President Signs Head Start Bill

On Wednesday, President Bush signed H.R. 1429, the Head Start Reauthorization bill, into law. Congress made a big push last month to send the bill to the President, in lieu of other education-related reauthorization bills. The reauthorization of Head Start had been pending since 2003.



The new bill authorizes increased spending for the program, starting at $7.35 billion for fiscal 2008. The bill seeks to improve the quality of Head Start teachers, tighten program accountability and update the current system of standards and assessments. Under the final bill, the income level at which families become eligible for Head Start will increase from 100% of the federal poverty level to 130%, but the neediest children receive priority. The measure will also require that half of Head Start teachers nationwide have at least a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field by 2013.

The President signed the bill, despite Congress’ failure to add a provision he sought regarding faith-based Head Start providers. The President pushed for a provision that would allow faith-based providers to discriminate in their hiring practices based on religion. The Republican majority of the 109th Congress attempted to add the provision when they tried to pass a reauthorization bill, but their efforts failed. The current Democratic majority threw out the President’s proposal at the outset of its work on the bill. However, despite the lack of consideration for his priorities, the President applauded the efforts to reauthorize an important early education program.

Resources:
“Head Start Extended Five Years,” Associate Press, December 13, 2007.
Author: SAS

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House Panel Clears HEA Reauthorization

On Thursday, the House Education and Labor Committee passed H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization bill, by a vote of 45-0. The nearly unprecedented bipartisan cooperation goes to show how committed members of the House are to pass the HEA, especially in lieu of reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was officially placed on the back burner for the remainder of the year. The intense focus on the higher education legislation seems to create a positive outlook for a quick floor debate, speedy conference with the Senate, and hopefully a prompt Presidential signing ceremony, reauthorizing the law for the first time since 1998.

Following previous efforts in Congress this year, H.R. 4137 looks to help rein in the rising cost of higher education, making it more affordable for middle and low-income families to send their children to college. The bill increases the maximum authorized Pell grant for low-income college students to $9,000 per year, from $5,800, and would allow the grants to be used year-round. The bill will also:

• Streamline the federal student financial aid application process;
• Make textbook costs more manageable for students by helping them plan for textbook expenses in advance of each semester;
• Strengthen college readiness programs;
• Increase college aid and support programs for veterans and military families;
• Improve safety on college campuses and help schools recover and rebuild after a disaster;
• Ensure equal college opportunities and fair learning environments for students with disabilities; and
• Strengthen the nation’s workforce and economic competitiveness by boosting science, technology, and foreign language educational opportunities.

After two days of debate, and a marathon session of amendments, lasting until near midnight on Wednesday, the committee is now ready to send the bill to the House floor. Originally, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) had told the press that he would not move forward with the HEA until work on NCLB reauthorization was completed. However, with Sen. Edward Kennedy's (D-MA) announcement that the Senate would not move on NCLB this year, Miller decided to push the HEA through the House, hoping to complete at least one major education reauthorization this year. The bipartisan support for the bill, in both the House and Senate, lends credibility to the claim that quick floor passage and a speedy conference could have the bill ready for the President's signature by the end of the year.

During the two day mark up, the committee passed a series of amendments, which would:
• Prohibit the U.S. Secretary of Education from entering into settlement agreements worth $1 million unless the attorney general reviews the agreement;
• Authorize a program to provide grants to train students to serve as school administrators in rural areas;
• Direct lenders in the Federal Family Education Loan and Direct Loan programs to contact borrowers five years after they have selected a repayment plan to determine whether the borrower can enter a shorter repayment plan to reduce interest payments on that loan;
• Require schools to provide financial counseling to student borrowers before they sign the first promissory note;
• Prohibit the U.S. Secretary of Education from developing a federal database of personal information on students receiving aid under the bill;
• Create a program to provide grants to state correctional education agencies and the Federal Bureau of Prisons to help incarcerated individuals get post-secondary education and employment counseling;
• Require schools that receive contributions of more than $1 million for its international studies programs or centers to disclose the source of the donation; and
• Prohibit a student from receiving a federal Pell Grant for more than 18 semesters or 27 quarters.

Resources:
Stephen Langel, "Higher Education Act Heads to Floor; NCLB Delayed Until Next Year," Congress Now, November 15, 2007.
Sara Lubbes, "Committee Approves Bill Boosting Student Aid," CQ Today, November 15, 2007.
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Congress Sends Head Start to President

On Wednesday, both the House and Senate passed the conference report on H.R. 1429, the Head Start reauthorization bill, clearing it for the President’s signature. The bill, which began its travel through Congress last spring, passed the House by a vote of 381-36, and the Senate by a vote of 95-0. Despite certain misgivings regarding faith-based Head Start providers, President Bush is expected to sign the bill. The 42-year-old program serves about 909,000 disadvantaged children, aiming to help prepare them for school academically, emotionally and socially.
The bill authorizes $7.35 billion for fiscal year 2008, $7.65 billion for fiscal 2009 and $7.99 billion for fiscal 2010. New funds would be dedicated to attracting teachers with bachelors’ degrees and for monitoring the effectiveness of Head Start centers. The program hasn’t been reauthorized since 2003.


