Congresswoman Kathy Castor is co-sponsoring an amendment today to the Republican-proposed 2012 budget that would turn back Republican cuts to schools, students and Head Start across America. The newly proposed Republican budget cuts elementary and secondary education (Title I) as well as Head Start and thousands of related jobs. Castor’s amendment is paid for by eliminating tax loopholes for major oil companies, corporate jets, and other special interest exclusions.

Castor is slated to speak today about her amendment during the U.S. House Budget Committee’s markup of the Republican-proposed 2012 spending plan. Castor sought a seat on the Budget Committee this year to focus on job creation and deficit reduction, and to fight for Tampa Bay area priorities, including education, research and Medicare.

The amendment would reverse the severe Republican cuts to elementary, secondary and Head Start students and jobs. Investing in education helps our economy.

“The Republican budget protects powerful special interests while targeting our students and teachers for drastic cuts,” Castor said. “Instead, we should be focusing on creating jobs and making sure our students have access to a quality and affordable education.”

Castor is working to protect Head Start. Head Start serves thousands of children throughout the Tampa Bay area.  Head Start also employs nearly 230,000 people nationwide and helps educate almost 1 million children. Cuts to Head Start would hurt hundreds of families in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and hundreds of teachers could lose their jobs. Thousands of children are on Head Start waiting lists in the Tampa Bay area.

The Republican plan would eliminate more than 218,000 children and families from Head Start nationwide, and approximately 55,000 teachers and staff members would lose their jobs.

Head Start studies have shown that children who had been enrolled in the early childhood initiative had picked up essential reading, writing and vocabulary skills that helped them succeed in the classroom. Head Start graduates are more likely to graduate from high school. Studies also have shown that for every $1 invested in Head Start, the United States sees a return on investment of $7-$9.

“Cuts to Head Start students and schools would be disastrous,” Castor said. “Getting our youngest students off on the right foot is more important than tax breaks to oil companies. For the good of our entire community, we need to keep our children in school and our Head Start teachers in the classroom.”

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