The House Budget Committee’s View on Early Learning Programs With so many American families depending on early learning programs like the Head Start programs, it is important to stay on top of reports, such as the one from the House Budget Committee, has to say about these important social services. The report focused on a wide group of social service and educational programs and specifically addressed the Head Start and Child Care and Development Fund programs, two services that low-income families rely on heavily, especially in the current economic climate. Here is a brief overview on what the House Budget Committee Report had to say about Head Start Programs and...

How to Overcome Sequester Budget Cuts at Head Start Schools In March 2013, early education programs such as Head Start schools were hit with a mighty blow from the sequester budget cuts. While most Americans would probably ask, “What is sequester cuts?”, the were likely affected by them without even knowing. The Head Start budget, like budgets for other federally funded programs, such as defense, housing and other special education programs, was reduced by over 5-percent. Unfortunately, many Head Start schools were forced to reduce program availability to low-income families, cut staff or, in some cases, shut their doors completely. Fortunately there are some ways for Head Start schools to...

  New Congressional Budget Deal to Help the National Head Start Association After years of having to deal with budget cuts and other issues surrounding reductions in funds for early childhood learning, the National Head Start Association finally got some good news this week with regard to the budget deal that was reached by lawmakers. Advocates of the Head Start Program are hailing this deal as a very encouraging sign that Washington has made a strong commitment to early childhood learning programs. Basic Facts About the Budget Deal According to the information that has been released, the new budget deal with restore funds that were originally cut from Head Start...

Head Start Program Encourages Fathers and Male Figure Involvement A Head Start Program in Bogalusa, Louisiana launched an event that was aimed at getting male family members more involved in the local early childhood learning program. Dads for December is a hands-on opportunity for fathers, grandfathers, godfathers, uncles and other significant male figures to become more involved in a child’s life. The Dads for December program is one of four events that are held each year at the local Head Start Program under a wider opportunity known as Head Start’s Dedicated Dads. The program encourages participation between male figures and children to complete craft projects, giving fathers and other important...

Restoration of Lost Head Start Program Seats Could Happen if Budget Deal Passes The bi-partisan federal budget deal that is currently being considered in Washington, D.C. could bring back some of the funding that was taken from early childhood education programs like the Head Start Program in March 2013. In addition to returning what has been estimated as 50 percent of the reduced budget, legislators could pave the way to restore the 57,000 slots that were reduced during sequestration. The deal was announced by Congress as a bi-partisan compromise, which would at the very least partially restore the budget cuts. Exact figures on the restoration won’t be available until the...

Sequestration Still Hurting Head Start Programs Nationwide While sequestration started back in 2011 as a means to reduce federal government spending, its effects are still being felt by programs such as Head Start, and will likely continue to be felt for years to come. Fully in effect beginning March 1, 2013, many Head Start program administrators began scrambling to find new and innovative ways to reduce supply costs and spending across the board. Unfortunately, these budget cuts have led to a loss of spots for children and their families who rely on the Head Start program for educational and nutritional support and have cut jobs for teachers and administrators who...

5 Ways to Save Money on Your Head Start Program Office Supplies With so many Head Start programs scrambling to save money in their budgets in order to keep the programs open and available to children and families in-need, one of the first places you can start saving money right away is in the purchasing of office supplies. Believe it or not, billions of dollars are spent each year by businesses in the United States on office supplies. If you do not learn how to control these expenditures, they can begin to add up very quickly. This article will focus on the five top ways that Head Start programs can...

The Advantages of Outsourcing Food Supply Purchasing for Shelters   If you run a program or organization that supports individuals or families that are in need of a safe place to stay, such as battered women, homeless, pregnant women, single mothers or addicts in recovery, keeping up with food supply purchasing and non-food supply purchasing can be difficult, to say the least. The need for a purchasing system that is effective and intuitive is very great, particularly in non-profit organizations, such as these, that are highly focused on cutting costs, yet wish to maintain a strict level of quality service and care. A Better Way to Budget Regardless of the...

Budget Cuts Are Coming to Head Start: How Preparation and Planning Can Help As our nation continues to struggle with the current financial crisis, many programs supported by government funding have and will continue to feel the pinch. The National Head Start Association is trying to help local programs keep their heads above water during this time of economic trouble, helping doors to remain open and secure that these opportunities stay available to the children and families who need it the most. How Will Budget Cuts Affect My Head Start? Beginning in 2013, the Obama Administration has annnounced that it would be cutting all “non-defense discretionary” function by as much...