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Hoyer Visits Paint Branch Elementary School Head Start Program

March 12, 2013

COLLEGE PARK, MD – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) visited Paint Branch Elementary School Head Start Program to highlight the impact that sequestration could have on Head Start services in Maryland. During the visit, he met with teachers, parents, and support staff to discuss how the spending cuts imposed by the sequester could adversely affect Head Start services and the need to replace these cuts with a balanced solution. Following the discussion, he toured a Head Start classroom and met with students.

“The comprehensive early childhood services provided through Head Start and Early Head Start are critical to closing the achievement gap and ensuring our students can succeed,” stated Congressman Hoyer. “Unfortunately, the arbitrary, across-the-board spending cuts imposed by sequestration could mean 70,000 children could lose access to Head Start, including 800 children in Maryland alone. However, because the impact of sequestration will build over the coming weeks and months, we can still take action to replace the sequester with a balanced approach to deficit reduction that will protect investments like Head Start.”

“I thank the administrators, teachers, staff, and parents at Paint Branch Elementary School for meeting with me today to discuss this critical issue,” continued Congressman Hoyer. “Head Start services help ensure our students can reach their full potential, and I remain committed to working on a bipartisan basis to replace these irrational cuts before our families and children begin to feel the harmful consequences.”

Paint Branch Elementary is one of 35 Head Start sites in Prince George’s County. These sites provide comprehensive services for 864 families throughout the County, including early childhood education, disability and speech therapy, health and mental health support services, nutrition support services, family advocacy, emergency and crisis intervention, housing assistance, transportation assistance, and other resources.

In addition to cutting access to Head Start and Early Head Start, sequestration could impact elementary and secondary education, as well as higher education, in Maryland. According to a White House report:

  • Maryland could lose approximately $14.4 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 200 teacher and aide jobs at risk.
  • Around 770 fewer low income students in Maryland could receive aid to help them finance college and around 440 fewer students in our state could get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
  • Up to 400 disadvantaged and vulnerable children in Maryland could lose access to child care.

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