Representative Magaziner opposes House Republican cuts to education
He stood with early education advocates in Warwick to announce his strong opposition this morning...
"Every child deserves access to a great education," said Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02) at a press conference in Warwick this morning. "No matter their age or their zip code, every child deserves a great education."
The press conference was held at Child, Inc., a private non-profit agency providing comprehensive child development and family support services to low and moderate-income families residing in Kent County, Rhode Island.
"We are here today because the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives recently released their proposed budget, which includes a 28% cut to the federal education budget. You heard that right," continued Representative Magaziner. "This is not a rumor, this is not gossip. They have come out with a budget proposal that would cut the federal education budget by 28%, $64 billion of cuts. We are here today to raise our voices to say that this is unacceptable, that we will not allow it, that it would harm Rhode Island children, and that we are going to push back against these proposed cuts.
"A 28% cut like the one that House Republicans have proposed would cut funding for programs like Head Start, Early Head Start, and Title One. It would set the wrong priorities and would leave too many children behind.
“These cuts would mean 200 fewer Headstart spots for children in Rhode Island. That's 200 fewer Rhode Island children would have access to preschool under Head Start. It would mean up to 800 fewer teachers in the state of Rhode Island at a time when we already have significant teacher shortages.
"Let me explain that again: By cutting Title One funding, which particularly funds teaching positions in schools in lower-income districts, the proposed budget that House Republicans have come up with would eliminate 800 spots for teachers at a time when we already have too few public school teachers in Rhode Island.
"In addition to these cuts for Head Start and Title One, the budget that has been proposed would cut funding for English language education, federal work-study programs for youth, and adult job training programs for wraparound services for students with significant needs. We have to say no, it's unnecessary, and if budgets are a statement of priorities, we need to send a message that children should be a priority. I have worked, throughout my time in government, with partners in education and government to try to increase resources for education, which is what we ought to be doing in Congress. I'm pushing for a $17 and a half billion dollar increase in funding for Head Start as opposed to a cut.
"I'm proud to be a member of the Congressional Pre-K Caucus and Childcare Caucus, and co-sponsor of the Childcare for Working Families Act, which would expand Head Start programs to ensure that all families have access to early childhood education. I co-sponsored the Educators Act, which would invest a billion dollars to develop strategies to meet educator workforce needs and build a talent pipeline so that we can address teacher shortages before they occur. [I support] the RAISE Act, which would increase tax credits for teachers to make it easier for them to afford school supplies, and the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act, which funds grants and other activities to support positive mental health and behavioral health among educational and professional and other school staff.
"But the most immediate issue that we face is these proposed cuts, and this is a very real threat. The budget draft has already been released. House leadership has put it out there. They say they're going to put it up for a vote when we return to the house in September and we need to put our foot down and say, ‘No.’ It would be a disaster for Rhode Island children. It would be a disaster for parents, educators, and anyone who believes in a society where every child deserves a shot to get ahead."
"The crucial need for restored funding for the Early Head Start and Head Start programs is very important to me and my family,” said Bernelle Richardson, a parent from West Warwick. “I am a nurse and I work on a women's unit at Care New England. I stand before you because every child in Rhode Island deserves access to an affordable, high-quality education and Early Head Start. Head Start programs provide the foundation for a strong educational path. My family has personally experienced the transformative impact of these programs.
"Let me take you back a few years. My children were one, two, and five, respectively. My husband and I were both looking for careers that would set us up for career paths that would take our family to the next level. However, as you know, childcare was a problem. It continues to be a problem.
"The Early Head Start program was a lifesaver for us, however. It allowed us a safe place for our children to receive reliable, high-quality, and free learning experiences during their most formative years. While our children were being cared for, my husband and I were able to pursue fulfilling careers. My husband was able to participate in the Dad's Program that was funded by Head Start, one of the programs that Head Start helps families with. Through those programs, he was able to gain career and emotional skills to help support our family. Through this program, he was allowed to learn welding and now he works for a prominent company in Rhode Island.
"Furthermore, Early Head Start was instrumental in my journey through nursing school. It provided the support I needed to focus on my studies and earn my degree, bringing me to where I am today, a partner nurse making a difference in the lives of others. But, when my son was older, we found ourselves suddenly ineligible for the support of my youngest son. I was in my final year of nursing school and about to complete my degree and the safety net, which had allowed me the opportunity to go to school in the first place, was being taken away. The uncertainty affected my school schedule and put my younger son at a disadvantage in his education. Despite these hurdles, we persevered, driven by the knowledge that Early Head Start had given us the bedrock of our family's success and progress. It facilitated my education and empowered us to access better job opportunities and provide for our family.
"However, the exorbitant cost of childcare became a new challenge. My monthly paychecks were swallowed up in childcare and continue to be swallowed up in childcare, leaving me with a stark choice: work to support my family or work to pay for childcare. It's alight faced by many families here in Rhode Island, juggling work and childcare and wrestling with exorbitant prices that chip away at our earnings. As a nurse, I understand the impact of my role, a role that depicts commitment, dedication, and care for others.
"Yet the economic burden of childcare remains a harsh reality, making it hard to strike that balance. My voice is not just mine - it's a voice for the countless families grappling with this challenge. It's a voice for the Black and brown women whose stories often go unheard. But I'm here to say that we must ensure that programs like Early Head Start and Head Start are fully funded so families like mine do not have to choose between our livelihoods and quality care for our children.
"It's about creating opportunities for everyone and enabling families to thrive and succeed. My dedication to nursing is fueled by my desire to make a positive impact on the lives of the women I serve, especially those within the Black and brown communities. Being a voice for those who often go unheard is a responsibility that I take very seriously. As I stand here, I invite you to consider my family's story, which is like that of so many other Rhode Islanders.
