The Department of Health and Human Services will allocate nearly $300 million in fiscal year 2017 funds for Head Start programs nationwide in an effort to expand early learning services for children, the White House reported Monday.Roberto RodrÃguez, deputy assistant to the president for education; and Sharon Parrott, Office of Management and Budget associate director for education, income maintenance, and labor programs; said the funds will look to provide learning time to 135,000 children.
According to the White House, more than 32 million children have been assisted through Head Start supported by a $4 billion investment in the program.
The White House also noted that the funds look to maximize the program’s assistance to school readiness and development of nearly one million participating children.
Head Start looks to guide early learning — including language and literacy, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical development and health and social and emotional development — progress, health and family well-being of children from birth to age five as well as well as supporting the children’s comprehensive development.
