Patsy T. Mink: “Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. All of us who have followed the progress of education in America…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. All of us who have followed the progress of education in America realize how important it is to begin the educational process in the earliest possible years. And because that has become almost a universally accepted educational policy in America, we have given in the Congress and throughout this country extraordinary support to Head Start programs and other preschool programs, because we realize that in particular for those communities that are at risk, have a tremendous percentage of poor children or poor families who are in some way economically disadvantaged, that if we are to help the children in these communities we have to start at the earliest possible age. So we have embarked upon Head Start programs and we continue to insist that the goal of this country be to fully fund Head Start and to have it not only a half-day program but a full-day program as well as throughout the 12-month year. In concert with our commitment to support the youngest of our children in Head Start programs and Even Start programs and others, we also believe that the gains that are made though Head Start and through early childhood education must have a transition process into the regular school program. And if we do not have this transition process much of what is gained in the preschool years will be lost.”