U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues in Introducing Major Bill to Reform, Expand Head Start and Early Learning for Working Families

WASHINGTON, D.C - As the Trump administration continues to attack early education opportunities like Head Start, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in working to expand early childhood education options and opportunities by introducing the Head Start for America's Children Act. This bill would expand Head Start to ensure that more than 11 million young children from working class families can access high-quality early education and comprehensive services, while also ensuring Head Start educators earn the wages they deserve.

"Access to childcare and early learning programs is essential - both for parents, to be able to go to work, and for the health and futures of our children. But the cost of childcare is crushing working families in Minnesota and across the country." said Senator Smith. "Head Start helps hard working families care for and educate their young children, prepare them for kindergarten, provide health screenings and family support. When childcare works, everything else does, too-families thrive, the economy grows, and our communities get stronger. That's why I'm glad to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation that would expand Head Start to more working families in Minnesota."

According to the Minnesota Head Start Association, students who had a high attendance rate in Head Start programs continued to have a high attendance rate through elementary school. Additionally, these students outperformed their K-3 peers in both reading and math.

Specifically, The Head Start for America's Children Act would:

• Fully fund Head Start to serve 11 million eligible young children and simplify enrollment.

• Align program hours with working families' schedules so parents do not need additional childcare.

• Raise Head Start educator pay to at least $60,000 a year and establish salary scales and competitive benefits.

• Provide recruitment and retention incentives grants for up to 12,500 educators.

• Expand co-location of Head Start programs on college campuses and partnerships with childcare providers.

• Strengthen and diversify the early educator pipeline to prepare at least 3,000 teachers over five years.

• Improve mental health services for Head Start staff, families and children; and

• Invest in facility upgrades, including removing lead contamination in paint and water.

This bill is cosponsored by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.).

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