Tester Kicks Off the New Year with Big Win for Missoula Kids

Senator announces nearly $1.5 million for Missoula Area Head Start

As part of his continued effort to help Montana kids succeed, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced a $1,489,270 grant for Child Start, Inc., a Missoula-area Head Start program. This funding comes on the heels of Tester’s successful push to secure more than $10 billion in funding for Head Start programs across the country last month, an increase of more than $550 million over the previous year.

“In order to be successful, our kids need access to a quality education,” said Tester. “Head Start helps our youngest students build a strong foundation for learning, and this grant will provide Missoula kids with the resources they need to arrive at school prepared and ready to learn and thrive.”

Funding for this grant comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Head Start provides educational enrichment to low-income children between three and five years-old.

As a former elementary school teacher and school board member, Tester has been a longtime champion for Head Start programs in Montana. As a senior member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, he secured $10.6 billion in funding for Head Start programs nationwide in last month’s budget negotiations. He also recently secured more than $1 million for the Havre Head Start program.