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Parents and directors tell lawmakers Head Start shows measurable kindergarten readiness gains and generational impact
Summary
Committee members heard program assessment data and multiple parent testimonials May 8 showing improvements in social-emotional skills, language, family stability and long-term outcomes; parents described Head Start as a turning point in education, recovery and employment pathways.
At the May 8 informational hearing of the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services, Head Start program leaders presented assessment data and parents described how the program changed family trajectories.
"Our data shows it and Head Start delivers it," Robert Kling, director of Eastern Oregon University Head Start, told the committee, summarizing DRDP assessment results for 4‑year‑olds that showed gains in self-regulation, social–emotional skills, language and early math. (Robert Kling, Director, Eastern Oregon University Head Start.)
Kling said the program measures family outcomes in 41 areas; this year, families showed positive growth in 78 percent of outcome areas, including parenting confidence and use of community resources. He also described urgent needs work: his program supported 139 families through 203 urgent needs in a year, resolving 183 of those cases by direct support or referral.
Multiple parent testimonials illustrated the data. Sue Ellen Whitlock described leaving poverty and earning college degrees after participating in Head Start as a parent and later as a staff member. "This program turned hardship into hope and hope into leadership," she said. (Sue Ellen Whitlock, Senior Director, Umatilla Moro Head Start; former Head Start parent.)
Ashley Randall said Head Start supported her recovery, her children's therapies and her education; she credited the program with leadership opportunities that helped her win scholarships and continue toward a master's degree. Randall cited academic research in testimony, saying Nobel laureate economist James Heckman’s work shows a $7–$13 return for every dollar invested in early childhood programs; she also said a separate figure indicated a lifetime net savings of $4–$8 million per child, phrasing those as research-based claims. (Ashley Randall, Oregon Head Start parent representative, Kidco Head Start.)
Parents and directors described practical services such as speech therapy, assistive communication devices on loan, home visiting and family advocates who connect families to housing, food and health services. Several witnesses noted Head Start’s role in rural communities where alternatives to nearby sites are not feasible.
How the committee used the testimony: The hearing was informational; members heard data and personal testimony intended to inform later oversight and budget conversations. Witnesses asked lawmakers to consider continued funding and partnerships that sustain the program’s comprehensive services.
Closing note: Parents and directors asked legislators to "think of these kids' faces" when making budget decisions and to preserve the services that, they said, produce measurable education and family outcomes.
