NHSA COMMENDS PRESIDENT, CONGRESS FOR BIPARTISAN COOPERATION IN PASSING HEAD START REAUTHORIZATION
WASHINGTON, D.C.///December 12, 2007//The National Head Start Association (NHSA), the voice of Head Start grantees, applauds President George Bush for signing the "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act," which reauthorizes America's premier preschool program. The U.S. Congress sent the bill to the president last week after passing the reauthorization measure with strong bipartisan support.
NHSA Board Chair Ron Herndon, said: “On behalf of the National Head Start Association, and the children, parents, staff and teachers of Head Start and Early Head Start programs, we offer our thanks to the President for signing into law this bill reauthorizing Head Start, the program responsible for assuring preschool readiness for America’s most at-risk children. We are pleased to see that the President’s thinking has evolved so far from the start of this process, when he outlined a number of steps that would have dismantled Head Start. We have certainly come a long way from those days.”
Herndon added: “We also commend members of Congress for showing such significant bipartisan support for Head Start reauthorization. We see the passage of this bill as the necessary starting point for a greater focus on the domestic agenda for Congress and the next President. We hope that Congress and the President continue their support for Head Start by increasing funding so programs have the essentials to continue to meet federal standards and add back some of the services that have been lost as flat-funding and cuts have stripped programs over the past several years.“
Established in 1965, Head Start is the most successful and longest running national school readiness program in the United States. Head Start has served over 25 million preschool-age children, infants, toddlers, and pregnant women since its inception. The successful Head Start reauthorization by the U.S. Congress signals a continued legacy for future low-income children and families.
NHSA has been working hard for the last five years to ensure that this Reauthorization will protect the values and goals important to all Head Start children, employees and families. As the national association representing the entire Head Start community, NHSA speaks for more than one million children and their families, 200,000 staff, and 2,700 Head Start programs. With the assistance of over one million volunteers, these programs comprehensively meet the early childhood development, educational, health and family needs of our children.
Interim NHSA President Michael McGrady stated: “Although we earned the right to celebrate the reauthorization of Head Start, I call upon the President to support the level of funding necessary to carry-out the improvements in the law.”
The "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act" addresses income eligibility, allowing more working poor to participate in the program; strengthens governing body oversight of Head Start programs; terminates the National Reporting System; reaffirms the accreditation of teachers in early childhood; provides expansion for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start and American Indian/Alaskan Native population; and underscores the importance of parental involvement in the education of their children.
ABOUT NHSA
The National Head Start Association (http://www.nhsa.org) 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 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 2,600 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.
CONTACT: Ailis Aaron Wolf, (703) 276-3265 or aaaron@hastingsgroup.com. |
