FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2024
Contact: Kevin G. McGuire | 202-538-2386
Washington, D.C. – Ahead of Head Start Awareness Month in October, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) led 56 members of Congress in a letter requesting Director of the Office of Head Start Khari Gavin to increase efforts to connect children and families that experience homelessness to federal Head Start programs.
“[A]ccess to early childhood education remains out of reach for many homeless families and their children” the members wrote. “With the number of homeless families having increased by nearly 16 percent in 2023, the federal government must continue to explore avenues to help address barriers to housing and protect the well-being of children experiencing homelessness”.
Barbara Duffield, Executive Director of SchoolHouse Connection, said “Head Start is uniquely poised to mitigate the harm of homelessness on child development, and to connect families to critical housing and homeless assistance. We appreciate the leadership to date by the Office of Head Start (OHS) to improve services to children and families experiencing homelessness, and we know that there is so much more yet to be done. That is why SchoolHouse Connection is pleased to support Rep. Barragan’s letter and its requests, which elevate the unique issues facing these children and families.”
The letter calls the Office of Head Start to take the following actions:
- Raise awareness of family homelessness and automatic eligibility for children experiencing homelessness in the Head Start programs.
- Issue guidance clarifying how Head Start providers can use federal funds to provide child development programs in affordable housing and homelessness services sites.
- Work with the Education Dept. and HUD to provide guidance and technical assistance to state, local, and community stakeholders on building partnerships
- Establish partnerships with state entities to overcome licensing, building classification, and building and fire code issues that could hinder partnerships between housing and Head Start providers.
- Release a Request for Information on how the agency can amend regulations to better provider coordination, such as co-locating services at housing projects or shelters or providing housing vouchers at childcare locations.
- Provide information on the regulatory and administrative barriers that Head Start programs encounter when working to improve the lives of children experiencing homelessness and any specific authority needed to remove these barriers and allow for rapid resource deployment.
The following Representatives have signed the letter: Reps. Adams (NC-12), Balint (VT-AL), Bishop (GA-2), Blumenauer (OR-03), Bonamici (OR-01), Cárdenas (CA-29), Carson (IN-07), Casar (TX-35), Casten (IL-06), Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Chu (CA-28), Clarke (NY-09), Connolly (VA-11), Crockett (TX-30), Deluzio (PA-17), DeSaulnier (CA-10), Doggett (TX-37), Escobar (TX-16), Evans (PA-03), Garamendi (CA-08), Garcia (CA-42), Garcia (TX-29), García (IL-04), Grijalva (AZ-07), Jayapal (WA-07), Johnson (GA-04), Lee (CA-), Lee (PA-12), Lieu (CA-36), McBath (GA-07), McClellan (VA-04), McGovern (MA-02), Moore (WI-04), Moulton (MA-06), Mullin (CA-15), Nadler (NY-12), Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ramirez (IL-03), Ruiz (CA-25), Salinas (OR-06), Sánchez (CA-38), Schakowsky (IL-09), Schiff (CA-30), Schrier (WA-08), Sewell (AL-07), Smith (WA-09), Stansbury (NM-01), Strickland (WA-10), Thanedar (MI-13), Thompson (MS-02), Tokuda (HI-02), Torres (NY-15), Veasey (TX-33), Waters (CA-43), Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Williams (GA-05)
The following organizations also endorsed this letter: National Alliance to End Homelessness, School House Connection, ZERO TO THREE, Child Care Resource Center, and Los Angeles County Office of Education.
Read the full letter here.
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Congressmember Nanette Barragán represents California’s 44th District. She sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and works on environmental justice and healthcare issues. She is also Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).