DeLauro Visits Students, Parents, Administrators At West Haven Head Start

Press Release

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) visited students, teachers and parents at a West Haven Head Start center today, hearing about the impact federal budget cuts are having on the program. DeLauro, a longtime champion for early childhood education, is the senior Democrat on the subcommittees responsible for funding the departments of education, and health and human services.

"Educators, students and their parents are needlessly suffering because of the House Majority's insistence on cutting Head Start, the most effective early childhood education program ever developed. Head Start graduates are less likely to need special education services, be left back a grade, or get into trouble with the law. And they are more likely to go on to college and have professional careers. Scrimping on Head Start and denying children access to a better education hurts our kids now, and will stunt their ability to grow and thrive in the years to come."

Since 2002, Head Start has seen a loss of $968 million, adjusted for inflation and population growth. This shortfall has resulted in the elimination of thousands of slots for students who would otherwise have access to comprehensive early learning and development services. The House-passed Ryan Budget would also cut funding to Head Start.

The impact on Head Start has been one of the most discussed impacts of the deeply harmful, indiscriminate sequester cuts. Some 70,000 children nationwide will be kicked out of their Head Start and Early Head Start programs and thousands of staff will be laid off if the cuts stay in place.

Connecticut faces the loss of about $3 million in federal funding, affecting approximately 370 children. The West Haven center DeLauro visited today is being forced to cut 19 student slots and two teacher positions.

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