Data: Boost for Head Start in Economic Recovery Package Could Create More Than 100,000 New Jobs

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- If President-elect Obama and the new Congress want to create as many as 120,000 new jobs in the communities hardest hit by the worsening recession, they will include in the economic recovery package a major boost in funding for Head Start.

That's the message that Head Start officials from acrossthe United States will deliver during a National Head Start Association (NHSA) phone-based news conference at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday (January 8, 2009). Head Start is America's effective and most thoroughly tested early childhood education and health program.

Early childhood education and care advocates are seeking a $4.3 billion investment for Head Start and Early Head Start in the economic recovery package. This would be one of the strongest possible "kick start" investments of funds that the federal government could make to connect directly with the children and families that need help the most during these tough economic times.

News event speakers will be:

* National Head Start Association Board Chairperson Ron Herndon, also director of the Albina Head Start program (Portland, OR);

* Lucia Palacios, executive director of the Orange County Head Start, Inc. (Santa Ana, CA), and past president, California Head Start Association; and

* Aaron Lieberman, founder and CEO, Acelero Learning, a for-profit Head Start provider inNevada andNew Jersey.

TO PARTICIPATE: You can join this live, phone-based news conference (with full, two-way Q&A) at 1:30 p.m. ET on January 8, 2009 by dialing 1 (800) 860-2442. Ask for the "Head Start economic recovery package" news event.

CAN'T PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio replay of the news event will be available on the Web at www.nhsa.org as of 6 p.m. ET on January 8, 2009.

ABOUT NHSA

The National Head Start Association (http://www.nhsa.org) is a private not-for-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. It represents more than one million children, 200,000 staff and 2,600 Head Start programs inthe United States. The Association provides support for the entire Head Start community by advocating for policies that strengthen services to Head Start children and their families; by providing extensive training and professional development to Head Start staff; and by developing and disseminating research, information, and resources that enrich Head Start program delivery.

SOURCE National Head Start Association,Alexandria, VA

Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
newsblaze
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,EDU,ECO,CCA,MAV,POL,LEG,EXE,NHSA-econ-recovery

   _   _

           

Is your favorite bookmark site missing? Ask for it.