Fredericksburg – Staff Writer
“Last week, when U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine dropped in on the Head Start program at the Original Walker–Grant School in Fredericksburg, perhaps he granted himself a moment of reflection as he engaged the young children in their learning environment. Sixty years earlier, Virginia’s priority had been to resist public school desegregation. Now, he had the opportunity to not only partake of this setting of welcomed cultural diversity, but also to see the fruit of his labor as a longtime champion of early childhood education. Kaine can be optimistic about the government’s commitment to early education. The just-passed federal omnibus appropriations bill includes $9.2 billion for Head Start—$570 million more than the current year—and an increase as well for Early Head Start. Together, the programs serve children from low-income families from infancy through age 5. In addition, states including Virginia will share $250 million to continue the Preschool Development Grants program to bolster high-quality early learning programs.”(more)