IMPROVING HEAD START ACT OF 2007 PASSES HOUSE May 03, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Yesterday, in a move to improve Head Start's capability of providing comprehensive early childhood development for children of low-income families, the House passed an authorization bill to fund the program with strong accountability measures, said U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis.

"As many parents in the 4th District know, Head Start has long provided an invaluable early learning environment and crucial social and medical care for children who are at a disadvantage due to a lack of services available to them," Davis said.

The authorization measure calls for increased funding to provide Head Start centers the resources to meet current demands and boost access. Media reports and expert testimony have citied a lack of funding for centers in Tennessee and across the country.

With the inclusion of greater financial assistance, the bill calls for stronger accountability measures to better ensure that Head Start funds are used appropriately and efficiently. Underperforming programs will be required to recompete for grants after a review process to ensure they are either replaced or quickly improved.

At the same time, the legislation improves classroom and teacher quality by raising the qualifications of teachers and increasing funding for teacher and staff salaries and professional development. By 2013 fifty percent of Head Start teachers will be required to have at least a Bachelor of Arts degree.

"Head Start is crucial to the development of many children," Davis said. "We know that preparing children to learn is about more than just teaching letters and numbers. Head Start aims to give children the skills and abilities that will serve them throughout and after their school careers."

Since its inception in 1965, the Head Start program has assisted 20 million low-income children and their families.