Head Start Advocate Update: Looking Back and Looking Forward in the House
So much has happened in Congress in the last eight months. Let’s take a moment to look back at some of the actions the House of Representatives took this year to support Head Start, and what is on the horizon for Head Start in the final leg of the year.
In January, we met the 117th Congress…
At the start of the new year 62 new members were elected into the House of Representatives. These freshman members of Congress now sit on key committees that have a hand in legislation affecting Head Start and Early Head Start, including the House Appropriations Committee and the House Committee on Education and Labor. Both Committees welcomed my new faces from the Freshmen Class and returning Members including Head Start alumna Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-3) who now sits on the Education and Labor Committee.
In February, the House prioritized addressing the country’s COVID-19 needs with a flurry of activity…
The House Committee on Education and Labor responded to Head Start’s needs by adding $1 billion in additional funds as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget reconciliation bill, also known as the American Rescue Plan (ARP). This funding supported Head Start programs’ efforts to deliver safe, high-quality services to children and families during the pandemic. In addition to directly funding Head Start programs, the ARP also included substantial funding for priority areas that impact Head Start children and their families. For nearly an entire year, Head Start programs confronted the COVID-19 pandemic with extraordinary energy and attention to public health guidance, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held up as a model for early learning settings operating in-person. This additional funding allowed Head Start to maintain its standard-setting services.
This breakthrough legislation also called for increased funding for the Child Tax Credit, mental health programs, expansion of SNAP, and additional stimulus payments. Many Congressional champions helped this legislation over the finish line, especially Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA), who shared recorded remarks with our community during the 2021 Winter Leadership Institute, expressing his gratitude for Head Start’s role in supporting families during the pandemic.
In April, our Congressional champions advocated for Head Start in advance of President Biden’s budget proposal…
Representatives Katherine Clark (MA-5), Joe Morelle (NY-25), and Lauren Underwood (IL-14) led a “Dear Colleague” letter for their Democratic colleagues in support of $12.1 billion in funding for Head Start in FY22. The requested funding makes specific references to a cost-of-living adjustment for the Head Start and Early Head Start workforce, and for increased quality improvement funds to build on previous investments in FY20, and to promote healing from the trauma of the past year. Concurrently, Representative Steve Stivers (OH-15) circulated a “Dear Colleague” letter among House Republicans advocating for increased quality improvement funding. These letters received a total of 205 signatures on both sides of the aisle — proving yet again that Head Start has strong bipartisan support. What a win!
In May, the House kicked the FY22 appropriations process into high gear…
President Biden released his budget proposal, which included $11.9 billion for Head Start and Early Head Start, a $1.2 billion increase! The President’s proposal outlined the Administration’s priority to make bold investments in early childhood education. Seeing such strong support for Head Start and its whole-child, whole-family model was a welcome start to the annual funding process.
Shortly thereafter, the House Appropriations Committee hosted Public Witness Testimony where Head Start was well-represented by Rachael DeSpain, director of the Tri-County Opportunities Council in Central Illinois. In her testimony (both written and verbal) Rachael underscored the need to increase funding to support the Head Start workforce, expand trauma services for children, and extend the duration of the school day.
In June and July, as programs began to open up to visitors, several members of Congress had the opportunity to see Head Start in action…
Representative Lori Trahan (MA-3) joined Massachusetts state Representative Linda Dean Campbell to tour a program in the Greater Lawrence Community. Trahan said: “I’m proud that, as funding from the relief package continues to work its way into our community, [Head Start] and the families they serve are eligible for financial assistance.”
On the other side of the country, Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24) paid a visit to Storyteller Children Center’s De La Vina campus for storytime. Executive Director Susan Cass said: “It means a great deal that our representatives value and underscore our mission.”
Having members of Congress visit Head Start centers is one of the most important ways to show them how Head Start is unique, innovative, and high-quality. Will your program be the next to host a visit?
Looking to the horizon…
NHSA will continue to engage in the budget process as it passes through Congress. Likewise, we are keeping our eyes trained on the reconciliation process, as well as a potential reauthorization.
This autumn, Head Start advocates and educators will continue to have a key role in our work in Washington. We encourage you to join us in September for our Fall Leadership Institute, a four-day event in Washington D.C., which provides attendees education about federal legislative priorities, advocacy training, and an opportunity to join state delegations for meetings with elected leaders and congressional staff on Capitol Hill. Help us raise awareness about how and why Head Start programs are vital to families and communities across America.