FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, July 9, 2004
Contact: Chris Downing
ACF Press Office (202) 401-9215
Head Start Management Initiative Helping to Strengthen Early Education
The Head Start Bureau at HHS’ Administration for Children and Families today announced it has identified unallotted funding for up to 4,000 children for Head Start programs nationwide.
The finding demonstrates the importance of the Head Start Management Initiative, implemented in early 2002 by President Bush. The Head Start Management Initiative is a comprehensive reform effort designed to produce significant management improvements in the Head Start program, and help fulfill the Head Start mission to ensure school readiness for young children from low-income families. The initiative also aims at improving Head Start grantee performance through strong fiscal and program accountability, and to address the problem of under-enrollment in the Head Start program.
"President George W. Bush has delivered on a promise to improve Head Start and serve more children and families," said HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. "Because of the President's Head Start Management Initiative, we will be able to give a quality preschool education to up to 4,000 more low-income youngsters. This is good news for families across the country."
“It is important that young children gain literary and numerary skills before they enter kindergarten,” said Dr. Wade F. Horn, assistant secretary for children and families. “The Head Start Management Initiative enables existing funds to be used more wisely so that children and families benefit more from the Head Start program.”
The goals of the Head Start Management Initiative are to:
- Improve the Head Start monitoring system to address under-enrollment, executive and administrative personnel compensation, erroneous payments, child outcomes and grantee compliance with regulations.
- Improve the Head Start training and technical assistance system.
In 2004, $6,774,848,000 was available for Head Start grants, and $6,943,580,000 has been requested for Head Start for 2004. The Head Start program currently serves over 900,000 children nationwide.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news