BRATTLEBORO-It was no April Fool's Day Joke.
On April 1, five Administration for Children regional offices were shuttered and staff put on administrative leave. Entire programs, divisions, and teams have been gutted.
These five offices, including the one in Boston, serve 23 states and provide oversight and support to Head Start and Child Care and Development Fund programs. The knowledge, expertise, and guidance of these federal workers is crucial to the 2,809 grantees and almost a million children these programs serve.
This is a national disaster. It is also a local one in Brattleboro, where Early Education Services (EES) provides Head Start services to 136 children and families throughout Windham County.
For 36 years, EES, under the auspices of the Windham Southeast School District, has provided quality, comprehensive, community-based early childhood and family services to our most vulnerable families in strong coordination with other local agencies. As a significant local employer, with 65 employees working in several programs, EES also supports the local economy.
Head Start has 60 years of experience as a federal-to-local program, serving pregnant families and children from birth to age 5 with program models determined locally in response to community needs.
For over six decades, communities have supported this programming by matching federal dollars with local contributions to provide comprehensive services, including health, nutrition, educational, and family supports for millions of children and families.
The program is based on solid early-childhood research. Head Start Performance Standards and regional office monitoring ensure that the high-quality services are delivered consistently across the country.
The closure of these five regional offices threatens the ability to ensure that each community has the support needed to continue operating at the highest standards.
Please stand up for Head Start and children and families. Contact your local community leaders and your state and federal legislators and ask them to stand up, too, and to prioritize Head Start and early learning programs.
Judith Jerald and Janice Stockman
Brattleboro
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