Head Start Improvement Amendments of 1989

Head Start Improvement Amendments of 1989 - Expresses the sense of the Congress that all Head Start programs should provide, as authorized by the Head Start Act, more than one year of Head Start services to children from age three to the age of compulsory school attendance in the State where the program is located.

Amends the Head Start Act to define "full-working-day" as at least six hours per day. Requires each Head Start agency to provide full-working-day Head Start services throughout the year (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and applicable legal public holidays).

Authorizes appropriations under the Head Start Act from FY 1990 through 1994.

 
HR 2150 IH
101st CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 2150
To amend the Head Start Act to restore and expand Head Start services to
more eligible children.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 27, 1989
Mr. OLIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Education and Labor
A BILL
To amend the Head Start Act to restore and expand Head Start services to
more eligible children.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  This Act may be cited as the `Head Start Improvement Amendments of 1989'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  The Congress finds the following:
  (1) High quality child care is a necessity for all of our children to
  ensure the future of our country. It may be provided in the home (by
  parents, friends, or relatives), in home-based centers, or in group child
  care centers. A variety of approaches should be explored. But there is a
  crisis that needs to be addressed immediately, and that is child care for
  children living in poverty.
  (2) Over one-fifth of our Nation's children, in addition to being born in
  poverty, are likely to be born to parents who are unskilled, unemployed,
  and children themselves. These disadvantaged children lack good nutrition and
  adequate health care. They grow up with few opportunities to develop adequate
  language usage, prereading and writing skills, and knowledge of numbers and
  concepts. They are often subject to child abuse and exhibit early signs of
  antisocial behavior. They become our functionally retarded and illiterate
  population. At best they are unemployable and go on welfare. Often they
  enter a life of alcohol and drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, and crime.
  (3) We have in place now a program designed to meet the needs of these
  children. Head Start reaches the disadvantaged child, but unfortunately,
  it reaches only about 20 percent of the children who are eligible under
  the present income guidelines. Moreover, standards have declined over the
  past 8 years, despite regulatory and legislative mandates to maintain high
  quality standards. This decline is, in part, the result of insufficient
  funding. Head Start has proved itself and the administrative structure is
  in place. But it needs to be expanded to reach more children and to better
  serve those now enrolled.
  (4) Head Start needs, and should have, increased funding, both to maintain
  and improve the standards of the program and to increase the number of
  eligible children served. Funding should be increased to accomplish both
  purposes. It is critical, however, that standards not be sacrificed in
  order to artificially raise the number of children served. Resources will
  always be limited, thus limiting the number of poor children who can be
  enrolled in the program. Whatever the number in the program, however,
  those served should get the full benefit of Head Start.
  (5) Funds for Head Start programs should be increased from the fiscal year
  1989 level of $1,300,000 to $1,900,000 for fiscal year 1990 and should
  be increased in future years until all eligible children are served by
  such programs. Head Start programs need to be expanded gradually to serve
  more children. Income levels for eligibility should be adjusted to match
  the rate of inflation. Income levels for eligibility should be adjusted
  to match the rate of inflation. Both three and four year olds should
  be served, and five year olds should be served where there is no public
  school kindergarten or in special `stressed' situations. Head Start has
  been most successful when children are enrolled early. Children should
  not be limited to one year in Head Start.
  (6) Head Start is cost effective. Head Start children perform better in
  school. They are less likely to be assigned to special education classes
  or drop out of school. We can expect that an investment in Head Start will
  result in a lower incidence of criminal activity, welfare dependence, and
  unwed pregnancy. Head Start participants can be expected to have higher
  rates of employment and to be more likely to make a positive contribution
  to society. It has been shown that for every dollar spent on Head Start,
  the government ultimately saves $6.
  (7) Head Start programs should operate not less than 6 hours and up to 10
  per day to meet the needs of working parents.
  (8) Head Start should operate more full-year programs for all children. This
  is a necessity for working parents. And the children of nonworking
  parents are often the most in need of the protective environment of the
  Head Start center. A full-day, full-year program gives Head Start staff
  greater opportunity to educate and involve the nonworking parents.
  (9) Parent involvement is beneficial to parents, children, and the
  community. Parents who are involved in Head Start provide positive role
  models, learn valuable life skills, and often make progress towards
  self-sufficiency through the self-respect they build. Parent education
  and involvement are the strengths of the Head Start program.
  (10) Head Start standards should be maintained or improved, including
  standards relating to the ratio of children to adults, training of staff,
  nutrition, health and safety standards, and the adequacy of toys, equipment,
  and playground facilities. Moreover, the quality of Head Start programs
  should be maintained and improved. Health and dental services should be
  comprehensive. Social service workers and parent educators are important.
  (11) The learning environment is important to the learning process. Head
  Start centers should be pleasant, clean, healthy, and safe. When possible,
  Head Start centers should be located in buildings already existing in the
  community in order to save money and resources. In some cases, however,
  restoration is uneconomical or impractical. In these cases new construction
  may be needed.
  (12) Home Start should continue to serve children in rural areas where
  center-based programs are impractical.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.
  It is the sense of the Congress that all Head Start programs should provide,
  as authorized in section 645(c) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840(c)),
  more than 1 year of Head Start services to children from age 3 to the
  age of compulsory school attendance in the State in which the Head Start
  program is located.
SEC. 4. DURATION OF HEAD START SERVICES.
  (a) DEFINITION- Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) is
  amended by adding at the end the following:
  `(4) The term `full-working-day' means at least 6 hours per day.'.
  (b) REQUIREMENT- Section 644 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9839) is
  amended by adding at the end the following:
  `(e) Each Head Start agency shall provide full-working-day Head Start
  services throughout the year (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and applicable
  legal public holidays).'.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR HEAD START SERVICES.
  Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) is amended by striking
  `$1,198,000,000' and all that follows through `1990', and inserting the
  following: `$1,900,000,000 for fiscal year 1990, $2,500,000,000 for fiscal
  year 1991, $3,300,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, $4,100,000,000 for fiscal
  year 1993, and $4,200,000,000 for fiscal year 1994'.
SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
  This Act shall take effect on October 1, 1989.