| Oregon Passes Legislation to Expand Early Head Start |
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On February 25, Oregon policymakers took an important step toward supporting comprehensive services for infants, toddlers and their families. Through a bipartisan vote, the state Legislature passed a $1 million appropriation to expand Early Head Start services for at-risk infants and toddlers. The funds, allocated to the state Department of Education, will be dispersed through a one-time distribution to existing federally funded Early Head Start programs based on their current number of enrolled children. The funds are intended to supplement, not supplant, existing Early Head Start resources. The state Senate and House Education Committees will then review the Early Head Start program and develop recommendations for consideration during the next legislative session.
Ready for School and the Children's Institute were instrumental in achieving this first-time state funding allocation for Early Head Start in Oregon. Throughout the campaign, they emphasized the importance of social, emotional and physical health of young children as a necessary step toward closing the achievement gap and building a stronger economy. The state Early Head Start funding strengthens Oregon's efforts to build federal-state partnerships to establish a continuum of high-quality services for children prenatal to age 5. Since 1987, Oregon Head Start Prekindergarten (OPK) has functioned as Oregon's publicly funded pre-kindergarten program for children living in poverty. It is collaboratively administered by the state Department of Education and the regional Head Start Office. |