Through the bill, Congress sets a goal that all Head Start teachers will have at least an associate's degree and half will have a bachelor's degree by 2013. It expands eligibility to families just above the federal poverty level, and directs money to programs for younger children and migrant and Native American students. The White House pushed for inclusion of a provision allowing faith-based Head Start providers to hire based on religious preference. Similar proposals killed the bill in earlier sessions of Congress so it was not included in either chamber this year.
The bill sat in legislative limbo before heading to conference last week. The bill was first introduced in the House in March, and passed through the chamber on May 2, 2007. The Senate did not pick up the bill until June, passing their version on June 19, 2007. The bill then stayed in a pre-conference holding pattern until party leaders decided to move forward with it last week. The cause for the sudden reemergence is most likely due to the decision to forgo any more action on reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Although the Higher Education Act (HEA) may still make it to the President this year, Congressional leaders wanted at least one major piece of early education legislation to make it through Congress.

Resources:
Maria Gold, “Bill to Expand Head Start, Bolster Its Teacher Qualifications Is Approved,” Washington Post, November 15, 2007.
Geof Koss, “Senate Approves Head Start Reauthorization,” Congress Now, November 14, 2007.
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Head Start Almost Ready for President’s Signature

Congress finally moved forward on H.R. 1429, the Head Start reauthorization bill. Both chambers passed their own versions in May and June of this year, but had not gone to conference until this Thursday, leaving the bill legislative limbo. The bill passed out of conference and only requires approval on the House and Senate floors before it finally heads to the President. While the bill does not face a specific veto threat, it does contain certain provisions that may not sit well with the White House. The last Head Start Reauthorization, enacted in 1998, expired in 2003.
Similar to the House and Senate bills, the agreement would raise the income level at which families become eligible for Head Start, from 100% percent of the federal poverty level, $20,560 annually for a family of four, to 130%, $26,728 for a family of four. The conference report requires that half the teachers in the program nationwide have a bachelor’s degree by 2013, and targets new funding toward improving teacher salaries. The bill also expands authorization for Early Head Start, a program that serves low-income youth from birth to age three, and would aim to increase accountability by requiring “programs failing to provide a high quality early education program” to reapply for grant funding.



The agreement authorizes total funding of $7.35 billion for fiscal year 2008 (FY08). That is roughly $450 million more than appropriated this year under the fiscal 2007 spending law. Spending would be authorized at roughly $7.65 billion for fiscal year 2009, $7.9 billion for fiscal year 2010 and “such sums as necessary” through 2012. The FY08 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill calls for $7 billion for the program. The appropriations bill faces a likely veto threat, though it is not clear if the $450 million increase from FY97 is reason enough for the President to veto the reauthorization package.

However, one provision that the President pushed for, but neither body included in its own version of the bill, is also missing from the conference report. The White House is advocating for faith-based Head Start providers to be able to hire employees based on religious preference. Similar provisions killed the reauthorization efforts in the 108th and 109th Congress. Despite these concerns, both bills were passed through their respective Houses by overwhelming majorities, making a veto override an almost certainty.

Resources:
Libby George, “Head Start Conference Agreement Appears Headed for Final Passage Next Week,” CQ Today, November 8, 2007.
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Senate Passes Head Start Reauthorization

On Tuesday, June 19, the Senate passed an amended version of H.R. 1429, the Head Start for School Readiness Act. The amended measure resembles S. 556, the Head Start bill that passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee earlier this year by unanimous consent. The bill now heads to conference with the House to reconcile differences. Head Start was last authorized in 1998 and has been in the reauthorization pipeline since 2003. Unable to complete the reauthorization, Congress has continually extended the law since 2003.

On Tuesday, June 19, the Senate passed an amended version of H.R. 1429, the Head Start for School Readiness Act. The amended measure resembles S. 556, the Head Start bill that passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee earlier this year by unanimous consent. The bill now heads to conference with the House to reconcile differences. Head Start was last authorized in 1998 and has been in the reauthorization pipeline since 2003. Unable to complete the reauthorization, Congress has continually extended the law since 2003.

