U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Novemeber 14, 2007

CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630
Cody Wertz 303-350-0032

Senator Salazar Votes to Continue and Bolster Head Start

WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to continue investing in the future of our Nation, our children, United States Senator Ken Salazar voted in favor of the Head Start reauthorization conference report, which is a comprehensive early childhood development program that helps disadvantaged children to enter school prepared to learn and succeed. There are approximately 9,800 children in Colorado that are enrolled in Head Start and in 2006 Colorado received over $67 million in funding. Senator Salazar released the following statement after the Senate passed the report. The conference report will now go the President for his signature.

“Early childhood development is critical to success in the classroom and in life. Head Start makes important investments in the development of some of our most vulnerable children to ensure that they get off on the right foot. It is an important building block to their success and has proven to close the achievement gap, combat poverty and reduce crime.

“I have long been an advocate of Head Start since I was Attorney General in Colorado. I am pleased that I was able to cast a vote that continues to invest in our Nation’s children by building on the successes of this program and making improvements, in a way that has garnered broad bipartisan support.”

The bill improves teach and classroom quality; strengthens the focus on school readiness; ensures access to Head Start for more children; ensures that Head Start centers are well-run, effective, and fairly governed; boosts coordination between Head Start and other programs for children; and strengthens comprehensive services for families of Head Start children.

Quick facts on Head Start:
• Head Start participants are less likely to repeat a grade and less likely to require special education.

• Head Start children are significantly more likely to complete high school and attend college than their siblings who do not attend Head Start.

• Head Start children are more likely to have had their immunizations than those children who do not attend preschool. A higher proportion of Head Start children receive dental care than non-Head Start children.

• Head Start has immediate positive effects on children’s socio-emotional behavior, including self-esteem, achievement motivation, and social behavior.

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