Press Releases

House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Chairman Todd Rokita (R-IN) have requested information about how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) responds to reports of neglect and abuse at Head Start centers.

In a letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell, Kline and Rokita expressed their “deep concern” for the health and safety of children enrolled in the Head Start program. They write:

This concern stems from apparent discrepancies in how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) decides when to suspend or terminate the contracts of Head Start and Early Head Start grantees and whether those decisions are made in the best interest of the children being served.

Despite recent reports of “significant health and safety problems” and “immediate danger” at the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (NYC ACS), including unsanitary facilities, physical and sexual abuse by a teacher, and exposure to poison and toxic substances, HHS has allowed NYC ACS to continue operating 196 Head Start centers rather than suspending or revoking their $130 million annual federal grant and appointing an interim grantee to prevent disruptions in services.

The letter continues, “The decision to allow NYC ACS to continue operating its grant appears to represent a divergent path from other decisions regarding safety concerns at centers.”

After sending the letter to Secretary Burwell, Kline and Rokita remarked:

Quality early childhood education plays an important role in helping children succeed in life. Congress has a responsibility to ensure our investment in early childhood education provides a safe and secure learning environment for the nation’s most vulnerable children. Health and safety must be leading priorities. The secretary needs to explain how these decisions promote the well-being of students and serve their best interests.

To read the full letter, click here.

To learn more about the committee’s efforts to reform the Head Start Act, including the committee’s request for public feedback, click here.

# # #