As a mother, I’ve seen the benefits that Early Head Start and Head Start have had on my three children. My children have battled sensory processing needs, speech issues, and high social anxiety. These programs provided me with the tools to help guide them in their futures. These programs changed my life; please allow it to help others.
The first years of children’s lives are critical to their development. In the U.S., too many kids miss out on early learning opportunities. Two out of five American kids are not enrolled in preschool. These children, especially those from lower-income homes, often start school behind their peers.
That’s why I’m grateful Congress has invested in kids with its 2017 federal funding bill, which, in contrast to the White House’s proposed budget for 2018, supports opportunities for children here at home to learn and thrive. The 2017 bill increases funding for critical early learning programs, like Head Start and Child Care and Development Block Grant.
I thank Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler for prioritizing the well-being of kids. This is a step forward, but it’s vital that Congress maintain these levels of funding when they take up the fiscal year 2018 budget. I’m hopeful that Herrera Beutler keeps standing up for kids and high-quality early education by fighting against proposed cuts in the 2018 budget. Our children’s futures depend on it.
