On May 25, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved, by voice vote, a bill (S. 1107) to reauthorize Head Start.
In a press release Chair Mike Enzi (R-WY) stated, “Head Start pays dividends. The reauthorization bill we are offering today is critical to ensuring that all children, regardless of background, enter school and learn to succeed. Without Head Start, most of these children would not have the opportunity to attend preschool programs.”
Ranking Member Ted Kennedy (D-MA) expressed his support for the measure in a press statement: “The bill before us improves the educational aspects of Head Start, ensuring that its services are aligned with expectations for children in kindergarten, as accomplished by the effective Head Start Child Outcomes Framework,” adding, “I hope that once the bill is passed, we can work together to ensure that the teacher requirements we’ve included reach as many Head Start classrooms as possible. That means needed funds for teacher training and adequate compensation of Head Start teachers.”
Sponsored by Rep. Enzi, the Head Start Improvements for School Readiness Act would authorize $7.2 billion in FY2006, $7.5 billion in FY2007, $7.8 billion in FY2008, and such sums as are necessary for FY2009 and FY2010. Four percent of appropriated funds would be allocated to Indian Head Start programs and 5 percent would be allocated to migrant and seasonal Head Start programs. The bill also would authorize funds for Head Start programs classified as Centers of Excellence to “provide Head Start services to additional eligible children” and “model and disseminate best practices.” S. 1107 also extends eligibility for Head Start to children from families with incomes up to 130 percent of the poverty level.
Under the bill, teaching requirements would be increased: by September 2010, Head Start teachers would be required to have at least an associate’s degree and by September 2011, 50 percent of Head Start teachers would be required to have a bachelor’s degree. All Head Start teachers would need 15 hours of high-quality, intensive professional development per year and 2 percent of Head Start funds would be used for teacher training and technical assistance.
To strengthen academic standards, the measure would establish a National Academy of Sciences panel to consider appropriate educational requirements and report its proposals to the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services within a year. S. 1107 also would encourage Head Start agencies to create and implement their own results-based academic goals.
Under the bill, Head Start agencies would be required to conduct an annual self-assessment and take action to correct weaknesses. Deficient Head Start grantees would be required to recompete when renewing their contracts.
The House Education and the Workforce Committee approved its version of the bill (H.R. 2123) on May 18 (see The Source, 5/20/05).
