staff positions being eliminated, the wiping out of staff salary increases (thus hindering the program’s ability to retain highly qualified staff), and the laying of staff.
- BOYD COUNTY, KENTUCKY - Teaching and home-based instructor positions have had to be eliminated in order to free up funds for state-mandated 2 percent pay raises for the remaining staff at Boyd County Public Schools Head Start. The money saved from not filling these positions will be used to cover the pay raises this year. However, it is unclear whether this staff “cannibalization” process can continue for more than one year. The lack of funds for rising health insurance costs, increased transportation costs and other expenses will require additional positions to be eliminated.
- LOGANSPORT, INDIANA – The Area Five Agency Head Start program here is imposing an $80,000 program budget cut by reducing days of operation from five to four, cutting teacher hours by 2.5 hours per week, reducing assistant teacher hours by 3.5 hours per week, and trimming both staff and services for transportation
- SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - John Bancroft, executive director of Puget Sound Head Start, said that his Head Start program, which serves 1,800 children in King and Pierce counties, received a federal budget cut for the first time in 40 years. The cut came at the same time as a 7 percent increase in operating costs. As a result, his program has had to cut back on their services, including bus services for children, teachers’ hours and availability of support staff. He estimates that almost 25,000 eligible young children in the Seattle area are languishing on waiting lists.
ABOUT NHSA
The National Head Start Association is a private not-for-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. It represents more than one million children, 200,000 staff and 2,700 Head Start programs in the United States. The Association provides support for the entire Head Start community by advocating for policies that strengthen services to Head Start children and their families; by providing extensive training and professional development to Head Start staff; and by developing and disseminating research, information, and resources that enrich Head Start program delivery. For more information, visit http://www.nhsa.org.
CONTACT: Ailis Aaron Wolf, (703) 276-3265 or aaaron@hastingsgroup.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A streaming audio replay of the NHSA news event will be available as of 6 p.m. ET on June 22, 2006 at http://www.saveheadstart.org. |
