[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 29, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10145-S10149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Harkin, Ms. Mikulski, 
        Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Bingaman, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Reid, Mr. Edwards, 
        Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Rockefeller, and Mr. Daschle):
  S. 1483. A bill to amend the Head Start Act to reauthorize that Act, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined today by my 
colleague, the ranking member of the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions, Senator Kennedy, and Senators Harkin, Mikulski, 
Jeffords, Bingaman, Murray, Reed, Edwards, Clinton, Rockefeller and 
Daschle in introducing the Head Start School Readiness and Coordination 
Act.
  Let's be clear about one fact: Head Start works. More than 21 million 
children have gone through Head Start since the program began in 1965 
and currently around 900,000 children are enrolled.
  Head Start has to be one of the most studied of all Federal programs. 
But, with each study, there is no question about the results--Head 
Start children are learning. Could they learn more? Could they make 
greater gains? That's what our bill is about.
  Our bill has four basic points. Our bill will: strengthen the Head 
Start workforce by requiring stronger Head Start teacher credentials 
and wages more comparable to public school pre-kindergarten and 
kindergarten children; improve Head Start's academic focus, 
particularly instruction in preliteracy; expand Head Start to all 
eligible preschool children by 2008, including serving 200,000 infants 
and toddlers through Early Head Start by 2008; and, promote better 
coordination across all early care and education programs in every 
State.
  The biggest problem today with Head Start is not the children Head 
Start serves, but the children who are left behind--those who are not 
participating in a Head Start program.
  While the majority of Head Start children enter the program below 
national language and literacy norms for all children of similar ages, 
about 25 percent of children entering Head Start are extremely behind 
their peers. For these children, Head Start is a particularly important 
jump start to build school readiness skills.
  If our goal is to help Head Start children make even greater gains 
than

[[Page S10146]]

they are currently making, then we need to raise the educational 
credentials of Head Start teachers. We require that within 3 years, all 
newly hired Head Start teachers must either have an Associate's degree 
or become enrolled in a program leading to an AA degree within a year 
from when they're hired. In addition, we require a teacher with a 
Bachelor's degree in every classroom over the next 8 years.
  Currently, over half of State-funded pre-kindergarten programs 
require a teacher with a BA. We should require no less for Head Start 
children.
  Unlike the House bill, we provide additional funding to meet this 
stronger teacher requirement--in fact, $3 billion over 5 years. The 
average Head Start annual salary is about $20,000. The average annual 
salary for a kindergarten teacher is $43,000. If we do not raise Head 
Start teacher salaries to be more in line with public school pre-
kindergarten and kindergarten salaries, Head Start programs will never 
be able to attract and retain a stronger workforce.
  Next, we improve the academic focus of Head Start. We require Head 
Start programs to align their curriculum and classroom practice with 
local school districts and state school readiness standards. We require 
every Head Start teacher to have on-going training in literacy 
instruction. And, we provide funds for more books for Head Start 
classrooms so that each classroom can truly be a literature-rich 
environment.
  While the House bill does not even include enough funding to keep 
pace with inflation, our bill expands Head Start to all eligible 
preschoolers by 2008. In addition, we double the current setaside for 
Early Head Start from 10 percent of Head Start funding to 20 percent. 
To me, the earlier we can reach these children, the greater the 
likelihood that they can make even greater gains than current children, 
who, for the most part enter Head Start as 4 year-olds.
  Last, this bill will promote better coordination across all early 
care and education programs in every state--without a block grant. We 
require that every state designate or create an advisory council on 
early care and education. The council will issue a report to serve as a 
roadmap for how States can better coordinate various early childhood 
programs and services.
  An expanded State Head Start Collaboration office would work with the 
advisory council to ensure that Head Start fits into the big picture 
set by the state for early childhood education.
  Children in Head Start can learn more. But, they can't learn more 
unless we require a stronger workforce and unless we invest the 
resources necessary to attract and retain that workforce. While I agree 
that we need to strengthen the literacy focus of Head Start, we cannot 
do it unless every Head Start teacher is provided with literacy 
training.
  The Administration and House Republicans believe that we need a block 
grant to promote coordination and collaboration. I disagree. The block 
grant serves only to weaken the comprehensive services offered by every 
Head Start program.
  Tell the 208,000 children who needed dental treatment, the 71,000 who 
needed speech and language help, the 21,961 who had developmental 
delays, the 47,280 who needed treatment for asthma, the 25,869 who had 
vision problems, and the 20,260 who had hearing problems, that they did 
not need the comprehensive services provided by Head Start.
  Doctors don't water down medicine that's working, and neither should 
we when it comes to Head Start. But clearly House Republicans have 
chosen expediency over bipartisanship. That's wrong.
  Our bill, the Head Start School Readiness and Coordination Act, will 
further improve Head Start, without weakening the comprehensive 
services that Head Start children need.
  While we look forward to working with House and Senate Republicans in 
an effort to craft a bipartisan bill, we also wish to emphasize that we 
hold certain fundamental beliefs about Head Start that are in our bill 
and should be part of any final bill.
  Last night my colleague, Senator Alexander, introduced legislation to 
promote better coordination and the creation of Head Start Centers of 
Excellence. His interest and creativity help stake a marker for basic 
principles that in addition to my bill should be part of any final 
bill. I agree with my colleague that there is consensus around 
improving school readiness, improving coordination, and increasing 
accountability. I look forward to working with Senator Alexander and 
Senator Gregg, the Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions Committee and others who joined with me today in drafting a 
bipartisan bill to promote the strongest start possible for low income 
children prior to beginning kindergarten.
  In the wake of the No Child Left Behind Act, now is not the time to 
leave Head Start children behind.
  I ask unanimous consent that a short summary of the legislation be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the summary was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

