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Reuters
20-05-2025
- Health
- Reuters
US Head Start preschool programs hit by Trump cuts, funding delays
WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Head Start preschool programs for low-income U.S. children are scrambling to cope with funding cuts and delays, as they feel the squeeze of President Donald Trump's cost-cutting drive. Local administrators and advocates for the program that serves nearly 800,000 children and families say the closure of five U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offices that oversee the program in Chicago, Boston, New York, Seattle and San Francisco has led to delays in processing grant applications. Adding to the strain, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency released $943 million less in congressionally-approved funding for distribution through April 15 compared with the previous year, according to congressional Democrats' most recent estimates. The delays left hundreds of families searching for costly private care for children through the age of five, according to Head Start association executives in Wisconsin, Illinois and Washington state. Administrators have sought bank loans or other lines of credit to meet their payrolls, as grant approval deadlines loomed. Congress appropriated $12.27 billion to the program in the fiscal year ending September 30. That funds 17,711 Head Start centers across the U.S., according to Tommy Sheridan, deputy director of the National Head Start Association. "The administration continues to slow-walk grants," Jennie Mauer, executive director of the Wisconsin Head Start Association, said in a telephone interview. A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said in an email that the agency is following Trump's drive to cut spending and that the closure of regional offices in high-cost cities would not reduce services. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., added in a statement, "I will ensure that the next generation of families living in poverty have access to this vital program that offers what they need to thrive.' Head Start focuses on establishing an educational foundation for disadvantaged children and arming them with the social skills needed to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. It teaches early math and reading skills and provides dental, mental and nutritional health services to children and parents at the prenatal stage through birth. One childcare program in central Washington state closed for a few days in late April while awaiting funding, said Joel Ryan, executive director of the Washington State Association of Head Start and Early Childhood Education and Assistance Programs. A Seattle Head Start program was awaiting approval on a grant request for property improvements needed to comply with state licensing requirements, Ryan said, adding, "Nobody is getting back to them." Another Washington state pre-school program was unable to provide vision screenings while it awaited money for new equipment. Around 15% of all enrolled Head Start children have disabilities. At a Friday press conference, Democratic Representative Madeleine Dean said a program in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, submitted a grant application in January. "In five months they've received no updates. Nothing," Dean said, adding that the program runs out of money on May 31 and would result in 360 children losing access to Head Start education and care and 85 employees laid off. Asked about these problems, a HHS spokesperson blamed "outdated and inefficient systems set forth by the Biden administration." An outgrowth of 1960s civil strife, Head Start aimed to provide opportunity for disadvantaged Black families. The program, which celebrated its 60th anniversary on Sunday, has served 40 million racially diverse children and parents now at or below the $32,150 federal poverty line for a family of four living in the continental U.S. The program also is accessible to children who are homeless or in foster care. U.S. Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the senior Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said regional office closures hinder "investigating child health and safety incidents and providing training and technical assistance." Illinois Head Start Association Executive Director Lauri Morrison-Frichtl said the administration requirement that anything related to "diversity, equity and inclusion" be scrubbed from federal grant applications was proving particularly onerous. "DEI is core to our mission," she said in a phone interview, adding that federal regulations require hiring teachers who reflect classroom children. "If it's a majority of Latinos we need to have a Spanish-speaking teacher in that classroom." Parents with Head Start children fret over program funding going forward. Maria and Omar Castro of Chicago have one biological son and are guardians to two brothers, all of whom are aged between three and five and are enrolled in Head Start. An eight-year-old biological daughter attends public school. Maria, 33, said the two brothers experienced developmental delays, requiring speech and other Head Start assistance. "Obviously that was money we didn't have," Castro said. "I just needed support." The conservative Heritage Foundation urged the termination of Head Start in its "Project 2025" blueprint for a second Trump administration, saying the programs "have little or no long-term academic value for children." The National Head Start Association disputes that claim, noting that participants are 12% less likely to live in poverty as adults and 29% less likely to receive public assistance. Congress is weighing Head Start funding for the next fiscal year. A partial White House budget detailing major spending increases and reductions across the federal government made no mention of Head Start. Castro, whose children are enrolled in the program, said that cuts "would be a blow to the family." While the two older boys will be transitioning to kindergarten, the youngest who is continuing in Head Start "would have nowhere else to go."
