U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Fla., announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding $5.1 million to the Orange County Board of Commissioners to support Head Start centers within the county. Head Start provides comprehensive education, health, and counseling services to promote school readiness in children up to age five from low-income families. This grant is an addition to a $6.4 million Head Start grant for Orange County that Murphy announced in October 2017.
“As a mother of two young children, I know that the first few years of a child’s life are critical to his or her long-term success, so this federal investment in central Florida’s Head Start centers is welcome news for our children and our community,” said Murphy. “The evidence is clear that smart and targeted investments in early childhood development boosts opportunities for children, reduces crime, increases employment, and improves overall quality of life in the community. All children, regardless of their parents’ income level, should have the opportunity to achieve their personal and professional dreams.”
The Orange County government operates multiple Head Start centers in the Orlando metropolitan area. They are typically based in schools, community centers, or child care centers. At these sites, families can access a wide range of services, including early learning, health care services, and parent-child counseling.
Murphy has been working in Congress to ensure that all students in central Florida receive a high-quality education. She recently led a successful bipartisan initiative to support schools and school districts in the states that enroll displaced students from Puerto Rico and other disaster-stricken areas. Orange County has enrolled nearly 4,000 of these displaced students in the last six months, more than any other school district in the nation. Under Murphy’s initiative, central Florida schools will receive $8,500 per displaced student, $9,000 if the student is an English-language learner, and $10,000 if the student has disabilities. This funding can be used to pay and hire teachers, acquire additional classroom space, tutor and counsel students, and pay transportation costs.
