Oregon leaders honor nearly 60 years of Head Start amid federal funding uncertainty

USA Today

17-05-2025

Oregon leaders honor nearly 60 years of Head Start amid federal funding uncertainty
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Gov. Tina Kotek delivered a video message ahead of the upcoming 60th anniversary of Head Start.
Head Start serves over 11,000 children and families across 32 Early Head Start centers in Oregon.
Leaders are calling for continued state support as federal funding uncertainties threaten the program's future.
Gov. Tina Kotek issued a proclamation on May 16 celebrating nearly 60 years of Head Start in Oregon, a program she said reflected a dedication to supporting children and families even as federal funding uncertainties have jeopardized it.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said May 14 the federal administration would preserve funding. Still, according to the National Head Start Association, nearly half of Head Start's regional offices were closed after layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined a coalition of states suing the Trump administration over its freeze on federal funding, which locked out Head Start programs from their payment management portals, according to the complaint. A judge temporarily blocked the freeze on March 6.
Parents and Head Start providers have filed a separate lawsuit challenging Trump's actions against Head Start. The plaintiffs include Family Forward Oregon.
"Taking this program away continues cycles of poverty and unfairly targets the children and families it was created to support," Candice Vickers, executive director of Family Forward Oregon, said in an April 28 press release.
If federal funding is eliminated, an estimated 5,700 families would lose services and close to 2,000 people would lose their jobs, Charleen Strauch, president of Oregon's Association of Head Start, told lawmakers at an informational meeting on May 8.
Head Start program serves thousands in Oregon
Project Head Start was launched in 1965 after President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a war on poverty during his State of the Union speech.
According to the Office of Head Start, the program was funded to serve more than 774,000 children and pregnant women in the U.S. from 2023 to 2024.
Strauch told lawmakers more than 11,000 children and families receive services at 32 Early Head Start centers in Oregon.
In Marion and Polk counties, 724 children receive services through Head Start.
"We're very grateful for the support of our government partners," said Jimmy Jones, executive director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency. "Project Head Start was based and rooted in this principle that we're going to make sure that an entire generation of children are not left behind."
Jones said it's been one of the most successful anti-poverty programs in American history.
He said he depended on Head Start as a parent in the '90s when he was "beyond broke." His daughter graduated from McNary High School and Oregon State University.
Oregon Head Start leaders thank Gov. Tina Kotek, state for support
Jones and other leaders gave a tour of the Silverton Road Head Start that serves 17 preschool children, urging continued financial support for the program from the state.
The Oregon Head Start Association has asked the Oregon Legislature for more than $387 million for the program to maintain current service levels.
"We are just so grateful for the consistent support our program and all Oregon Head Start programs have received for many, many years from Oregon," said Eva Pignotti, chief program officer of early learning and child care at MWVCAA. "It's a time when we're counting on you to be there for us, because the federal funding side, as you know, is fraught with concern and questions."
Representatives for Kotek and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas were also present.
Inside, 10 children from ages 3 to 5 showed off the houses they were building to shelter mealworms, part of their lessons around bugs and their life cycles. A ladybug enclosure and butterfly habitat were also inside the classroom.
Alicia Flores, a Head Start teacher, said she's worked for the program for eight years and takes pride in helping children develop before they enter kindergarten.
Speaking in Spanish, Flores said some of the students at the center could not communicate in English and would require her to translate. She said they often don't need her help by the end of the year.
"When we invest early, we don't just change outcomes, we change kids' and families' lives," said Johnna Timmes, education initiatives director for Kotek. "The program's comprehensive approach, blending education, health, nutrition, and family services, has been a model of how we support children and families, not just to survive, but to thrive."
Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at [e-mail] on X @DianneLugo or Bluesky @diannelugo.bsky.social.