On June 19, the House Education and the Workforce Committee approved, on a 27-20 party-line vote, a measure (H.R. 2210) that would give states more control over their individual Head Start programs and would authorize $202 million in new funding for FY2004, bringing the total funding to $7 million.
The vote came amid strong objections from Democrats, who reiterated concerns raised during last week’s subcommittee mark-up. At issue were provisions in the bill that call for the creation of a pilot program under which states would be allowed to receive block grants to coordinate their state’s early education programs with Head Start (see The Source, 6/13/03). Democrats noted that the committee vote marks the first time in Head Start’s 38-year history that the program would be reauthorized without broad bipartisan support.
“Head Start has been an important and successful program for 20 million poor children and their families, and this bill will end Head Start as we know it,” said Committee Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA).
In arguing against the bill, Democrats contended that the pilot program would hand Head Start over to the states without imposing federal standards, and with no mechanism for oversight.
“For Democrats, this is about ensuring that our most vulnerable children get the high quality Head Start they deserve and need,” Rep. Miller said. “There is no state preschool program that has been shown to be better than Head Start.”
Republicans on the panel countered that the Democratic objections to the pilot program were really an argument over control of money.
Committee Chair John Boehner (R-OH) rattled off a list of federal requirements states would have to meet to qualify for the pilot program. Republicans maintain that the requirements would all but rule out any state that could not guarantee services that are as good as, or better, than those currently provided under Head Start.
“If states are willing to commit to high standards and funding for early childhood education, then the federal government should be willing to let them coordinate Head Start with their own programs. Until it is, we are doing something less than giving disadvantaged children the best start they deserve,” said Rep. Boehner.
The committee adopted two Democratic amendments by voice vote. The first, offered by Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), would make Head Start benefits available to homeless children and families. The second amendment, offered by Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL), would encourage outreach in order to strengthen the role of fathers.
The committee also rejected several Democratic amendments, including:
