U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (D-12th) hosted a roundtable discussion Friday on the importance of Head Start with educators, parents, providers, and early childhood advocates. Emily Neff, Trying Together’s director of public policy, helped facilitate the discussion, which was held at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit at The Waterfront in Homestead.
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At the event, Lee discussed the need to expand access to high-quality early childhood education for working families and highlighted her recently introduced Head Start for America’s Children Act, which would dramatically expand the program nationwide, raise wages for educators, and strengthen support services for families.
“Every child deserves not just a chance to survive, but a real chance to survive,” Lee said. “Head Start has opened doors for generations of children, giving them a strong start in the classroom and an even stronger foundation in life. In the richest country in the world, early childhood education cannot be a luxury for a lucky few. It must be treated like the public good it is.”
The event also included a tour of a local Head Start classroom.
The roundtable included representatives from early childhood education programs, public schools, advocacy organizations, and families directly affected by Head Start. Participants shared stories about the vital role the program plays in preparing children for school, connecting families to critical supports, and sustaining communities across the region.
“For 60 years, Head Start has served as a cornerstone program within the early childhood system, providing the essential education, care, and resources that families and young children need to thrive,” Neff said.
Neff noted that Friday’s roundtable was timely as early childhood educators prepare for the Week of the Young Child and Trying Together celebrates the Month of the Young Child in April.
“It is vital that we honor the educators who create high-quality early learning experiences and take steps toward investing in the critical work they do for our youngest children,” said Neff, who added that Lee’s Head Start for America’s Children Act takes necessary steps to prioritize competitive compensation for early childhood professionals.
Over the past 60 years, Head Start programs have provided high-quality early education and comprehensive services to more than 40 million children and families nationwide. Today, nearly 800,000 children receive early education, health and dental care, and nutritious meals through the program, while families also gain access to referrals for job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support.
Lee’s bill – which was introduced with U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) as the House companion to legislation by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) – would expand the program to serve more than 11 million eligible young children nationwide.
The Head Start for America’s Children Act would:
- Fully fund Head Start for eligible children
- Align program hours with working families’ schedules
- Raise Head Start educator pay to at least $60,000 per year
- Strengthen recruitment and retention
- Expand partnerships with child care providers and college campuses
- Improve mental health services
- Invest in facility upgrades, including the removal of lead contamination in paint and water
Lee serves on the House’s Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Education and Workforce.