            Head Start School Readiness and Coordination Act

       Brief Summary: Head Start works. The Head Start School 
     Readiness and Coordination Act will help Head Start work 
     better. The Act strengthens the Head Start workforce by 
     requiring stronger education credentials for Head Start 
     teachers and wages more comparable to public school pre-
     kindergarten and kindergarten teachers; improves Head Start's 
     academic focus, particularly in preliteracy instruction; 
     expands Head Start to more children, including more younger 
     children through the expansion of Early Head Start; and, 
     promotes better coordination across all early care and 
     education programs in the State.


                     Expands Head Start Enrollment

       Expands access to all eligible 3 and 4 year olds by 2008.
       Serves over 200,000 infants and toddlers a year by 2008.
       Increases funds for migrant Head Start programs from 4 
     percent annually to 5 percent.
       Increases funds for tribal Head Start programs from 3 
     percent annually to 4 percent.


                  strengthens the head start workforce

       Within 3 years, requires all newly hired teachers to have 
     an Associate degree, or be enrolled in a program leading to 
     an AA degree within 1 year of hire.
       Requires a teacher with a Bachelor's degree in every 
     classroom by 2008.
       Provides the resources necessary to attract and retain a 
     more educated workforce and to enable current Head Start 
     teachers to go back to school.


   Strengthens Head Start's Academic Focus, Particularly Pre-literacy

       Requires all Head Start teachers to receive on-going 
     training in literacy.
       Requires Head Start programs to align curriculum and 
     classroom practice with local school districts and state 
     school readiness standards.
       Provides funds to increase the number of books in Head 
     Start classrooms, promote partnerships with libraries, and 
     foster books in the homes of Head Start children.


          Improves Head Start's Coordination and Collaboration

       Expands State Head Start Quality Improvement and 
     Collaboration offices to better coordinate Head Start with 
     other early childhood programs.
       Promotes flexibility for Head Start to reach more children 
     from working poor families.


   promotes better coordination across All Early care and education 
                                programs

       Requires States to designate or establish an advisory 
     council on early care and education to review a State's 
     overall needs for children from birth to school entry.
       Allows States to administer Head Start training and 
     technical assistance to better comply with Head Start 
     performance standards and to promote professional development 
     among Head Start teachers and other early care providers, if 
     supplemented by the States.
       Involves States as a member of the team monitoring and 
     reviewing Head Start Performance and allows States to 
     designate new Head Start agencies.


                   Improves head start accountability

       Requires Head Start programs to conduct an annual review, 
     with a team that includes a representative from the local 
     school district, the State, and the HHS regional office.
       Allows the Secretary of HHS to conduct periodic unannounced 
     monitoring visits.

