Political Quotes

“as the only former State superintendent of schools serving in Congress, I have devoted my life to the well-being and development of children, and I strongly support Head Start. I rise in support of H.R. 1429, the Head Start for School Readiness Act. In the global economy of the 21st century, lifelong learning is the pathway to the American Dream, and for many of our Nation's children, learning begins with Head Start. Over 20,000 children in North Carolina get prepared for school in Head Start or Early Head Start. This act takes and builds on the success of Head Start, expanding and enhancing this fundamental initiative that has served over 20 million children and families nationwide since 1965. H.R. 1429 extends the benefits of Head Start to more of our Nation's low-income children, and raises the bar so that we can attract highly qualified Head Start providers through performance accountability, greater compensation, and higher standards. Research continues to show that the first few years of a child's life are critical to a child's mental development: their brains grow exponentially and learning patterns are set. We must invest in these youngsters so that they may take full advantage of one of the premier education systems in the world by ensuring their school-readiness by age 5. Head Start successfully provides the stepping stones to lifelong learning.”