From the Office of Senator Kerry

Monday, February 1, 1999

WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Clinton today proposed a budget that would increase funds for education, child care and early childhood development initiatives. Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA) will introduce two bi-partisan bills based on these initiatives and today responded to the President's budget proposals in these areas.

Kerry and Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO) will re-introduce the Early Childhood Development Act in the 106th Congress. The bill would increase support for local communities' early childhood development efforts, for child care for infants and toddlers, and for the Head Start program..

Kerry and Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) will introduce the Kerry-Smith Plan to Educate America's Children. The Kerry-Smith agenda empowers state and local school district to implement comprehensive reform, ensure that children begin school ready to learn, facilitate vital partnerships between teachers, administrators, parents and communities, raise teacher quality, and expand public school choice.

Kerry said:

"The Clinton Administration is right to focus on children and expand child care and education initiatives. I applaud the President's "Early Learning Fund" and its devotion of resources to child care and early childhood development. I am gratified to see this program funded after many years of working to highlight the successes that can be achieved through early investment.

However, we must go further to address the real needs of our nation's children and their families:

Although the President's budget would increase after school programs from $200 million to $600 million, only a small fraction of the five million children who are home alone after school would get the help they need. Studies demonstrate that most juvenile crime takes place between the hours of 2 and 8 p.m. We must expand this program so that local school districts get the funds they need to make this important investment.

The President's budget moves towards providing 100,000 new teachers, modernizing schools, and improving teacher quality. Although these are important steps, we must go much further with comprehensive school reform, providing an appropriate balance between increased accountability and resources.

In addition, I believe that comprehensive education reform should include grants that would train principals in management and business skills, establish "Second Chance" schools for violent or disruptive students, raise teacher salaries, and provide signing bonuses for first-time teachers who teach in low-income areas."

Head Start is a program that proves how successful early investment in our children can be. Currently, only approximately 40 percent of eligible children receive this comprehensive approach to child development. I will continue to work in Congress and with the Administration to increase funding for this vital program.

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