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it is a privilege to join Senator Dodd 
and other colleagues in introducing the Head Start Coordination and 
School Readiness Act. Our goal is to reauthorize Head Start and 
continue this very successful federal program to prepare low-income 
children for school.
  For nearly four decades, Head Start has enabled vulnerable, young 
pre-kindergarten children to enter school ready to learn. It provides a 
balanced educational curriculum to see that children develop early 
skills in reading, writing, and math, and positive social skills as 
well. It provides visits to doctors and dentists, and nutritious

[[Page S10147]]

meals to see that children are healthy. It provides outreach to parents 
to encourage them to participate actively in their child's early 
development.
  It is clear that Head Start works. A federal evaluation found that 
Head Start children make gains during the program itself, and the gains 
continue when the children enter kindergarten. Once Head Start children 
complete their kindergarten year, they are near the national average of 
100 in key areas, with scores of 93 in vocabulary, 96 in early writing, 
and 92 in early math.
  In this legislation, we build on Head Start's proven track record and 
expand it to include thousands of low-income children who are not yet 
served by the program. We provide for better coordination of Head Start 
with state programs for low-income children. We strengthen Head Start's 
focus on school readiness and pre-literacy. We increase the education 
requirements and compensation for Head Start teachers. We provide 
greater accountability, including a high quality assessment of each 
Head Start program.
  To strengthen Head Start, we have to begin by providing more 
resources for it. The need for Head Start is greater than ever. Child 
poverty is on the rise again. Today, only 60 percent of children 
eligible for Head Start participate in it. Over 312,000 three- and 
four-year-olds are left out because of the inadequate funding level of 
the program. Early Head Start serves only 3 percent of eligible infants 
and toddlers. It is shameful that 97 percent of the children eligible 
for Early Head Start have no access to it. It's long past time for 
Congress to expand access to Head Start to serve as many infants, 
toddlers, and preschool children as possible.
  Throughout the 1990's, we tripled our investment, and Head Start 
expanded by 52 percent. But this year, the President's budget fails to 
reach out to a single new child. It provides only $148 million in 
additional funding for the coming year--only a quarter of the increase 
that Head Start received in recent years, and barely enough to cover 
inflation.
  The bill that we introduce today will set a goal of fully funding 
Head Start over the next 5 years, in order to reach all eligible 
preschoolers. Each year, an additional 62,000 three- and four-year-olds 
would be served by the program. Funding will rise from $6.7 billion in 
the current fiscal year, to $8.5 billion in fiscal year 2004, and $16.3 
billion in fiscal year 2008.
  Early Head Start is an especially important lifeline for needy 
infants and toddlers. Research clearly shows its benefit to infants and 
toddlers and their families. Early Head Start children have larger 
vocabularies, lower levels of aggressive behavior, and higher levels of 
sustained attention than children not enrolled in the program. Parents 
are more likely to play with their children and read to them.
  This bill will double the size of Early Head Start, providing 
resources to serve an additional 29,000 infants and toddlers each year, 
at an estimated cost of $1 billion in fiscal year 2004, and $3.2 
billion in fiscal year 2008.
  The current Federal-to-local structure of Head Start enables it to 
tailor its services to meet local community needs. Performance 
standards guarantee a high level of quality across all programs. Yet 
each program is unique and specifically adapted to the local community. 
Head Start is successful in serving Inuit children in Alaska, migrant-
workers' children in Tennessee, and inner-city children in Boston. It 
is essential to maintain the ability of local Head Start programs to 
tailor their services to meet local community's needs.
  To strengthen this coordination with local programs, our bill creates 
a Head Start Quality Improvement and Collaboration Office in every 
state to maximize services to Head Start children, align Head Start 
with kindergarten classrooms, and strengthen its local partnerships 
with other agencies. These offices will also work to expand training 
and technical assistance to Head Start grantees to better meet the goal 
of preparing children for school.
  States will also have an active role in coordinating their early 
childhood programs and increasing their quality. Our bill designates an 
Early Care and Education Council in each State to conduct an inventory 
of children's needs in the state, develop unified data collection and 
make recommendations on coordination, technical assistance and 
training.
  Over the past four decades, Head Start has built up quality and 
performance standards to guarantee a full range of services, so that 
children are educated in the basics about letters and numbers and 
books, and are also healthy, well-fed, and supported in stable and 
nurturing relationships. Head Start is a model program, and we can 
enhance its quality even more.
  One way to do that is to strengthen Head Start's current literacy 
initiative. We know the key to later reading success is to get young 
children excited about letters and books and numbers. Our bill 
emphasizes language and literacy, by enhancing the literacy training 
required of Head Start teachers, by continuing to promote parent 
literacy, and by working to put more books into Head Start classrooms 
and into children's homes.
  At the heart of Head Start's success are its teachers and staff. They 
are caring, committed persons who know the children they serve and are 
dedicated to improving their lives. They help children learn to 
identify letters of the alphabet and arrange the pieces of puzzles. 
They teach them to brush their teeth, wash their hands, make friends 
and follow rules. Yet their salary is still half the salary of 
kindergarten teachers, and turnover is high--11 percent a year.
  Because a teacher's quality is directly related to a child's outcome, 
our bill sets a goal that every Head Start classroom has a teacher with 
a bachelor's degree within 8 years. It provides an additional $650 
million over the next 5 years to see that teachers have the means to go 
back to school to earn a bachelor's degree, and it guarantees $3 
billion over that period to see that teachers earn adequate wages to 
keep them in Head Start once they obtain their degree.
  Finally, accountability is a cornerstone of excellence in education 
and should start early. Head Start should be accountable for its 
promise to provide safe and healthy learning environments, to support 
each child's individual pattern of development and learning, to cement 
community partnerships in services for children, and to involve parents 
in their child's growth.
  Head Start reviews are already among the most extensive in the field. 
Every 3 years, a Federal and local team spends a week thoroughly 
examining every aspect of every Head Start program. They check 
everything from batteries in flashlights to how parents feel about the 
program. Our bill promotes even stronger monitoring of Head Start 
programs. It calls for periodic visits to programs, and strengthens 
annual reviews and plans for improvement.
  Assessing outcomes for children is vital in promoting accountability 
and ensuring that the gains promised for Head Start children are 
actually achieved. But these steps have to be taken the right way.
  Instead of rushing forward, as the Administration suggests, with a 
national assessment for every four-year-old in Head Start this fall, 
our bill calls on the National Academy of Sciences to guide the 
development and implementation of a high-quality assessment for Head 
Start children over the next four years. That assessment will be valid 
and reliable, fair to children from all backgrounds, balanced in what 
it measures, and assess the development of the whole child.
  Unfortunately, the Administration and House Republicans have 
presented plans that would turn Head Start into Slow Start or No Start. 
It makes no sense to turn Head Start into a block grant to the states. 
To do so would dismantle the program and undermine Head Start's 
guarantees that children can see doctors and dentists, eat nutritious 
meals, and learn early academic and social skills. It would undermine 
the role of parents, who are better parents today, strong advocates, 
and enthusiastic volunteers as a result of Head Start.
  The Head Start Coordination and School Readiness Act we are 
introducing today will keep Head Start on its successful path. I urge 
our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us in continuing and 
strengthening this program, and give children the head start they need 
and deserve to prepare for school and for life.

