UPDATE (5:10 p.m.)
DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A spokesperson from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth's Office has issued a statement regarding the recent release of funds to head start programs in Illinois, while federal lawmakers continue to battle over a budget.
In a release, Communications Director Ben Garmisa states:
"Head Start programs in Decatur and around Illinois are the foundation of countless success stories, which is why Senator Duckworth has made defending and supporting their funding a priority. The Senator remains committed to ensuring Anna Waters Head Start receives its fair share of federal funding and she is disappointed that those calling for a government shutdown don’t recognize the very real harm a it would impose on Illinois children."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECATUR Ill. (WAND) -Head start programs provide schooling for low income children, but if a federal budget isn’t passed by October those early education programs could take a hit.
"We normally get the full $2.5 million," says co-interim director of Anna Waters Head Start Robert Archer. “Since they have not passed the budget at the federal level, they can't award the full amount."
On Monday, Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin put out a release celebrating the $2.4 million they are awarding head start programs in Central and Southern Illinois.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to reach his or her full potential, which is why it’s so important that programs like Head Start have the resources they need to support Illinois children and families,” Duckworth said in the release. "These investments in childhood education and parental support services will help provide children in Central and Southern Illinois with the tools they need to succeed both in and outside of the classroom.”
While the funding isn’t going unnoticed, and is appreciated by Anna Waters Head Start administrators, until a federal budget is passed the future of the program is uncertain.
"It sounds like a really big number, but it's half of what we are used to getting which means we might actually have to shut the head start program down in October," added Archer.
Administrators stress this isn’t a time for politicians to be celebrating the funding they are providing.
"Basically, they are giving us what they already promised us,” says Archers. “So it's not a celebration it's this is what was already promised."
Anna Waters Head Start in Decatur provides early education to 378 students.
"This is where the foundation blocks are made, and with a lot of these children this is their first exposure to education at all,” says Archer. “We are actually working with brand new young minds, and to lose this funding is going to severely hamper them educationally and will cripple their future."
However, the loss of funding could also affect employees.
"If we run out of money in October we are going to have to lay off around 80 teachers, but not just teachers, it would assistants, bus drivers, bus monitors, cooks and administrative staff,” added Archer.
If a federal budget is passed soon the program will receive the rest of its funding, however administrators say that there is still a reason to be concerned.
