Tester Secures More Than $2.6 Million for Helena Head Start

Funding will help provide educational enrichment to low-income families in Lewis and Clark County

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that the Rocky Mountain Development Council, Inc. Head Start in Helena will receive $2,610,309 in grant funding to ensure that Helena-area kids can access quality educations.

“In today’s uncertain times, it’s more critical than ever that we are providing Montana kids with every opportunity to reach their highest potential the moment they get back in a classroom,” said Tester. “Public education is the backbone of our democracy, and investments like this one give the next generation of leaders the tools they need to succeed. This is a big win for Helena families, and a big win for Montana’s future.”

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide better access to critical resources for early education for low-income children between three years-old and kindergarten. Head Start also offers pathways toward successful nutrition, health, and childrearing, and provides information on pre- and postnatal health to families.

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a former teacher and school board member, Tester has been an unwavering advocate for education, particularly for low income families. In recent government funding negotiations, he secured more than $10 billion for Head Start Programs nationwide, an increase of more than $550 million over the previous year. This year, he secured nearly $1 million of Kootenai Valley Head Start in Libby and $1.5 million for the Missoula-area Head Start program.