[[Page S10148]]

  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support and 
statement from the National Head Start Association be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:
     Hon. Edward Kennedy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington DC.
       Dear Senator Kennedy: We are writing to voice our strong 
     support for the legislation you plan to introduce today, the 
     Dodd/Kennedy Head Start School Readiness and Coordination 
     Act.
       This legislation would reauthorize the Head Start program 
     an build on it 38-year record of success in delivering high 
     quality, comprehensive services to low-income children and 
     their families. The Children's Defense Fund is working to 
     ensure that we truly Leave No Child Behind in America. This 
     bill takes an important step in making this promise a reality 
     by proposing to expand Head Start to all eligible preschool 
     children and double the current set-aside for infants and 
     toddlers over the next five years.
       We applaud the expanded funding as well as your efforts to 
     strengthen and improve Head Start services for the nation's 
     poorest children. Recognizing that teachers are critical to 
     children's learning, the bill promotes advances education for 
     Head Start teachers and guarantees the necessary federal 
     resources to ensure that qualified teachers can afford to 
     stay in Head Start classrooms. The bill also encourages new 
     models for developing a comprehensive, coordinated system of 
     preschool education. While preserving Head Start's existing 
     federal to local funding structure, these strategies will 
     ensure strong collaboration at both the local and start 
     levels.
       Your legislation is a marked improvement over the injurious 
     bill passed by the House of Representatives last week. It is 
     my fervent hope that the Senator wholesheartedly rejects the 
     House approach in conference.
       As always, we are deeply grateful for your extraordinary 
     leadership of children and families and we look forward to 
     working with you on this important piece of legislation.
           Sincerely yours,
     Marian Wright Edelman.
                                  ____


   Statement by Sarah Greene, President and CEO, National Head Start 
                           Association (NHSA)

