House Gives Final Approval to Bill to Improve Head Start Early Childhood Education Program

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to give final approval to bipartisan legislation to improve and reauthorize the Head Start early childhood development and education program.

The House approved the legislation by a vote of 381 to 36. Once the Senate approves the legislation, it heads to the President’s desk for his signature.  

“Head Start remains a cornerstone in this country’s efforts to help all children learn, to combat poverty, and to provide all Americans with the opportunity to meet their fullest potential,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. “By building on Head Start’s past successes, this bipartisan legislation will help more poor children reach school age ready to learn and thrive.”

The legislation, the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, helps more children arrive at school ready to succeed by improving teacher and classroom quality, expanding access to Head Start for more children, improving comprehensive services for children in Head Start and their families, and ensuring that taxpayer dollars only fund Head Start centers that are well-run and high-quality.

“For 42 years, Head Start has helped to prepare our most vulnerable children to enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and in life,” said U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI), chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, who introduced the bill with Miller and Reps. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) and Michael N. Castle (R-DE). “Head Start works and this bill will make it even better by improving program quality and access.”

Head Start was established in 1965 to provide poor children with education, nutrition, and health services in the years before kindergarten. It has served nearly 25 million children since 1965.

To read Chairman Miller’s floor statement on the legislation, click here.

To read a summary of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, click here.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tom Kiley / Rachel Racusen
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-226-0853