Press Releases
Senator Roberts: Congress Renews Head Start;
More Kansas Children Eligible Under New Plan
Nov 15 2007
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts announced that late last night, the Senate and House approved a compromise bill to renew funding for Head Start including measures to expand eligibility to more Kansas children for the successful early childhood education program. Senator Roberts supported the House/Senate agreement which passed by a vote of 95-0.
“I am pleased the Head Start bill strengthens accountability of the program, expands eligibility to more children, enhances teacher quality, and strengthens school readiness,” Senator Roberts said. “We made sure that Head Start continues to be a vital stepping stone for our children and their families.”
The Head Start Authorization bill (H.R. 1429) allows a Head Start agency to increase income eligibility to 130 percent of the poverty level to expand the program to more children. It also includes new education requirements for Head Start teachers, adds more stringent transparency and accountability requirements for Head Start grantees, and improves the system the standards and assessments system.
The House and Senate compromise bill now goes to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
Earlier this year, Senator Roberts received the Kansas Head Start Association’s “Kansas Legislative Champion for 2007” award.
Senator Roberts said, “I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the great strides Head Start is making in Kansas communities. Head Start, as the name suggests, enables children in need to learn the basic life and social skills to enter school ready to learn. The program, which serves children all over Kansas, provides them with a stable, encouraging environment that allows them to learn, have fun, be nourished – and nurtured. This is particularly invaluable for a child that may not have the same environment at home.”
Kansas Head Start serves 8,200 young children in 86 counties in Kansas.
Senator Roberts is a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and was a member of the Head Start Authorization Conference Committee which compromised the House and Senate versions of the bill.
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“I am pleased the Head Start bill strengthens accountability of the program, expands eligibility to more children, enhances teacher quality, and strengthens school readiness,” Senator Roberts said. “We made sure that Head Start continues to be a vital stepping stone for our children and their families.”
The Head Start Authorization bill (H.R. 1429) allows a Head Start agency to increase income eligibility to 130 percent of the poverty level to expand the program to more children. It also includes new education requirements for Head Start teachers, adds more stringent transparency and accountability requirements for Head Start grantees, and improves the system the standards and assessments system.
The House and Senate compromise bill now goes to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
Earlier this year, Senator Roberts received the Kansas Head Start Association’s “Kansas Legislative Champion for 2007” award.
Senator Roberts said, “I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the great strides Head Start is making in Kansas communities. Head Start, as the name suggests, enables children in need to learn the basic life and social skills to enter school ready to learn. The program, which serves children all over Kansas, provides them with a stable, encouraging environment that allows them to learn, have fun, be nourished – and nurtured. This is particularly invaluable for a child that may not have the same environment at home.”
Kansas Head Start serves 8,200 young children in 86 counties in Kansas.
Senator Roberts is a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and was a member of the Head Start Authorization Conference Committee which compromised the House and Senate versions of the bill.
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