Head Start is Back on Track

Press Release

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) highlighted significant progress for Head Start students and parents in Pinellas County at a visit to the Connie Momarro Head Start Center in St. Petersburg. The bipartisan budget agreement recently passed by Congress and signed by President Obama restores funding for Head Start students across the country, and includes an increase of $1 billion over the sequester level and $612 million over the 2013 enacted level. The progress is especially significant for Pinellas County Head Start that has faced numerous challenges over the past few years.

"Quality early education is vital to the economic well being of families today. Women who want to work are often faced with roadblocks due to no preschool for their kids," Rep. Castor said. "The recent sequester led by Congressional Republicans caused a more than $400 million cut to Head Start programs throughout the nation, disrupting the economic security of these working families."

While Head Start scrambled to manage funding cuts in ways that preserved enrollment and quality services for children as much as possible, sequester cuts were too deep and exacerbated by October's shutdown. In Tampa Bay, Pinellas County was preparing for a cut of up to 200 slots and Hillsborough County faced a $1.4 million cut that included eliminating playgrounds, slashing classroom supplies and bus services, canceling teacher training and reducing staff.

"Head Start parents rallied and your message was loud and clear: Congress should stand up for families!" Rep. Castor said. "In addition to restoring funding for Head Start, the bipartisan budget also boosts Early Head Start by designating $500 million for expansion and creates a $250 million competitive grant program for states to develop or expand high-quality preschool programs for low-income families."

Head Start has a high return on investment by providing jobs, increasing family stability and income earnings, and better preparing children for school and a lifetime of success.

"Head Start continues to be an invaluable community investment that combines education, nutrition and health services to ensure children succeed in school, and parents have the ability to work regularly and begin their climb on the ladder of success," Rep. Castor said.

Shawna Crawford enrolled her son in Pinellas County Head Start this year just as she begins her new job in the next few weeks. "I'm getting ready to transition from being a stay-at-home to getting back to the workplace, and Head Start offers the resources I need while I help better my family," Crawford said today during Rep. Castor's visit to Connie Momarro Head Start Center.

"Rep. Castor really led the fight against sequestration cuts to Head Start," said Louis Finney, former Head Start student and now Vice President of Head Start/Early Head Start in Pinellas County. "We plan to soon begin partnering with private child care centers -- our community's small businesses -- to enhance overall child care services provided locally and help address our wait list, which is about 800 right now."

Last year, Lutheran Services Florida was named the new Head Start and Early Head Start grantee in Pinellas County after Rep. Castor called for an investigation that questioned use of funds by the previous grantee of this program's funds. LSF has successfully operated a Head Start center in Southeast Florida for more than 30 years and helped Hillsborough County expand its Early Head Start program into Family Child Care Homes in 2010.

"Pinellas Head Start is going to start anew with Lutheran Services Florida now overseeing these services," Rep. Castor said. "We are going to put in the past the challenges we have had and focus on making sure children and families have every chance to succeed in life."

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