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Press
Release, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, July 25, 2003
I commend the House of Representatives for passage today of the School
Readiness Act of 2003. For nearly two generations, the Head Start program
has helped disadvantaged children and their families, providing them with
comprehensive pre-school services. Today, in reauthorizing this program,
the House of Representatives has been careful to protect these
comprehensive benefits.
At the same time, the House has also expressed its agreement with the
President that we should take the next steps toward making Head Start even
better, and help ensure that Head Start children are school-ready when
they enter kindergarten. Data show that children served by this program
indeed become more school-ready than they would otherwise be -- but they
still lag far behind their more economically advantaged peers. We can
protect the Head Start program that has served us well, and yet still aim
higher, to serve Head Start children even better.
President Bush wants all of America's children to have the opportunity to
enter school ready to learn. The legislation passed by the House today
will help us achieve that goal. It incorporates into Head Start the best
of what is known to work in helping children develop cognitive skills, and
it establishes new goals and standards for quality and teacher experience.
It provides for ongoing evaluation of each Head Start center and provides
for assistance to centers that need more help. It also establishes a pilot
program for up to eight states to coordinate Head Start programs with
their statewide pre-school systems. At the same time, it maintains high
standards for all Head Start centers.
I especially congratulate Education Committee Chairman John Boehner and
Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle and thank them for their hard work to
make Head Start an even better program. I look forward to working with the
Senate toward similar legislation to build on our Head Start base and aim
toward equal opportunity for Head Start children.
The HHS report, "Strengthening Head Start: What the Evidence Shows," is on
the Web at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/StrengthenHeadStart03/index.htm
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