Supporting Children and Families through Investments in High-Quality Early Education. Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining Supporting Children and Families through Investments in High-Quality Early Education (February 6, 2014). Senate Hearing 113-672

This hearing serves as a first in a set of hearings focusing on early learning. In his opening statement, Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, strongly encouraged members of this committee on both sides of the aisle to hold roundtables and have discussions on early learning in their local communities because he does not think there is an issue of greater importance that confronts us today. Senator Harkin noted that the Federal Government supports a variety of programs to support early education and care, such as the Child Care and Development Block Grant program, and Head Start. However, he stated that he feels those programs fall short of what is needed. According to the most recent data from the Department of Health and Human Services, only one in six children eligible for child care assistance received it. Of the preschool kids eligible for Head Start, fewer than half are served. Among infants and toddlers eligible for Early Head Start, less than 5 percent of eligible kids are served. State governments have done much in recent years to expand preschool offerings to young children. However, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research, States reduced their preschool investments by more than half a billion dollars between 2011 and 2012. All of this works against a growing awareness that investing in early education yields lifelong benefits. Statements were also delivered by Committee Members: (1) Honorable Lamar Alexander, U.S. Senator from the State of Tennessee; (2) Honorable Michael F. Bennett, U.S. Senator from the State of Colorado; (3) Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski, U.S. Senator from the State of Maryland; (4) Honorable Tim Scott, U.S. Senator from the State of South Carolina; (5) Honorable Al Franken, U.S. Senator from the State of Minnesota; (6) Honorable Johnny Isakson, U.S. Senator from the State of Georgia; (7) Honorable Patty Murray, U.S. Senator from the State of Washington; (8) Honorable Robert P. Casey Jr., U.S. Senator from the State of Pennsylvania; and (9) Honorable Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from the State of Massachusetts. Witnesses delivering prepared statements included the following: (1) Hirokazu, Yoshikawa, Courtney Sale Ross University Professor of Globalization and Education at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, New York University, New York, NY; (2) John White, State Superintendent for Louisiana Department of Education, Baton Rouge, LA; (3) Danielle, Ewen, Director of the Office of Early Childhood Education, District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, DC; and (4) Charlotte M. Brantley, President and CEO of Clayton Early Learning, Denver, CO. Additional Material included: (1) Prepared Statement of Senator Casey; and (2) Prepared Statement of Senator Baldwin. Letters for the record were presented by: (1) Lilly Irvin-Vitela, Head Start Graduate; (2) Charisse Daniels, Local Policy Council Chairperson, CESA 2, Jefferson County Head Start; Wisconsin Head Start Parent; Wisconsin Head Start Association Board of Directors; (3) Joan Mrkvicka, Joan's Tot Spot, Verona, WI. Also included are: (1) Prepared Statement of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) and the National Association of State Child Care administrators (NASCCA), (Tracy L. Waering, Julie Ingersol); (2) Prepared Statement of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC); and (3) Prepared Statement of Matthew E. Melmed, Executive Director ZERO TO THREE. Questions and responses are also provided in the additional material section.