Pocono News Section

Head Start Funding Pluses and Minuses

Head Start Funding Pluses and Minuses - Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 5:23PM EST

Reported by: Mark Hiller
Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009 @ 05:23pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY - Luzerne County Head Start has some additional funding to work with.

Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11th District) visited organization's Beekman Street building and announced the program is receiving $487,197 in federal stimulus money.

"The new funding will help us to improve the quality of our services. It has allowed us to hire 2 additional assistant teachers," said Luzerne County Head Start Executive Director Lynn Biga.

The funding is good news amid the 8-week state budget impasse.

No fiscal budget in Harrisburg means $1 million dollars in earmarked funding for Luzerne County Head Start is in limbo.

That means 132 of the nearly 1,000 children enrolled in Luzerne County Head Start will not be allowed to attend in September.

Even if the budget is settled, there's no guarantee all of that funding will be preserved.

Parents are calling on lawmakers to keep the kids in mind.

"They need to do whatever they can to ensure that all children have the opportunity for early childhood education," said Beverly Eichhorn of Plymouth. Her 2 children currently attend Luzerne County Head Start.

Lynn Karosas has a 2-year old son enrolled in Luzerne County Head Start's Pre-K Counts program. Her 5-year-old daughter, Trinity, attended Head Start for 2-years.

"It taught my daughter a lot," said Karosas. "Pass the budget and get these kids back in classroom."

Congressman Kanjorski also urged Pennsylvania lawmakers to settle the budget and include the necessary state funding for head start.