(D-Maine)
For many children, kindergarten is a time to begin exploring the possibilities that the world offers. Just go to any class in Maine on the first day of school and you can see the excitement, and nervousness, of so many students and their parents. The very first day of school should mean that a world of opportunity is available for each and every child. It should also mean that all students start on an even playing field. However, too many low-income children arrive at kindergarten unprepared to begin their school careers. These children may lack the social skills to interact with other kids and their teachers, or they may not be mentally prepared to tackle the learning process. Sometimes they may even suffer from malnutrition or other unaddressed medical problems.
This is why the Head Start program, a federally-funded pre-kindergarten program that serves low-income children and their families, is so important to Maine.
And that’s why I’m so pleased that Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle came together last week to significantly strengthen this program. In a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation, Congress voted to reauthorize the Head Start program, increasing funding and expanding access to tens of thousands of children.
This reauthorization bill will improve Head Start’s ability to prepare young children for school by supporting their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. This legislation authorizes $7.35 billion for the coming fiscal year – $450 million more than the current funding level.
In Maine, almost 4,000 low-income children ages 3-5 take advantage of the Head Start program so that they are ready to meet the challenges ahead. The vast majority of these children – 60 percent – live below the poverty line. Of these children, 84 percent have received basic primary health care, and 54 percent have had a continuous, accessible source of dental care thanks to Head Start. Clearly, this program is going a long way toward meeting the needs of poor children in Maine.
Studies have shown that Head Start narrows the gap between disadvantaged children and other children in a number of ways, including vocabulary, writing skills and social behavior. Studies also show that Head Start children show IQ gains compared to low-income children who are not in the program. Head Start also gets parents and communities involved in their children’s educational path from the very beginning, so that learning doesn’t stop when the child leaves the classroom.
Investments in early childhood education and development can have a lasting impact on a child’s future. It is our responsibility to make sure that our children have access to the Head Start program so that they can have the opportunity to achieve their full potential despite their economic circumstances. By passing the updates to Head Start, Congress is making sure that the program meets current demands and helps more Maine children arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed.
