Tom Harkin: “most Americans are very familiar with Head Start. This popular preschool program was created in 1965 to provide…”

“most Americans are very familiar with Head Start. This popular preschool program was created in 1965 to provide education, health, nutrition and family support services to low-income, 4- and 5-year old children. Head Start enjoys strong bipartisan support and is widely recognized as a success. In response to the growing body of research about the critical development which occurs during the first 3 years of a child's life, Head Start was expanded in 1995 to serve infants and toddlers. The Early Head Start Program provides comprehensive child development and family support services to infants and toddlers from birth through age 3 and pregnant women. Currently, 10 percent of Head Start funds are set aside for Early Head Start. An estimated 60,000 children currently receive services nationwide. In Iowa, 1,259 children are served by Early Head Start. Numerous research findings, including a 7-year national evaluation, show that Early Head Start is a success. Early Head Start made positive impacts in children's cognitive, language, and social-emotional development.”