Committee Holds First Head Start Hearing of the 114th Congress
WASHINGTON – Research shows that investing in programs like Head Start leads to better educational outcomes, stronger job earnings, and lower crime rates. Research also shows a return of $7 in future avoided costs for every dollar spent on high quality Head Start programs. At today’s Full Committee hearing, Democrats and Republicans agreed on taking action to invest in quality, early learning programs, to ensure that all children enter kindergarten with the building blocks to succeed in school, college, and career.
“The importance of high-quality, early learning opportunities cannot be overstated,” said Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03). “We know the achievement gap starts as early as nine months old, when babies from low-income families show a significant difference in cognitive skill function than those born into high-income families. Early childhood education helps close not only the achievement gap, but future employment and income gaps.”
Sarah Mead, Partner at Bellwether Education Partners, has conducted extensive research on Head Start and other early learning childhood policies. Through her research, she has seen the crucial role early childhood education plays in improving outcomes for children from low-income families.
“Children in poverty are more likely to experience trauma and toxic stress, have less access to early learning experiences, and hear 30 million fewer words by age 3 than affluent children,” said Mead. “Achievement gaps for disadvantaged youngsters emerge as early as 9 months in age, and by the time they enter kindergarten, they are already behind. Given these challenges, all children in poverty need access to high-quality early learning programs, including Head Start and state or locally funded pre-k, to enable them to enter school ready to succeed.”
There is substantial evidence that properly nurturing children in the first three years of life is instrumental to supporting enhanced brain development, cognitive functioning, and emotional and physical health. Improving access to full-day early learning opportunities would prepare children to arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed. Programs such as Head Start promote school readiness and deliver early learning and comprehensive services to children and their families.
Testimony of Sarah Mead, a Partner at Bellwether Education Partners, can be found here.
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