Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) and Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) announced $1,277,001 in federal funding for the St. Mary’s County Board of Education’s Head Start programs to expand early learning, development, health services, and family well-being.
“After a pandemic that has set our school systems and our students back, it is important that we meet the needs of our educators and our children so that they can achieve their fullest potential,” said Congressman Hoyer. “I am glad that Maryland early childhood education programs are set to receive more than $1.2 million in federal funds to help improve the educational experience of students and also provide important support to our families. Every child should be set up for success in St. Mary’s County, and this funding is a positive step in that direction.”
“Early childhood education is essential for children to develop the social and emotional skills needed to thrive at school and close the learning gap,” said Senator Cardin. “It is essential that we support early childhood education, in communities that are underserved and most vulnerable. I will continue to work with Team Maryland to secure federal funding to support early education programs like Head Start in St. Mary’s County and across the state.”
“Learning gaps have only widened during the pandemic, and have particularly disadvantaged our youngest students. Investing in early childhood education programs like Head Start is one of the best ways to set up all our children for future success,” said Senator Van Hollen. “This funding will expand early learning and development opportunities in St. Mary’s County so that more children can access a high-quality education.”
The $1,277,001 award comes from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Child Care and the Office of Head Start. Each year, Head Start and Early Head Start programs benefit more than a million families nationwide. This continuation funding from annual Appropriations was voted for by Senators Cardin and Van Hollen and Congressman Hoyer, each of whom continue to champion early childhood education funding annually. More information on Head Start and Early Head Start programs and services can be found here.
About Head Start – Head Start and Early Head Start programs are administered by the Office of Head Start (OHS), within the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
OHS administers grant funding and oversight to 1,600 public and private nonprofit and for-profit agencies that provide Head Start services in local communities. Head Start and Early Head Start grantees provide services to over a million children every year, in every U.S. state and territory, in farm worker camps, and in over 155 tribal communities.
OHS provides federal policy direction, ongoing oversight, and a training and technical assistance (TTA) system to assist grantees in providing comprehensive services to eligible young children and their families.
OHS was appropriated $10.6 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2020. In FY 2019, $10 billion was awarded for programs under the Head Start Act. Of that amount, $9.66 billion was awarded directly to public agencies, private nonprofit and for-profit organizations, tribal governments, and school systems to operate Head Start programs in local communities. To improve the quality of services provided by grantees, more than $239 million was directed to TTA. Half that amount was awarded directly to grantees to be used for local TTA, and the other half funded the regional and national system. More details about OHS funding and the services provided through this funding are in the FY 2019 Program Facts Sheet.
