Critical Thinking Essay- Support for the Head Start Program

Marley Majette
3/30/2015
Dr. Simel
BLUE

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Because of the economic, social, health, and educational benefits of the Head Start
Program, Congress must support the FY 2016 budget increase request, for the Head Start
program. The Head Start Program is a program under the administration of the United States
Department of Health and Human Services, which provides services and assistance to low
income families. These services provide early childhood education and health. This program was
created to assist children in low-income families in transitioning from preschool to elementary.
This transition is important because of the challenging developmental obstacles that all young
children face when attending preschool. In the words of the National Head Start Administration,
Head Start promotes school preparation by enhancing the social and cognitive development of
children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services
(NHSA). The program was created in 1965 to assist in ending the war on poverty. Americas
children are the future, and President Lyndon Baines Johnson who, during his term focused on
domestic issues that included poverty, created this program. After fifty years President Obama
proposed an investment into Head Start and Early Head Start in his budget plan for the Fiscal
Year 2016. This program request and budget increase of 10.1 billion dollars will ensure Head
Start and Early Head Start program children a full school day and year. National Head Start
Association Executive Director, Yasmina Vinci lists the budget increases needed so that the
children can have the full school day and school year. The program request includes, $284
million for a cost-of-living adjustment for all programs, $150 million for Early Head Start, and
Child Care Partnerships investments of $650 million (USDHHS). During the Bush
administration, TANF nobly attempted to combat the issue of poverty and assist needy families;
however, the Head Start program will do better in assisting needy families if the government
supports it.

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The U.S. Congress must support the Head Start FY 2016 program
request because of the economic benefits. Research shows that the Head
Start Program is a smart and wise decision for society. The amount of money
invested reaps great benefits for Americas economy. Since the programs
inception the economy has gotten back least seven dollars from each
investment of only one dollar in Head Start (NHSA). Research also shows
that parents can decrease their Medicaid cost with proper education from
head start parental advisors. With the earnings gathered from the money put
into the program, society gains benefits such as increased earnings,
employment, and decreased welfare dependency (NC Head Start). Ross A.
Thompson, developmental psychologist at the University of
California, says that Because the science of early-childhood development
converges with the economics of public policy to confirm that investments in
early-childhood development are both necessary and worthwhile, it is long
past time for society to catch up (Kennedy Vol. 15, No. 11). Obamas FY
2016 budget plan, would bring in new investors and philanthropists to assist
low-income families and the budget of the Head Start Program. Marcia K.
Meyers is an associate professor of social work and public affairs at the
University of Washington, and she said, Public child care that is seen to
promote both early learning and social integration across economic and
other divides (Kennedy Vol. 15, No. 11). Having the children in programs
such as Head Start at such a young age, and during a time where one can
mold the children in order to be efficient in a rapidly growing, is good for
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the economy as a whole according to statistics. Support for the Head Start FY
2016 program budget request is a great investment as shown by the ratio of
monetary benefit to money invested. It is time for Congress to support this
plan and use their resources to assist these children, Americas future, in
obtaining a full school day and school year.
The social benefits of supporting the Head Start program will show
senators their support is wise and needed to keep the HS Program up and
running to continue to help American families who are in much need of
assistance. According to Thomas Garces, author of the American Economic
review, people who attended Head Start are significantly less likely to report
being booked for or charged with a crime than siblings who attended another
preschool (Garces, Thomas, and Curie 999). This positive social impact of
the Head Start Program also holds economic merit. The costs of crime is
another domestic issue that Americans face. By the funding of the Head
Start Program, this will help to ensure that more kids arent committing
crimes. From an article by Kennedy, developmental scientists today agree
on some basic conclusions: The early years are important. Early relationships
matter. All children are born ready to learn, both intellectually and socially
(Kennedy Vol. 15, No. 11). Head Start aims to not just prepare students
academically, but to prepare them socially, emotionally, and nutritionally. If
children participate in programs such as Head Start, specifically children of
low- income families, then those children can get out of the cycle of
poverty. Head Start advisors and administrators help the children and
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parents with direction and attention on most aspects of life to be able to

survive in America. The social aspect is addressed to help students make the
important transition from preschool to primary school. Valora Washington
says, Early education is validated as an investment strategy yielding
dividends for both the individual and for our society. Opinion leaders are
convinced that early education is a social good. (Kennedy Vol. 15, No. 11).
Investing in Head Start provides rewards for society, economically and for
the common good of America. That Head Start kids are more likely to stay
out of trouble than non-Head Start kids must show Congress that their
support will reward society in more than one way.
The support of the government will be needed so that the Head Start
Program can continue to produce great health statistics. According to Eliana
Garces, Thomas Duncan, and Janet Curie, Head Start children are at least
eight percentage points more likely to receive immunizations than their nonHead Start peers (Garces, Thomas, and Curie 999). This comes from the
parent involvement that is one of the unique attributes of the Head Start
program. Recent research reports show that the mortality rates for 5- to 9year-old children who had attended Head Start are 33 to 50 percent lower
than the rates for comparable children who were not enrolled in Head Start
(Ludwig, Miller 159-208). In fact Head Start reduced the rates to the
national average of mortality rates for all 5- to 9-year-old children (Ludwig
and Miller 159-208). The Head start impact study showed that parents whose
children were in H.S. program, reported them to have excellent or very
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good health and could be accounted for by doctors and dentists that are
provided by H.S. (NHSA). Because of the Head Start Program, Parents who
participate in Head Start are found to have greater quality of life satisfaction;
increased confidence in coping skills; and decreased feelings of anxiety,
depression, and sickness (Parker, Piotrkowski, Peay 220-233). The wellbeing
of H.S. parents has increased due to Head Start parental involvement and
this has a positive impact on the children. The parents realize the importance
and privilege that they have received and know that they must take it
seriously, according to Head Start parental testimonies.
The US Congress should support the FY 2016 budget program request
because of the educational benefits of the Head Start Program. Results and
studies on the impact of the Head Start Program have prompted the National
Academy of Sciences panel to lead a research team, to conclude that,
Programs that combine child-focused educational activities with explicit
attention to parent-child interaction patterns and relationship building,
appear to have the greatest impacts (Kennedy, Edward M). In the report
Childrens Cognitive Gains during Head Start and Kindergarten, National
Family and Child Experiences Survey data shows that HS graduates, by the
spring of their kindergarten year, were essentially at national norms in early
reading and early writing and were close to meeting national norms in early
math and vocabulary knowledge (NHSA). Studies have found that HS
children experience increased achievement test scores and that HS children
experience favorable graduation rates (NHSA). The HS Impact study found
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that, a higher proportion of HS parents read to their children more

