SAN BERNARDINO, CA—Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar announced a $64,533,842 grant for San Bernardino County Head Start and Early Head Start programs. In San Bernardino County, Head Start currently serves nearly 4,000 kids and their families.

“For decades, Head Start has given children in the Inland Empire an opportunity to receive high-quality education at a young age, and they have shaped our future generations to be bright, engaged and compassionate,” said Rep. Aguilar. “Having access to their services has been a key component to supporting the hardworking parents in our region and has given parents the opportunity to pursue a career without the stress of finding childcare. I’m glad that they will continue to be an integral part of our community through this funding.”

“We are very pleased that San Bernardino County has been awarded an additional $4,512,840 for our Head Start and Early Head Start programs, supplementing our base award of $60,021,002 for a total award amount of $64,533,842,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe. “The supplemental funds will support a cost-of-living adjustment for our dedicated contract staff and to facilitate quality improvements to our programs. We are grateful for this support and committed to further enhancing the services that we provide to the community’s young learners and their families.”

Head Start currently provides services ranging from developmental and behavioral screenings to school readiness preparation for children under five. Early Head Start provides pre- and post-partum care for women, and developmental care for children up to age three.

Rep. Aguilar has been a consistent advocate for early-education programs and has supported additional federal funding for Head Start.