January 26, 2024

Congressman Castro Announces $6 Million for San Antonio Head Start Programs During Visit to Hutchins Elementary School

SAN ANTONIO — This week, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, announced that his office secured more than $6 million in federal grant funding for San Antonio Head Start early education programs.

The funding was announced during a visit on Thursday to South San Antonio Independent School District’s Hutchins Elementary School, which operates three Head Start classrooms. Photos and B-roll of the visit are available upon request.

Check Presentation to SSAISD

Congressman Castro presents a grant funding award to South San Antonio Independent School District leadership during Thursday's visit to Hutchins Elementary School

“Every year, San Antonio’s Head Start programs open the doors to a bright future for thousands of our youngest learners,” said Congressman Castro. “Over the last decade, San Antonio has become a national model for the transformative impact of high-quality early childhood education. The benefits of Head Start programs follow our kids throughout their entire lives – from higher graduation rates to higher earnings in adulthood. I was glad to work with South San Antonio ISD, Parent/Child Inc. of San Antonio, and Ascension DePaul Services to get this grant funding, and I’m excited to see our city’s Head Start programs grow as a result.”

“We appreciate everything that has been done for public schools, and we try to maximize our funds by using it directly for our students and staff. These funds also provide resources for parents outside of the classroom, like counseling and social services. It doesn’t just stay in the classroom, we’re trying to build a community as a whole,” said South San Antonio ISD Superintendent Henry Yzaguirre.

The funding that Congressman Castro secured includes:

  • $1,431,486 for South San Antonio ISD Head Start, which operates 16 Head Start classrooms (including dual-language classrooms) at sites including Hutchins Elementary School.
  • $4,620,711 for Parent/Child Inc. of San Antonio and Bexar County, which operates nearly two dozen Early Head Start/Head Start locations in Bexar County.
  • $715,713 for Ascension DePaul Services, which operates the DePaul-Wesley Children’s Center Head Start program on the South Side of San Antonio.