Senator Murray on New Biden Admin Rule to Strengthen Head Start Workforce and Better Serve Families

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s new proposed rule to strengthen Head Start’s ability to recruit and retain qualified staff, raise wages for its workforce, and serve children and families.

“In every corner of the country, families count on high-quality Head Start programs to help their kids learn, grow, and thrive. But the workforce that makes these programs possible has been stretched thin, just as Head Start struggles to hire and retain the early educators they need—all of which limits options for families.

“The Biden administration’s new proposed rule is an important step forward to tackle the growing workforce challenges Head Start is facing, better support already-underpaid teachers, and ultimately: better serve kids and families across the country.

“There’s a lot more we must do to make sure every kid has access to high-quality early childhood education—and every family can find and afford options that work for them. So I’m going to keep fighting to strengthen Head Start and ensure every family can get the child care they need by passing my Child Care for Working Families Act.”

Senator Murray, a former preschool teacher herself, has led the fight to tackle the child care crisis and fought to strengthen the Head Start program—using every tool at her disposal to make progress for families. Earlier this year, she reintroduced her Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to solve the child care crisis and ensure families across America can find and afford the high-quality child care they need. In addition to ensuring families can afford the child care they need, the legislation would also support full-day, full-year Head Start programs and increase wages for Head Start workers. Senator Murray has also consistently worked to boost annual funding for Head Start—securing a $960 million increase in last year’s funding package. This summer, as Chair of the Appropriations Committee, she secured another $275 million increase for the program in the Senate’s draft funding bill despite the tough constraints imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

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