FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, Oct. 20, 2005
Contact: Jane Norris
(202) 401-9215
ACF Awards $2 Million to Strengthen Head Start
WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced Head Start Innovation and Implementation Project awards totaling $2,021,815. The grants, given to four organizations, are designed to strengthen early childhood education for low-income children.
“With these grants, the Bush Administration is helping children from low-income families access quality preschool education before they enter kindergarten,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Wade F. Horn, Ph.D. “President Bush is continuing his goal of closing the education gap between children from low-income families and their economically-advantaged peers.”
Today’s grants include:
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The Community Development Institute in Denver was awarded $859,252 over three years to develop a practical teacher’s guide, resource materials and to provide training to help teachers who work with Head Start children and families who are English language learners.
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The Education Development Center Inc. in Newton, Massachusetts was awarded $320,775 over three years to develop a training and technical assistance (T/TA) planning toolkit. The toolkit will strengthen existing T/TA programs and support for regional staff.
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Utah State University was awarded $444,645 over three years to implement an updated hearing screening methodology to Migrant, American Indian and Early Head Start grantees nationwide. The updates will ensure timely and appropriate interventions.
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The University of Florida was awarded $397,143 over three years to expand on a program that uses museum resources to improve and extend gains in early literacy skills, language development and science in Head Start classrooms. The award will also improve parent involvement in the home.
The awards are part of the Bush Administration’s efforts to strengthen the Head Start program which is due for reauthorization for another five year period. In his budget request for 2006, President Bush has requested $6.9 billion for Head Start.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news