The Senate bill increases funding to expand the Head Start program, authorizing $7.3 billion in fiscal year 2008 (FY08), $400 million more than was provided this year. The bill increases funding to $7.5 billion in FY09 and $7.9 billion in FY2010. Unlike the House bill, the Senate measure would provide $100 million for a new state incentive grant program, a priority of HELP committee chairman Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), which will implement state early care and education plans. The Senate bill also would more broadly expand Head Start eligibility by increasing the minimum income level required for participation to 130% above the Federal Poverty Line.

The Senate bill also:
• Doubles the Early Head Start set-aside (currently 10%; would phase up to 20% over 5 years);
• Ensures funds for Indian Head Start (4% minimum set-aside) and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (5% minimum set-aside);
• Supports Head Start programs in aligning standards and services with state early learning standards;
• Suspends and terminates the flawed Head Start National Reporting System;
• Supports the National Academy of Sciences review of child outcomes and assessments, based on gold-standard research;
• Dedicates 1% of total Head Start funds to Head Start grantees, for local training and technical assistance efforts;
• Establishes new goals (no requirements or penalties) for the Head Start teaching workforce:
o All Head Start teachers nationwide must have an Associate’s degree in 5 years;
o Half of all teachers in each state must have a Bachelor’s degree in 6 years;
o All Head Start curriculum specialists must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in 5 years; and
o All Head Start assistant teachers must have at least a child development associate credential in 5 years.
• Creates a new State Advisory Council on Early Care and Education in every state; and
• Recognizes and awards bonuses to “Centers of Excellence” that provide exemplary services to Head Start children and families. (New authorization of $90 million).
No date is set for the beginning of the conference, but the Senate has designated all 21 HELP Committee members as conferees. No House conferees have been designated yet.
Resources:
Kathleen Hunter, “Senate Passes Head Start Reauthorization; Moves to Go to Conference With House,” CQ Today, June 19, 2007.
Senator Kennedy Press Release: http://help.senate.gov/Maj_press/2007_06_20_d.pdf
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House Committee Passes Head Start Bill

On Wednesday, the House Education and Labor Committee approved H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act of 2007, by a vote of 42-1, with Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), casting the only opposing vote. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed their own Head Start bill last month, so although no date has been set in either chamber for debate on the floor, final reauthorization is expected to pass through relatively quickly.




The committee passed H.R. 1429 with fourteen amendments. The most prominent amendment was a manager’s package that increases the maximum income level at which families become eligible for Head Start, from 100% of the federal poverty level, $20,560 annually for a family of four, to 130% or $26,728 for a family of four. The Senate bill, S. 556, has a similar provision. Various other amendments, sponsored mainly by Republicans, were subsequently defeated prior to passage.

Rep. Luis Fortuño (R-PR) sponsored an amendment that would allow Head Start providers to hire employees based on religious preferences. Under current law, faith-based groups that receive government grants to run Head Start programs can hire staff based on religion for any program except Head Start. Fortuño’s amendment would have allowed them to hire Head Start teachers and support staff based on religion. Republicans said the religious hiring language is worth its weight in controversy because it could help faith-based organizations expand their participation in the program, which provides early education for children from low-income households. Bill sponsor Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) and other Democrats on the committee strongly opposed the provision, claiming it would roll back civil rights and weaken Head Start. The amendment was defeated on a party line vote of 19-26.

Another failed Republican amendment, offered by Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), would have authorized a pilot project for eight states to take over their local Head Start programs. Price claimed the provision would help coordinate efforts so children would be better prepared for elementary school. Kildee and other Democrats, however, said it would “end the Head Start program as we know it” by relinquishing authority to states without requiring them to meet federal standards. The amendment also failed by a party line vote.

The bill would boost authorized funding to $7.4 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2008 and “such sums as necessary” through FY 2012. The last reauthorization expired in 2003, but the program has been extended since then by annual appropriations. The program received $6.9 billion in FY 2007. As it stands now, the amended measure will:

· Require at least 50 percent of Head Start teachers to have a bachelor’s degree by 2013 (the Senate version makes this a non-binding goal);

· Allow Head Start providers to use up to 10 percent of their funds to transport children; and

· Authorize grants for tribal colleges and Hispanic-serving schools to develop associate and bachelor’s degree programs for Head Start staff.

Resources:
Libby George, “House Panel Defeats Faith-Based Hiring Before Advancing Head Start Bill,” CQ Today, March 14, 2007.
Rebecca Kimitch, “Head Start Reauthorization Wins House Panel’s Approval,” CQ Today, March 14, 2007.
Stephen Langel, “House Panel OKs Head Start Bill Despite Bitter Fight Over Religion,” CongressNow, March 15, 2007.
Author: SAS

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