The Head Start to Congress Caucus will focus on supporting families and students through early education opportunities

Senator Reverend Warnock is one of two Head Start alums serving in the U.S. Senate

Senator Reverend Warnock: “I wouldn’t be where I am today without Head Start, and as an alum, I know how important strong federal investments in early childhood education are to help foster successful futures for our children” 

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) helped launch the Head Start to Congress Caucus alongside a group of bipartisan, bicameral lawmakers. The Head Start program has served nearly 40 million children and provided services for hundreds of thousands of families since its founding in 1965. The Head Start program supports families and students by providing early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income families. The caucus will serve as a venue for support for the federal program for members of Congress.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Head Start, and as an alum, I know how important strong federal investments in early childhood education are to help foster successful futures for our children,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Last year I introduced the HEADWAY Act to help address teacher staffing shortages in Early Head Start classrooms, and I am proud to launch the Head Start to Congress Caucus to help strengthen support for these critical federal programs and amplify the importance of early childhood education.”

Studies show that Head Start students have a higher likelihood of graduating high school, attending college, receiving a post-secondary degree, license, or certification, and are more likely to invest time in their own children’s education. 

As a Head Start alum, Senator Warnock has been a strong advocate for the program. In September last year, Senator Warnock introduced his bipartisan HEADWAY Act (Head Start Education and Development Workforce Advancement and Yield Act). The legislation, which is co-led by Senator Mike Braun (R-IN), would address early child care workforce shortages by allowing Early Head Start classroom teachers to teach and earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential simultaneously. Additionally, in August of 2023, Senator Warnock returned to his hometown of Savannah, Georgia to tour Early Head Start classrooms at the Economic Opportunity Authority (EOA) for Savannah-Chatham County and hear from local early learning leaders about the workforce shortages impacting this critical early education program serving low-income families and their children.