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Boost Head Start; Create Presidential Early Learning Council |
"We'll increase Head Start funding and quadruple Early Start to include a quarter of a million at-risk children. I will create a Presidential Early Learning Council to coordinate this effort across all levels of government and ensure that we're providing these children and families with the highest-quality programs."
-- Manchester, IowaBy ALINA SELYUKH
While the stimulus has allocated extra funding for Head Start, it may not be sufficient if the relationship between elementary and secondary education is not better coordinated, said William Gormley, Georgetown Public Policy Institute dean, speaking on the GPPI conference education panel at the Cannon House Office Building. The effects of participation in early education persist or fade over time depending on what school the student attends later, so addressing school assignment and teacher assessment practices should closely follow Head Start and early learning re-evaluation, in Gormley's view.
Head Start has a budget of approximately $7 billion and serves about 900,000 children -- only about 40 percent of eligible children, according to the National Head Start Association. At this point, Gormley said, state pre-K programs serve more four-year-olds than Head Start.
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FEBRUARY 17, 2009
Stimulus Signed Into Law
President Obama signed the final stimulus package [PDF] into law.
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FEBRUARY 11, 2009
Compromise Bill Retains Funding
The stimulus bill that emerged from the House and the Senate conference maintains $2 billion in funds allocated for Head Start. |
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JANUARY 29, 2009
House Passes Stimulus Bill, Funds Head Start
The House approved $2 billion for Head Start funding as part of the stimulus bill. |
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JANUARY 14, 2009
Obama Pushes For Head Start Funding
Obama wants his economic stimulus to include increased funds for Head Start. The Department of Health and Human Services administrates the Head Start and Early Start programs, and the Secretary-designate Tom Daschle had some praise for the two programs in his opening statement at his Senate confirmation hearing -- albeit buried at the end of his speech [PDF]. |
