Sequester Cuts Over 4,000 Kids From Head Start in Texas
Do you remember the sequester? The massive across-the-board spending cuts that were never supposed to go into effect, but then did when Congressional Republicans couldn't compromise with Democrats on a solution. It was big news in March when the cuts went into effect, but since then the sequester has slowly faded from public consciousness as the news media has found newer, flashier stories to report on.
As attention on the sequester has waned, we've also largely turned our attention away from the lives of people affected by the sequester. The fact that most of these people are low-income doesn't help--poverty isn't the media's favorite subject to begin with, and sequestration is now six months old. But the sequester briefly made the headlines again last month, when it was reported that 57,000 children will be cut from Head Start this year as a result of the sequester.
Texas is one of the states hardest hit by the Head Start cuts. Sequestration means 4,410 Texas kids won't be part of Head Start this year. They don't have the funding because House and Senate Republicans (including the Texas delegation) voted to keep the sequester, instead of compromising with Democrats on a more balanced budget. Because of our lawmakers' refusal to cooperate, over 4,000 of Texas's poorest children won't have access to Head Start this fall.
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Cuts to Head Start will remove 57,000 children from programs nationwide this year (51,000 from Head Start and 6,000 from Early Head Start). But even those kids who will remain in Head Start will see services drastically reduced. According to HHS, budget cuts will force Head Start to "cut 1.3 million days of service, provide 18,000 fewer hours of service through shortened school days, [and] terminate or reduce salaries of 18,000 employees." These have already had an effect in Texas. Head Start of Greater Dallas had to close two of its 46 locations in the spring, causing 360 children to lose access to services. Since the cuts are going to be phased in, the situation is only going to get worse over time.
More at http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/14032/sequester-cuts-over-4000-kids-from-head-start-in-texas .
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