Dan Kildee: “Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to be here today to reauthorize Head Start. And I know that everyone agrees that it has been…”

“Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to be here today to reauthorize Head Start. And I know that everyone agrees that it has been far too long since we have authorized the Head Start Act. Head Start has served millions of our most vulnerable children and families well for 42 years. More recently, Early Head Start has done the same for infants and toddlers. These are our country's premiere early childhood programs, Mr. Speaker. Head Start works, and this bill will make it work even better. Nothing is more critical to a child's success than a great teacher, and this bill will ensure that by 2013, half of Head Start teachers nationwide will have bachelor's degrees. This will improve professional development so that teachers can keep up with the best practices in early childhood education. The bill increases funding for Early Head Start so that children will receive comprehensive services during the most critical stages of brain development. Mr. Speaker, our predecessors 42 years ago initiated Head Start even before we realized, as we do today, that early and regular stimulation was critical to the very physical development of the brain. Head Start requires the Secretary to update early learning standards using the best science, and puts an end to the ill-advised National Reporting System. It authorizes significant increases in resources so that we can expand access.”