01.22.15

Rep. Scott: Greater Access to Quality Child Care and Early Ed Critical for Country’s Future

WASHINGTON—Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, ranking member on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today after President Obama outlined his budget plan to increase access, affordability and quality of child care and early childhood education for working and middle-class families across the country:

“Today, President Obama outlined a vital step we must take to give working and middle-class families with young children access to affordable, high-quality child care. By tripling the maximum child care tax credit and making landmark investments in the Child Care and Development Fund, the President’s plan would make child care significantly more affordable for millions of families.

“Scientific research confirms the short- and long-term benefits of quality child care programs. Children who participate in high-quality care programs are healthier and do better in school—while their parents have an easier time holding down a job. These children also have better high school graduation and college attendance rates, higher earnings, reduced rates of incarceration, and better lifelong health.

 “We also know that children in Head Start have better language, literacy and math skills, better teacher-child interactions and stronger social-emotional skills than their peers who have not received Head Start services. Research shows that investments in high-quality early learning programs like Head Start generate economic returns of over $8 for every $1 spent. 

“Head Start has had bipartisan support in the past and together we must focus on increasing access, accountability, or expanding full-day and full-year Head Start, as the President proposed today.

“So, it’s time all members of Congress join the President in working together in a bipartisan manner to improve access to affordable, high-quality early childhood learning and care programs. Last year’s bipartisan efforts on the Child Care and Development Block Grant and the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act showed that we can find common ground for the common good. Working together, we can achieve that progress again this year—our children, parents, and the very future our country depend on it.”