     Re Kennedy-Dodd Head Start bill.
       Washington, D.C., July 29, 2003.--Sarah Greene, president 
     and CEO of the National Head Start Association, released the 
     following statement today:
       ``The National Head Start Association, representing 2,500 
     local Head Start providers, over 900,000 at-risk children, 
     47,000 teachers and parents and volunteers, is pleased to 
     endorse the ``Head Start School Readiness and Coordination 
     Act'' introduce today by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and 
     Christopher Dodd (D-CT), ranking members of the Senate 
     Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
       This legislation will strengthen the Head Start workforce 
     by requiring stronger credentials for Head Start teachers and 
     bring wages more into line with public school pre-
     kindergarten and kindergarten teachers; improve Head Start's 
     academic focus, particularly in pre-literacy instruction; 
     expand Head Start to reach more at-risk children, including 
     more younger children through the expansion of Early Head 
     Start; and promote better coordination across all early care 
     and education programs within the states.
       NHSA is proud to have been involved in the crafting of this 
     expansive measure that will continue the long history of 
     improving Head Start's program quality and outcomes for our 
     neediest pre-schoolers. The Head Start community will work 
     closely with members of the help Committee to assure passage 
     of this important legislation.''


                               about nhsa

       The National Head Start Association is a private not-for-
     profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to 
     meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. 
     The Association provides support for the entire Head Start 
     family by advocating for policies that provide high-quality 
     services to children and their families; by providing 
     extensive training and professional development services to 
     all Head Start staff; and be developing and disseminating 
     research, information, and resources that impact Head Start 
     program delivery. NHSA provides a national forum for the 
     continued delivery and enhancement of Head Start services for 
     at-risk children and their families.

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today as a cosponsor of the Head 
Start School Readiness and Coordination Act.
  Since 1965, Head Start has provided comprehensive early childhood 
development, educational, health, nutritional, social and other 
services to low-income preschool children and their families. I believe 
our goal during the upcoming reauthorization must be to enhance, not 
dismantle, this essential program so it can continue its important and 
necessary work to lessen the effects of poverty and ensure that 
children are ready for school.
  Head Start serves our poorest children and families but it does not 
reach enough of them. Although Head Start currently serves over 900,000 
children, mainly 3- and 4-year-olds, 40 percent of eligible children, 
approximately 600,000, are currently not served. Early Head Start, 
arguably an even more critically important program for infants, 
toddlers and pregnant women given what we now know about early brain 
development, serves a mere 3 percent of those eligible.
  Several measures are needed to improve Head Start while ensuring that 
its many important services are not reduced. We need to fully fund Head 
Start so that many more children can benefit. We need resources to 
improve the quality of Head Start teachers and adequately compensate 
them. And we need to improve coordination with child care and State-
funded pre-kindergarten programs.
  Unfortunately, the Administration's proposal and the House bill do 
none of these things. Instead they would create a block grant for 
States and, by doing so, eliminate both the program's Federal quality 
standards and the requirement for comprehensive services. With almost 
all States facing substantial budget deficits and many already cutting 
funding for early child care and pre-kindergarten programs, a block 
grant demonstration for one State, eight States, or more would jettison 
the Head Start guarantee of high quality programs and comprehensive 
services for our nation's low income children and families.
  The Head Start School Readiness and Coordination Act preserves both 
the performance standards that ensure quality as well as the 
comprehensive services such as health screenings, immunizations, 
nutritious meals, emotional and behavioral supports, and direct support 
to parents of Head Start children. I will work hard to ensure that 
these important services are not diminished and that the effort to 
improve Head Start does not come at the expense or sacrifice of other 
aspects of the program.
  A particular focus of mine during the past several education 
reauthorizations has been to ensure that our teachers get the training 
and continued professional development they need to help students 
succeed.
  Currently, only 25 percent of Head Start teachers hold bachelor's 
degrees. A key provision in the Head Start School Readiness and 
Coordination Act would require all newly hired teachers to have a 
minimum of an Associate's degree and all classrooms to have a teacher 
with a Bachelor's degree by 2008. Importantly, the bill also provides 
funding for Head Start teachers to meet these requirements and to boost 
Head Start teacher's salaries to alleviate the shortage and turnover 
problem that currently exists. Head Start teachers typically earn half 
the salary of kindergarten teachers. If we expect a higher level of 
education from these teachers, then we must compensate them at higher 
levels.
  Unfortunately, the House bill does not provide the means of achieving 
either of these goals. It is questionable whether the House bill even 
provides enough funding to cover the cost of inflation. It clearly does 
not provide funding to boost salaries or provide the additional 
educational training to achieve the degree requirements sought. Worse, 
the House bill reduces the minimum set-aside for training and technical 
assistance from 2 percent to 1 percent and introduces a cap of 2 
percent. We will never attract and retain highly qualified teachers 
without financial support to enable their education and training and 
incentives to keep them in the Head Start program.
  Another troubling aspect of both the Administration's proposal and 
House bill is that both would allow employment discrimination based on 
religion in Head Start programs run by religious groups.
  Faith-based organizations are an integral part of Head Start, having 
already provided such services for years. We should continue to 
encourage their participation without allowing them to discriminate. 
Indeed, during the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee 
hearing, the Administration witnesses were unable to provide any 
information on barriers faced by religious organizations in 
participating in Head Start, nor could they identify any research 
pointing to the efficacy of teaching by unified religious staff. I

