BILL TO STRENGTHEN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RECEIVES EARLY SUPPORT

Senator Tuttle sponsors bill to increase funding for Head Start

AUGUSTA- Senator John Tuttle (D-Sanford) has sponsored a measure to provide increased funding for Head Start programs in Maine. The bill would restore the funding for Head Start services that was eliminated in the 2012-2013 state budget.

“Investing in children early on in their lives is vital to their success,” said Senator Tuttle. “Research has shown that early childhood programs have significant economic and societal value, and increase a child’s chances of becoming a productive member of society.”

Senator Tuttle went on to note that early childhood education generates a strong return on investment for every tax dollar and reduces the need for expensive remedial education and special education later on.  It also saves taxpayer money by reducing dropout rates, crime, and incarceration, according to researchers.[1]

Maine Head Start providers serve the most severely at-risk children from birth to age 5 in Maine: children from families who are at, or below, the federal poverty level (that being $23,050 for a family of four).  Of those most severely at-risk children, Head Start selects the most vulnerable and provides comprehensive early care and education. There are 226 children and families who have lost services due to the $2 million cut to Head Start programs in the last budget.

The bill, L.D. 517, received a public hearing in the Health and Human Services Committee at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23. The bill received support in the hearing from numerous individuals, and organizations such as the United Way of Greater Portland.

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[1] 2012 report from Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a coalition of law enforcement officials advocating for early childhood education. The report can be found here: http://www.fightcrime.org/high-quality-early-care-and-education-a-key-to-reducing-crime-in-maine/