69ý

Federal

Head Start Renewal Back on the Agenda in New Congress

By Alyson Klein — January 09, 2007 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

The education committees of both the House and the Senate expect to begin work early in the new Congress on a long-awaited reauthorization of the federal Head Start program, which is aimed at preparing disadvantaged preschool children for school. Both panels passed bills during the 109th Congress, crafted largely on a bipartisan basis, which called for greater accountability for Head Start grantees and higher professional standards for the program’s teachers.

But the Head Start Act, which was last renewed in 1998 and was due for reauthorization in 2003, has stalled partially because of a provision, included in the House version of the bill at the behest of some conservative Republicans, that would have allowed Head Start centers operated by religious groups to take faith into account in hiring.

Most House Democrats, including Rep. George Miller of California, who became the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee with the start of the 110th Congress last week, voted against the bill because of the provision on religion, calling it a violation of applicants’ civil rights. The version approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee did not include the contentious provision. It is highly unlikely to make it into the new version of the bill now that Democrats control both houses of Congress, Head Start advocates say.

A Senate Democratic aide said the new bill is likely to be similar to the measure that cleared the Senate education panel in 2005 with broad bipartisan support. That bill would have expanded eligibility for Head Start to more low-income families. It also would have increased accountability for Head Start centers, by requiring that programs that receive deficient ratings in their evaluations compete with other applicants for the federal grants.

Both the Senate and the House bills set a goal that 50 percent of Head Start teachers hold bachelor’s degrees. Right now, just over 30 percent of Head Start teachers have such degrees, according to the National Head Start Association, an advocacy group for Head Start staff members, programs, and students, based in Alexandria, Va.

Reporting System

Joel Ryan said that while the organization supports the 50 percent goal, he is worried that Head Start centers could have trouble meeting it, since their teachers are generally paid less than those in public schools. He said the association is working to ensure that the legislation is clear that Head Start centers not be penalized for failing to meet the 50 percent benchmark.

The House version of the legislation also included language aimed at halting the National Reporting System, an accountability measure for Head Start children, until the National Academy of Sciences develops what is deemed a more appropriate system for assessing those children. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., the new chairman of the Senate education committee, is likely to seek similar language when his panel considers the bill, a Senate Democratic aide said.

“We’re pleased that there will be bipartisan support for suspending the testing,” Mr. Ryan, the senior legislative strategist for NHSA, said. “It’s unfortunate that tax dollars are being wasted on an assessment that’s flawed.”

A version of this article appeared in the January 10, 2007 edition of Education Week as Head Start Renewal Back on the Agenda in New Congress

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Federal Opinion What's Really at Stake for Education in This Election?
What a Harris or Trump presidential victory might mean for federal education policy, according to Rick Hess.
5 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Federal Trump's K-12 Record in His First Term Offers a Blueprint for What Could Be Next
In his first term, Trump sought to significantly expand school choice, slash K-12 spending, and tear down the U.S. Department of Education.
11 min read
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listens at left as President Donald Trump speaks during a round table discussion at Saint Andrew Catholic School on March 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listens at left as President Donald Trump speaks during a round table discussion at Saint Andrew Catholic School on March 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. The education policies Trump pursued in his first term offer clues for what a second Trump term would look like for K-12 schools.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal From Our Research Center How Educators Say They'll Vote in the 2024 Election
Educators' feelings on Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump vary by age and the communities where they work.
4 min read
Jacob Lewis, 3, waits at a privacy booth as his grandfather, Robert Schroyer, fills out his ballot while voting at Sabillasville Elementary School, Nov. 8, 2022, in Sabillasville, Md.
Jacob Lewis, 3, waits at a privacy booth as his grandfather, Robert Schroyer, fills out his ballot while voting at Sabillasville Elementary School, Nov. 8, 2022, in Sabillasville, Md.
Julio Cortez/AP
Federal Q&A Oklahoma State Chief Ryan Walters: 'Trump's Won the Argument on Education'
The state schools chief's name comes up as Republicans discuss who could become education secretary in a second Trump administration.
8 min read
Ryan Walters, then-Republican candidate for Oklahoma State Superintendent, speaks at a rally, Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City.
Ryan Walters speaks at a rally on Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City as a candidate for state superintendent of public instruction. He won the race and has built a national profile for governing in the MAGA mold.
Sue Ogrocki/AP