A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Early Learning

Since the beginning of the Clinton Administration, investment in early childhood education has been a top priority. Over the last four years, the federal government has invested heavily in effective programs, increasing funding for Head Start by 43 percent. The Clinton Administration is committed to building on this progress to ensure that every parent is their child's first teacher and every child arrives at school ready to learn.

Expanding Head Start

• Head Start Helps Children Get Ready to Learn and Ready to Read. For more than 30 years, Head Start has been one of our nation's best investments in helping low-income parents be their children's first teacher, and in making sure that children start school ready to read and ready to learn. Head Start provides hundreds of thousands of three- and four-year old children cognitive, social and language development, comprehensive health services and healthy meals and nutrition. Head Start offers parenting skills, support, education and training to parents seeking to improve their circumstances and their children's chances of success.

• President Clinton's Budget Expands Head Start Participation to One Million Three- and Four-Year-Olds. Today, 800,000 low-income children and their families -- but not all of those who are eligible -- have a chance to benefit from Head Start. The President's budget plan continues to expand enrollment so that, by the year 2002, one million of this nation's most disadvantaged children and families will have the chance for a head start.

• Head Start Works. Research findings overwhelmingly show that Head Start works. Last year, a Packard Foundation study reviewed nearly 150 separate studies of the Head Start program and concluded that it not only had the immediate impact of raising reading scores, but had the lasting effect of making students less likely to be held back a grade, less likely to be placed in special education classes, and more likely to graduate from high school. Even later in life, former participants were less likely to go on welfare or enter the criminal justice system.

• Parental Involvement Is the Bedrock of Head Start. Last year more than 800,000 Head Start parents demonstrated their commitment by volunteering in their local program. And they get a great deal in return: Head Start staff work closely with parents to help them build their skills, not only to become better parents but also to become contributing members of their community. Parents are taught the importance of reading to their children. When parents have difficulty reading, Head Start programs work with them to improve their literacy skills.

• Early Head Start and Quality Improvements Under the Clinton Administration. In 1994, the Clinton Administration established the Early Head Start program, providing tens of thousands of children ages zero to three and their families with family-centered and community-based services. Over the last three years, the Clinton Administration has also invested significantly in improving program quality, providing local programs with the resources they need to attract and retain high-quality teachers and to improve the quality and safety of the Head Start centers.

• Family Literacy is a New Priority in Head Start. Under new standards developed by the Clinton Administration, family literacy is a new priority in Head Start as well as in Even Start -- all parents will be offered training to help them be involved in their children's education and to help them be their children's first teacher.

• The America Reads Challenge Will Build on the Strong Foundation Provided by Head Start. After-school and summer tutoring for young school-age children and for their older siblings and parents builds on what Head Start begins. Through the Head Start Transition Initiative, Head Start programs will dedicate at least one part-time staff person to work with local school systems, parents, child care providers and other members of the community to make sure children successfully make the transition from Head Start to public school.

Other Early Learning Opportunities

• America Reads Parents as First Teachers Challenge Grants: To make sure that every child can read well by the end of 3rd grade, the President's America Reads Challenge includes Parents as First Teachers Challenge Grants that will invest in proven efforts to provide assistance to parents who want to help ensure their children will read well. The grants will fund national and regional networks to share information on how parents can help children to read, and fund the expansion of successful local programs, such as the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) or the Parents as First Teachers (PAT) program. The President's proposal includes $300 million over five years for these grants.

• White House Conference on Early Learning and the Brain. Thanks to the latest scientific research and discoveries, we now know much more about a child's cognitive, emotional and physical development in the first few years of life. For example, we now know that reading to children in their first three years not only strengthens the emotional bonds between a parent and a child and helps children learn words and concepts, it also actually stimulates their brain growth. The President and First Lady will convene a White House conference this spring to explore the implications of these scientific discoveries and research for parents and policy makers.

• National Prescription for Reading Campaign. In December 1996, the First Lady announced, along with representatives of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, and the Reach Out and Read program a national campaign to put books in the hands of parents who bring their young children to the doctor, and to get doctors to prescribe daily reading. Doctors and nurses across the country are beginning to "prescribe reading" to infants and young children because they know the impact reading has on babies and young children, and they have a unique opportunity at every check-up to encourage parents to read to their children daily.

• Vice President's Conference on Family and Learning. In June 1997, Vice President and Mrs. Gore will hold their sixth annual family conference, this time on families and learning. We know that children learn best when their parents are active partners in the process. The conference will bring together leaders in the field of education, parents, teachers, and policy makers to build on successful examples of partnerships among families, schools and communities, including those that help children learn before they start school.

• Partnership for Family Involvement in Education: Over 2,000 family, school, community, employer and religious groups have joined with Secretary of Education Richard Riley to create the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education. The Partnership's efforts include strengthening at-home activities that encourage reading, promoting and adopting family-friendly business practices such as providing leave time to attend parent-teacher conferences and volunteer in schools, and supporting community-based organizations and schools to work together to create neighborhood learning communities through organized before- and after-school and summer activities.

• Goals 2000 Parent Resource Centers: In addition to involving parents in the development of state and local Goals 2000 education plans, the President's Goals 2000 program provides funding for each state to establish parent resource centers that help parents learn how to help their children achieve high standards. The centers coordinate existing programs, provide resource materials, and support a variety of promising models of family involvement programs. In fiscal year 1997, $15 million in funding is available for support centers in 42 states, 14 more than in 1996.

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