frequently than those parents of children who were not enrolled in HS
(NHSA). Studies have shown this impacts the childrens academic
achievements (Zill Sorongon). If Congress decides to stand by the requests
then Head Start will continue to produce excellent education statistics. The
program combines social, educational, and parental involvement to help the
children make important transitions and by investing in it, those who attend
H.S. can exceed national norms because of the educational benefits of it
participants.
Because of the economic, social, health, and educational benefits of
the Head Start Program, Congress must continue to fund by supporting the
FY 2016 program request budget increase for the Head Start Program. The
Head Start Program provides economic rewards for Americas economy. For
every dollar invested, the Head Start Program brings in seven times the
money. This may help relive America of some of its economic obligations.
This will only happen if Congress stands behind the budget request. Socially
the program will teach children how to be law abiding and to working
citizens. An added plus is that the social benefits ties together with the
economic benefits. The investment in the Head Start Program will help to
reduce the war on crime and the problems that crime brings. Health wise
low-income families, the target and center of the Head Start Program, will be
taken care of because the HS Program provides health benefits for these
families who otherwise would not be able to obtain the care they need. The
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wellbeing of the parents can influence the social aspect. Educational benefits
of the Head Start show long-lasting cognitive benefits that keep up with the
social norms and later on could possibly surpass the norms. The H.S. children
have favorable high school graduation rates and could possibly show
promise in University and at the University level. Investing in the Head Start
Program and supporting the FY 2016 program will fulfill all of these
possibilities in the economic, social, health, and educational world.

Works Cited
Barnett, W. (2002, September 13). The Battle Over Head Start: What the
Research

Shows. Presentation at a Science and PublicPolicy Briefing

Sponsored by the Federation of Behavioral, Psychological, and

Cognitive Sciences; Garces, E., Thomas, D. andCurrie, J.. (2002,
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September). Longer-Term Effects of Head Start. American Economic

Review, 92(4): 999.
Garces, Eliana, Duncan Thomas, and Janet Curie. "Longer Term Effects of
Head Start." Omega. JSTOR, Sept. 2002. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
<http://omega.cc.umb.edu
"Longer Term Effects of Head Start." Omega. JSTOR, Sept. 2002. Web. 31 Mar.
2015. <http://omega.cc.umb.edu
AmericanEconReviewLongTermHeadStartJourna1.pdf>.
Kennedy, Edward M., and others. "Starting Young: The Case for Investment in
America's Kids." American Prospect Vol. 15, No. 11. Nov. 2004: A1-A23.
SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
Ludwig, J. and Miller, D. (2007). Does Head Start improve childrens life
chances? Evidence from a regression discontinuitydesign. The
Quarterly Journal of Economics, 122 (1): 159-208.
NHSA. USDHHS, 2 Feb. 2015. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nhsa.org/
Parker, F., C. Piotrkowski, and L. Peay. (1987). Head Start as a Social Support
for Mothers: The Psychological Benefits of Imvolvement. American
Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 57, 2: Parker
Rothgeb, Colleen. "Presidents FY 2016 Budget for Head Start."
Administration for Children and Families. US Department of Health and
Human Services, 10 Feb. 2015. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog

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Zill, N. and Sorongon, A. (2004). Childrens Cognitive Gains during Head Start
and Kindergarten. Presentation at the National HeadStart Research
Conference, Washington, DC. June 28-30, 2004.

Annotated Bibliography
MLA Citation here: Trisi, Danilo, and LaDonna Pavetti, Ph. D. "TANF
Weakening as a Safety Net for Poor Families." cbpp.org. N.p., 13 Mar. 2012.
Web. 24 Mar. 2015.

<http://www.cbpp.org/

Annotation here: This document showed me the statistics of the

effectiveness of the TANF program. The document educated me on the
overall TANF program also.
MLA Citation here: "What Works in Welfare Reform: Evidence and
Lessons to Guide TANF Reauthorization." eric.ed.gov. Ed. Gordon L. Berlin.
Institute of Education Sciences, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. <http://eric.ed.gov

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Annotation here: This explained the reauthorization of the TANF program. It

also showed me what the money would contribute to.
MLA Citation here: Wikipedia. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Head_Start_Program>.
Annotation here: General overview of the program. Helped give me the
history and information like the mission statement.

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