In September, members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois and ReadyNation Illinois spoke up about proposed federal rule changes for the Head Start early childhood program. Their message to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was one of caution: Slow down, heed the advice of early learning experts, and examine how these changes would affect Head Start’s quality and effectiveness before moving forward.
HHS has described the proposed rules as a way to make the program more efficient. Many early childhood experts have concluded that several of the proposals would weaken the performance standards that have kept Head Start’s quality high for decades. Further, Illinois law enforcement and business leaders warn that a weaker Head Start would also mean weaker returns for public safety and the economy.
Law enforcement leaders reach out to Congress and HHS
In the wake of the proposal, DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin wrote to U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood to thank the Congressman for his past support of Head Start and his strong leadership on reauthorizing funding for home visiting programs for infants and toddlers. State’s Attorney Berlin also urged Rep. LaHood to request that HHS “tap the brakes” in movement toward enacting these rules changes, and take time to more carefully study the concerns that many have raised. Berlin wrote, “Undermining the program’s integrity would undermine its crime-prevention benefits.”
Metropolis Police Chief Harry Masse similarly wrote to Rep. Mike Bost urging the Congressman to reach out to HHS, and also submitted written remarks to HHS during the public comment period. He pointed to research showing that Head Start’s return on investment comes to $17,262 per participant in societal benefits after program costs are subtracted. About one-third of that figure comes from savings in crime prevention and public safety.
“My fear and that of many other law enforcement officials is that chipping-away at the integrity of Head Start would also undermine its crime-prevention benefits,” Chief Masse wrote. He called a pause “a reasonable step to take in ensuring our nation doesn’t inadvertently rush to make moves that we’ll soon regret.”
A business leader who got his start in Head Start
Jason Powell, CEO of Bainbridge Enterprises in Marion, also submitted comments to HHS. He noted that Head Start increases children’s school readiness and the likelihood of graduation, and can reduce chronic absenteeism and grade retention, which helps build a skilled future workforce. In many communities, he added, the local Head Start program may be the only child care available, and insufficient child care already drains $6.2 billion a year from Illinois’ economy.
Powell also wrote from personal experience. “This program was fundamental to my own start in life, helping me begin to acquire and develop basic skills as well as providing my family with child care,” he wrote. “Neither ReadyNation nor I wish to see other children and families denied these same supports. And we don’t want to see our economy denied them, either.”
Continuing efforts to protect crucial early childhood supports
These activities to preserve Head Start from potentially harmful administrative changes follow upon a successful campaign to ward-off substantial funding cuts that had been proposed for the program last year. ReadyNation and Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois members joined in widespread efforts calling on Congress to extend funding for this 60-year-old initiative that serves more than 28,000 young children and their families throughout our state, alone.
This fall, HHS reportedly received over 40,000 public comments regarding its current proposals to change Head Start rules. The federal agency has not yet issued its response.
