House Passes Bill to Loosen
Head Start Regulations
by Juliet Eilperin,
Washington Post, Friday, July 25, 2003
The House early today narrowly approved legislation to revamp Head Start,
a preschool program dating to the 1960s and intended to help nearly a
million poor children with literacy, math and, in some cases, health and
nutrition services.
The bill, which passed 217 to 216, would allow eight states to devote
federal funds to their own early-education programs. While the states
would have to "generally meet or exceed" national performance standards,
they would not have to conform to the detailed federal regulations that
apply to local Head Start centers.
Proponents said the measure would boost the academic performance of poor
children, who continue to lag behind their middle-class and upper-income
counterparts.
"Children in Head Start deserve the same shot at education as every other
child in America," said Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), chairman of the
Committee on Education and the Workforce. The 38-year-old program, he
said, has "become isolated from change and improvement."
But opponents said the measure would be a first step toward dismantling an
effective and comprehensive approach to aiding impoverished 3- and
4-year-old children.
"It's a very serious assault on the federal Head Start program," said Rep.
George Miller (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the Education and
Workforce Committee. "It really rips the integrity out of what has made
Head Start a successful program."
Yesterday's often bitter debate underscored Congress's deep divisions on
how best to educate America's children. President Bush, backed by GOP
congressional leaders, has emphasized more experimentation by states
rather than strict federal standards. Many Democrats say such an approach
would undermine important safeguards for poor children by allowing state
governments to shift money from badly needed social services.
The debate came as lawmakers rushed to finish several major bills before
starting their month-long summer recess. The House also considered an
annual D.C. spending bill and a measure to allow the reimportation of
U.S.-made prescription drugs from abroad.
Since Head Start's inception in 1965, Republicans and Democrats have
generally promoted the program as a critical step in mitigating poverty's
impact on childhood development. Local centers provide tutoring, parenting
advice and dental checkups.
The Bush administration initially proposed far-reaching changes, which
would have transferred the program from the Department of Health and Human
Services to the Education Department, and would have allowed any state to
take over local centers. House Republicans scaled back the plan, opting to
let eight states -- to be selected later -- conduct pilot programs over
the next five years.
Under the House bill, half of all Head Start teachers nationwide would
have to earn bachelor's degrees by 2008. The bill also emphasizes specific
teaching methods designed to foster reading, language and pre-mathematics
skills.
Several Democrats said that they back such initiatives but that it is
unrealistic to impose such requirements unless the federal government
provides enough money to fund such upgrades. Head Start teachers generally
earn half of what an average kindergarten teacher makes.
Chief Deputy Whip Eric I. Cantor (R-Va.), who worked to round up votes
yesterday afternoon, described the legislation as an example of how Bush
is challenging states to exceed expectations in public education. "This is
a reform-minded president who wants to translate his 'Leave No Child
Behind' theory to Head Start education," Cantor said.
But even some Republicans questioned why the president and House leaders
want to change a program that many local communities cherish. "The bottom
line is I don't know why we're doing this," said Rep. Christopher Shays
(R-Conn.), who opposed the bill. "I feel like we're trying to fix
something that's not broken."
House leaders tried to mollify moderate and conservative Republicans by
tinkering with the bill. To reassure moderates, top Republicans inserted
language guaranteeing that local Head Start centers in the pilot states
could continue to receive funds for five years, although states could
exclude some centers. Some conservatives came on board when GOP leaders
made it clear that the program would receive a $148 million increase next
year, rather than a $202 million boost.
Still, GOP leaders faced resistance from lawmakers who have received a
flood of phone calls, e-mails and faxes from local Head Start providers,
parents and teachers over the past month. Maureen Thompson, a lobbyist for
various groups opposing the bill, said that they set up a toll-free number
that generated 12,000 calls to Congress and state governments two weeks
ago.
"This bill is the first step in the federal government walking away from
its commitment to serving the most vulnerable children and families in the
country," Thompson said.
But Rep. Michael N. Castle (R-Del.), the bill's sponsor, said lawmakers
need to address the fact that Head Start enrollees are as much as 25
percent behind other children in academics.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson came to the Hill on
Wednesday to help promote the bill.
The vote was so tight, in fact, that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
(R-Tex.) dispatched an aide to bring Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.), who is
recovering from a car accident, to the Capitol so he could vote aye. A
staff member wheeled Sullivan onto the House floor when the bells rang.
The bill faces an uncertain fate in the Senate, where Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) is drafting an
alternate version.
The House planned to vote later on legislation to allow Americans to
import U.S.-made drugs from Canada and two dozen other countries where
they cost considerably less than they do here. With drug costs soaring and
lawmakers searching for ways to provide cheaper medicines without
subsidies, scores of Republicans and Democrats fought for the legislation
late into the night.
House Republican leaders, many Democrats, the White House and the major
drug manufacturers makers oppose the legislation, saying it would allow
dangerous and counterfeit medicines to flow into the country. They also
contend that it would siphon away profits that drug companies use to
research new and more effective medicines.
Staff writer Jim VandeHei contributed to this report.
