Dianne Feinstein: “I rise today with Senator Voinovich to introduce legislation to expand the Federal loan forgiveness program to include…”

“I rise today with Senator Voinovich to introduce legislation to expand the Federal loan forgiveness program to include Head Start teachers and administrators. Nationwide, only 22 percent of Head Start teachers have completed a baccalaureate or advanced degree program. In California, that number is even smaller: about 16 percent of Head Start teachers have completed a bachelor's degree. A survey completed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in June 2000 called the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, FACES, found a strong relationship between the education of the Head Start teacher and classroom quality. "Teachers with higher education levels were found to be more sensitive and responsive to their children, to have more high quality language activities, and more creative activities in their classrooms." Teachers with higher levels of education also had classes with more high quality language activities such as reading books to the children and provided more opportunities for children to develop skills in expressing thoughts. Equally important, teachers with higher levels of education were found to be more responsive and sensitive to the children in their classes. Head Start is one of the most important Federal programs because it has the potential to reach children early in their formative years when their cognitive skills are just developing.”