By Crystal Swann
May 9, 2005

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce, led by Chairman John Boehner (OH), introduced HR 2123, the "School Readiness Act of 2005" May 5. The bill is viewed by many on both sides of the aisle as a "work in progress" but possesses the potential for bipartisan support. At initial glance, the 110 page bill eliminates the most unpalatable provision, a state block grant demonstration program for Head Start, which created tremendous political backlash.

"This bill takes a different approach to the state coordination issue than we took two years ago — an approach that will enable us to strengthen collaboration among Head Start and state and local early childhood initiatives in all 50 states," stated Boehner in a House committee press release.

The bill, according to the press release, takes significant steps towards strengthening the academic content of the Head Start program, improving fiscal accountability and management among Head Start grantees, and enhancing collaboration between Head Start grantees and other early education providers in the states. The bill also upgrades Head Start's training and technical assistance and restores a proposed cut to this quality improvement system.

In a press release, Ranking Member George Miller (CA) states, "This bill takes significant steps towards strengthening the academic content of the Head Start program, improving fiscal accountability and management among Head Start grantees, and enhancing collaboration between Head Start grantees and other early education providers in the states. This bill, however, does not address the low pay offered to teachers in the Head Start program, whose average annual income is just $25,000."

A recent negative Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the financial accountability of the Head Start program began an onslaught of Congressional hearings on the quality and efficacy of the quality of the 40 year old program. While many argue with the findings of the GAO report, the initial response to the bill is cautious but optimist.

For information on the bill, visit the http://edworkforce.house.gov website.