News in early May that the program faced potential closure drew outcry from parents in Bucks County. File photo.
More than six months after its initial funding request, the Bucks County Intermediate Unit’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs received key federal grant approval shortly before temporary funding was set to expire.
The $5,849,283 annual grant will fund services for eligible children and families in Bucks County for the next five years starting Tuesday, according to a statement from the intermediate unit.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration for Children and Families approved the grant, averting a program closure that would have impacted 362 children and families.
The countywide intermediate unit has administered the Head Start program services since 2015.
“This award is a direct result of the incredible collaboration among families, staff, community partners, and elected leaders who believe in the power of early childhood education,” said Dr. Mark Hoffman, Executive Director of the Bucks IU. “We’re proud to keep serving Bucks County’s youngest learners and those who support them.”
News in early May that the program faced potential closure drew outcry from parents in Bucks County.
While President Donald Trump’s administration had previously sought to cut the program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. later stated that funding would remain in place after the public response.
“Renewal of this grant reflects the federal government’s confidence in our program quality, systems, and outcomes,” said Dr. Roseanna Mitsch, Bucks County Intermediate Unit director of early childhood programs. “It also affirms the vital role early childhood education plays in the broader educational ecosystem here in Bucks County.”
Head Start and Early Head Start are federally funded programs focused on school readiness for low-income children. It is focused on early learning, health, nutrition, and family services.
The Bucks County Intermediate Unit, in a statement, “extends its sincere appreciation to families, staff members, state and U.S. legislators, elected officials, school district superintendents, and community partners for their continued support and advocacy of the Bucks IU Head Start and Early Head Start programs.”
Additional information regarding the grant and programming for the new cycle will be released as it becomes available.
Parents looking to learn more about the intermediate unit’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs, can visit the local program’s website.