[[Page S10149]]

will fight hard to prevent such discrimination in Head Start as I have 
in other bills moving through Congress.
  I am pleased that provisions I worked on have also been included in 
The Head Start School Readiness and Coordination Act.
  I am particularly pleased about the over-income provision that will 
allow more children to qualify whose families are above the poverty 
line but are still struggling to make ends meet. The parental 
involvement provisions will encourage the continuity of their 
involvement and improve the academic success of children in Head Start 
activities. The library and museum provisions will develop and enhance 
close collaborations of these institutions with Head Start programs to 
strengthen literacy skills and other educational outcomes for children.
  I commend Senators Kennedy and Dodd on their work to draft this bill, 
and I urge my colleagues to consider and pass this important piece of 
legislation.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to express my strong 
support for the Head Start Readiness and Coordination Act, of which I 
am a proud original co-sponsor. I want to commend Senator Dodd and 
Senator Kennedy for their hard work and commitment to making this bill 
the best it could be.
  The Head Start Readiness and Coordination Act presents a clear 
contrast with what has been proposed by the Administration and what has 
been passed by the House of Representatives. What this Administration 
and the Republican Leaders in the House want to do will not provide a 
Head Start for children--it will be a giant step back. A step back from 
all of the great things that Head Start provides: family services, 
dental care, health care, and of course learning. We need to strengthen 
Head Start not weaken it. And we need to expand its reach, not limit 
it.
  The way we create more opportunities for every child in New York and 
across the country is to build on our successes. And let met tell you 
Head Start has been a success since 1965. More than 20 million kids 
have benefited from this program. In this year alone, 50,000 New York 
families will participate.
  And the trend every time reauthorization has come up is to build a 
program that helps even more children and their families. If it's not 
broken, don't fix it.
  And that's what our ``Head Start Readiness and Coordination Act'' 
will do. We double the size of Early Head Start. We expand access to 
all eligible pre-schoolers. We provide better services for families and 
children who are still learning English--that's 25 percent of the Head 
Start population. And we improve coordination between the States so 
that children are ready for school and so that every child who needs it 
to have access to year-round care.
  This bill builds on the remarkable success of the Clinton 
Administration in improving Head Start. During my husband's tenure in 
the White House, enrollment in Head Start increased by almost 30 
percent and funding increased by 120 percent. In 1994, my husband 
created the Early Head program to provide critical care to infants who 
are in one of--if not the most--critical stage of development. And in 
the 1998 reauthorization, we doubled the Early Head Start program so 
that today it is serving 62,000 infants and toddlers.
  The Clinton Administration also introduced outcome measures aligned 
with the successful performance standards to improve the quality of the 
program. And we ensured that 50 percent of all Head Start teachers have 
an Associates degree. At the time, many people said we were setting 
impossible standards, but today, the performance standards and outcomes 
are the backbone of every Head Start program, and the goal of 50 
percent of teachers having Associates degrees has been exceeded.
  So, I know that we can reform and improve Head Start. And that is why 
I will never support dismantling it. Head Start is more than just one 
of this country's most successful anti-poverty programs. It is a great 
equalizer. It is a place where a young girl might have a book read to 
her for the first time; a place where a young boy might have his first 
check-up, and a place where a mother or father might learn about 
nutrition, the early signs of lead poisoning, and how to encourage 
learning at home.
  Head Start has lived up to its name and then some for millions of 
Americans. There is bipartisan support to preserve Head Start as we 
know it, to expand it, and to improve it. I look forward to working 
with my colleagues to make sure that this happens. We can do all of 
these great things without dismantling one of our greatest national 
endeavors for our children.
                                 ______