Good news from Congress: reauthorization of Higher Ed Act

Congress is making small steps of progress. They have passed and will send to President Bush a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which had been operating under temporary extensions for the past 4 years. Reauthorization gives Congress a chance to make some major policy changes, and they did just that, and in the right direction. Among other things, there is now loan forgiveness for those who go into highly needed but low paid professions such as early childhood teachers and CPS caseworkers. Together with a reauthorization by Congress of Head Start several months ago that increases access and improves teacher training, this is good news for children. Ninety percent of a child's brain develops in the first three years of life, yet most of our investment in our children happens later.