"Early childhood education is not just about numbers, it's about building a brighter future for our children, supporting families, and ultimately strengthening our communities... Let's ensure that our families, families like mine, can access these vital programs that can pave the way to success, dreams fulfilled, and a future that is most prosperous and equitable."
"I am a former Head Start parent. For those of you who don't know, Head Start began in 1965, as an eight-week demonstration project for a group of preschool children in the summer before their kindergarten. Certainly, much has changed in the past five and a half decades,” said Michelle Wolstenholme, Chief Executive Officer and Head Start Director of CHILD, Inc. in Warwick. “Today, Head Start serves more than one million children annually, from pre-birth to age five, before they go off to kindergarten. Head Start programs, over 3000 in this country, have close to one-quarter of a million teachers and staff in their employment. Head Start programs provide free, high-quality early education and care programs along with comprehensive health and family support services to the parents and children for whom we provide services.
"Today, Head Start programs are experiencing a workforce shortage crisis. Every Head Start program in the country, including Child Inc., has a workforce shortage. We are unable to provide the high-quality early learning programs and support that the federal government pays us to provide. If there are additional cuts, we will be devastated. The Head Start programs may not be able to survive and certainly the most vulnerable and the youngest children in this country are going to lose out.
"Head Start Works. The research, for decades, demonstrates that Head Start works. Children birth to five obtain wonderful school readiness outcomes before they leave us to go to kindergarten. Graduating children, from Head Start, succeed in kindergarten. They succeed in their future educational attainment, in life, and in the workforce as adults. Head Start needs continued funding. We do not need cuts. We need increased funding to fund our workforce. Without it, our ability, from pay parity to our pre-K to 12 cohorts in the public school systems, will be unable to survive.
"We need to be able to provide pay parity so that we can hire and retain the same highly qualified, skilled, and dedicated professionals to work in the Head Start programs. Just as in the pre-K to 12 public school system, we implore the rest of the legislative body to support Head Start programs and not provide cuts to the Head Start program in January."
"Rhode Island KIDS COUNT and the Rhode Island Head Start Association work closely together, with several other organizations to lead the RIght from the Start campaign,” said Paige Clausius-Parks, Executive Director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT. “RIght from the Start, as many of you know, is a state and legislative budget campaign that advocates for policy changes that will help to ensure that all children and their families get off to the right start regardless of their race, ethnicity, immigration status, family structure, family income, or zip code. Members of the RIght from the Start Steering Committee include Beautiful Beginnings, the Economic Progress Institute, the Latino Policy Institute, Parents Leading for Educational Equity, Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children, Rhode Island Association for Infant Mental Health, Rhode Island Head Start Association, and of course, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT.
"For generations, children, families, and educators in Rhode Island have relied on federal funding for Head Start and Early Head Start programs to provide high-quality early learning experiences for our most vulnerable children, from infancy through kindergarten entry. These programs also support families with wraparound services and reliable childcare that allow parents to work. It is alarming that the United States House of Representatives Appropriations Committee is proposing to drastically cut funding for Head Start and Early Head Start, which would lengthen the waiting list and exacerbate the early educator staffing crisis, which we have heard about time and time again. We cannot exacerbate these challenges. We need to make things better, not worse.
"Some [Republican House] members are also proposing to eliminate all federal funding for the Preschool Development Grant, which Rhode Island is currently using to help increase teacher compensation to address the early educator staffing crisis... Head Start and Early Head Start are part of our state and nation's early education infrastructure and Congress needs to fully fund these proven programs along with the Childcare Development Block grant and the preschool development grants, birth through five state grants."
In addition to cutting federal funding for Title I and Head Start, the House Republican 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill will:
Eliminate services for English learners. The House Republican bill eliminates federal support for vital academic services for 16,100 English learners in Rhode Island through the elimination of English Language Acquisition (Title III).
Eliminate Federal Work Study. The bill eliminates Federal Work Study for the 6,700 students who need it in Rhode Island to help finance a postsecondary education, limiting their potential earnings and future success in the job market.
Eliminate need-based financial aid. The House Republican bill takes away need-based financial aid for 10,800 students in Rhode Island through the elimination of Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG).
Eliminate youth employment opportunities. The bill eliminates WIOA Youth Job Training, which would deny job training and employment services for 400 youth in Rhode Island who face barriers to finding a good paying job.
Eliminate adult employment opportunities. The bill eliminates WIOA Adult Job Training, which would deny job training and employment services for 1,000 adults in Rhode Island who face barriers to finding a good-paying job.
"We've talked a bit about the impact on Headstart and early childhood education from these proposed cuts, but K through 12 education would be unfortunately on the chopping block as well," said Representative Magaziner. "The cuts to Title One that have been proposed by the Republican leadership in the House could cost Rhode Island up to 800 teacher spots at a time when we're already facing severe shortages, [for example] 131 teaching vacancies in Providence and 17 in Cranston. That's what we're facing already, before factoring in the potential for 800 fewer slots."
“Since 1965, Title One funding has been instrumental in providing resources to school districts to help mitigate the impact of poverty on our children’s education,” said Frank Flynn, President of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals. “At a time when we desperately need to ramp up services for our students due to learning loss, House Republicans’ proposed cuts to Title One would force districts to reduce the teacher workforce, denying students access to the support, resources, and programs that are essential to their success.”
“As Rhode Island and our nation face educator shortages, we must support funding to recruit and retain teachers,” said Valerie Lawson, President of the National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI). “Slashing Title I funding will only harm the education and development of our children.”
You can watch the entire press conference here: