WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) praised today’s signing into law of the bipartisan Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act (12/12/07), citing the important accomplishment as a victory of the new Democratic Congress.

Passed by Congress on November 14 by wide margins in both chambers, the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act  (HR 1429) reauthorizes, expands and improves the program through FY 2012. The successful Head Start early education program provides vital child development, health, and nutrition services to low-income children, from birth to age five, and their families. 

“For 40 years, the Head Start program has helped more than 20 million children in our country enter kindergarten better prepared,” Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said.  “The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act will expand this effective program to serve as many as 10,000 additional low-income children.  The measure will also strengthen teacher quality, professional development, classroom practices and the over all monitoring of programs to ensure their quality and accountability.”

“The Head Start program is especially important in the Latino community,” Congresswoman Roybal-Allard added.  “Of the 900,000 children currently served by the program, 324,000 are Hispanic children.  I’m pleased this final measure addresses specific needs of the Latino community, including outreach services to Limited English Proficient children and their families.”  The bill also prioritizes Indian, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start funding to address the disparity in current services.
This critical law contains provisions to:

• improve teacher and classroom quality, including improving teacher qualifications and increasing teacher salaries;
• strengthen the focus on school readiness, including requiring the Head Start program to use the latest and best science regarding early childhood brain development in its curriculum and materials;
• provide access to Head Start for more children, with higher authorization levels for Head Start and a priority on the expansion of Early Head Start, which serves children from birth to age three; and
• impose strong accountability measures, to better ensure that Head Start funds are used appropriately and efficiently and that underperforming programs are either replaced or quickly improved.

Research finds that children who attend Head Start enter school better prepared than low-income children who do not attend the program.  The congressionally-mandated Impact Study found that after less than one school year, Head Start narrowed the achievement gap by 45 percent in pre-reading and by 28 percent in pre-writing.  There is also research showing that Head Start students experience IQ gains and are less likely to need special education services, repeat a grade, or commit crimes in adolescence.  They are also more likely to graduate from high school.