WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11) voted for a five-year, $7.35 billion Head Start bill, opening the program to more kids in Michigan and America.
“Head Start is essential to giving underprivileged kids the chance for a long life of learning, achievement, and happiness,” McCotter said.
The measure, approved by the House by vote of 381 to 36, increases the eligibility to more low-income families and strengthens the qualifications of teachers. The Senate also voted 95-0 for approval of the legislation.
Currently, more than 35,000 children are enrolled in Michigan’s Head Start program, which received more than $230 million in federal funding for fiscal year 2007 (FY2007).
Established in 1965, the Head Start Program provides a range of services including education, nutrition, health, and parent training, to more than 900,000 children across the country. The program is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Federal Head Start funds are provided directly to local grantees, rather than through States. Programs are locally designed and administered by a network of more than 1,600 public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies, or by grantees who operate about 2,600 programs nationwide. Grantees are required to reserve at least ten percent of their slots for children with disabilities. In 1994, Early Head Start was established to serve pre-natal mothers and infants and toddlers under the age of three.
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