Head Start Children, Parents, Teachers Attend Capitol Hill Ceremony to Mark Passage of Head Start Reauthorization

Business Wire, Dec 6, 2007

WASHINGTON -- More than a dozen Head Start children, parents and teachers participated yesterday in an official Capitol Hill signing ceremony for the "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act," which reauthorizes America's premier preschool program. The National Head Start Association ("NHSA"), the voice of Head Start grantees, commends the members of the U.S. Congress for their strong bipartisan support for the reauthorization measure.

Head Start children, parents and staff from the Mazique Parent Child Center Head Start program in downtown Washington were invited to participate in the official signing ceremony for the bill, which took place in the Rayburn Room of the U.S. Capitol.

NHSA Board Chair Ron Herndon, said: "On behalf of the National Head Start Association, and the children, parents, staff and teachers of Head Start and Early Head Start programs, we offer our whole-hearted thanks to members of the U.S. Congress for their support of Head Start. This Head Start reauthorization addresses a critical need in our country - the preschool readiness of our children."

Herndon added: "Very few, if any, pieces of legislation during this congressional session have passed by such significant margins, making this legislation a shining example of bipartisan cooperation. We see the passage of this bill as the necessary starting point for a greater focus on the domestic agenda for Congress. We also look forward to President Bush signing the bill into law."

Established in 1965, Head Start is the most successful and longest running national school readiness program in the United States. Head Start has served over 25 million preschool-age children, infants, toddlers, and pregnant women since its inception. The successful Head Start reauthorization by the U.S. Congress signals a continued legacy for future low-income children and families.

NHSA has been working hard for the last five years to ensure that this Reauthorization will protect the values and goals important to all Head Start children, employees and families. As the national association representing the entire Head Start community, NHSA speaks for more than one million children and their families, 200,000 staff, and 2,700 Head Start programs. With the assistance of over one million volunteers, these programs comprehensively meet the early childhood development, educational, health and family needs of our children.

The "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act" addresses income eligibility, allowing more working poor to participate in the program; strengthens governing body oversight of Head Start programs; terminates the National Reporting System; reaffirms the accreditation of teachers in early childhood; provides expansion for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start and American Indian/Alaskan Native population; and underscores the importance of parental involvement in the education of their children.

ABOUT NHSA

The National Head Start Association (http://www.nhsa.org) is a private not-for-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. It represents more than 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 2,600 Head Start programs in the United States. The Association provides support for the entire Head Start community by advocating for policies that strengthen services to Head Start children and their families, by providing extensive training and professional development to Head Start staff; and by developing and disseminating research, information, and resources that enrich Head Start program delivery.