USA Today
17-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Oregon leaders honor nearly 60 years of Head Start amid federal funding uncertainty
Oregon leaders honor nearly 60 years of Head Start amid federal funding uncertainty Show Caption Hide Caption The Oregon Pioneer, aka Gold Man, by the numbers Learn details about the statue on the top of the Oregon State Capitol, including height, weight and gold leaf skin. 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 dlugo@ on X @DianneLugo or Bluesky @
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Head Start Dodged Trump's Budget Cuts
This article was originally published in CalMatters. This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Chalk one up for the 4-year-olds. Thanks to a relentless onslaught of pleading, cajoling, lobbying and public pressure, Head Start appears to have dodged the federal budget axe — for the time being. Last month, President Donald Trump's early budget draft called for the elimination of Head Start, the free early-childhood program for low-income families. Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation's conservative policy roadmap, also called for the program's demise, saying it has 'little or no academic value.' Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter That triggered an all-hands-on-deck response from Head Start staff, families and alumni, who touted the program's success in propelling families out of poverty. The National Head Start Association said advocates sent more than 300,000 letters to Congress, added more than 50,000 signatures to petitions and attended rallies throughout the country. Meanwhile, Head Start advocates took to social media and national TV to plead their case and visited Republican members of Congress to convince them of the program's value. They reached out directly to the White House. In their free time, advocates said they lobbied everyone from neighbors to hairdressers to gardeners — anyone who had even a remote interest in the program. It appears to have worked: The latest draft of Trump's budget proposal, released last week, doesn't call for any changes to the $12.27 billion program. Still, advocates worry that new cuts may lie ahead. 'We mobilized absolutely everyone,' said Melanee Cottrill, executive director of Head Start in California. 'We launched a very intensive campaign. We still have a lot of concerns, but right now there's a sigh of relief.' Head Start, launched in 1965, served about 800,000 children last year, including 83,000 in California. Originally a preschool, the program now serves children from birth through age 5. Children get meals and a play-based academic curriculum that prepares them for kindergarten, while families get housing and job assistance, referrals to social and medical services, prenatal visits and parenting support. To qualify, families need to be below the federal poverty line, which is $26,650 for a family of three, be homeless or receive food assistance. Children in foster care also qualify. The program is relatively cost-efficient: The per-pupil annual cost is about $13,700, compared to the cost of private preschool, which in California can easily exceed $20,000 a year, depending on the location. Research is mixed on the program's effectiveness. One study found that Head Start alumni had significantly higher rates of high school and college graduation. But another study found that children who attended Head Start outperformed their peers at first, but by third grade the advantage had all but dissipated. Regardless, the program is immensely popular with families and programs typically have waiting lists. Oscar Gomez, vice chair of Episcopal Community Services' board of directors, a Head Start provider in San Diego, attended the program as a child growing up in Tulare County. While his mother worked in the nearby almond and orange orchards and took English classes, Gomez and his three siblings learned to share and take turns, count to 20 and write their names. Head Start imbued him with a love of school and allowed his mother to take classes that led to higher-paying jobs, he said. Gomez went on to get two master's degrees and his mother now conducts home visits for Head Start. 'I can honestly say that without Head Start I would not be where I am today, and there are millions and millions of people like me,' Gomez said. Episcopal Community Services runs 17 Head Start programs, serving 1,200 children from Chula Vista, San Ysidro, San Diego and other communities. Parents typically work in local restaurants or hotels, and 60% share their living quarters with other families. If they lost Head Start, families would either have to curtail their work hours or leave their children with neighbors or other family members, arrangements not likely to provide the same high-quality curriculum or services, said Rosa Cabrera-Jaime, the organization's director of early education and family services. 'Absolutely, some of our families would become homeless if they lost Head Start,' she said. Precious Jackson, a single mother of four, has relied on Head Start while she earns her bachelor's degree and works as a substitute school librarian in San Diego. She also credits Head Start for providing speech therapy to her son, when he wasn't talking as a toddler, and providing an extra academic boost to her daughter, whom she believes is intellectually gifted. 'Head Start has made a tremendous difference in my life,' Jackson said. 'I am not wasting one drop of this opportunity.' Without Head Start, she'd be working two or three jobs just to pay for child care, she said. Now, she can plan a higher-paying career. She hopes to graduate soon with a degree from University of Arizona's online campus and work as a school librarian. But she's rattled by potential cuts to Head Start, which could derail her own education. 'For me, Head Start is a necessity,' she said. 'I want to tell Congress, Head Start works. Let's keep it rolling.' Congress will release its budget in the next few weeks, and Head Start advocates are confident that it will reflect Trump's wish to save the program. But it's not guaranteed, and the final budget may still include steep cuts. In addition, they worry about cuts to other programs, such as Medicaid, that could cause Head Start families to lose health care and other services. Neither Trump nor Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who oversees Head Start, have addressed Head Start cuts directly, but Trump has said he wants to hand more education programs to the states and reduce federal spending. Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers have come out in favor of Head Start, including numerous members of the California Legislature who last week joined their Democratic colleagues to send a letter to Congress asking to protect the program. Cuts to HSS have already affected services, Cottrill said. Amid a 10,000-employee workforce reduction, the agency closed half of its regional centers, including one in San Francisco, leading to long delays in getting help and receiving payments. An HHS ban on public communications has prevented Head Start staff from getting clarity on funding. 'We've had programs within hours of closing their doors,' Cottrill said. 'It's been so hard to keep morale up and keep staff focused on their jobs, if they don't know whether they'll have a job tomorrow and families don't know if they'll have someplace to take their children.' Head Start staff also worry about the Trump administration's anti-diversity orders. The program requires a culturally sensitive approach in the classroom, which includes bilingual education and meals that children would recognize from home, among other things. Staff aren't sure how to comply with Trump's orders while also meeting program requirements. Tommy Sheridan, deputy director of the National Head Start Association, said the recent tumult has left staff and families nervous. 'Folks are scared. The fact that eliminating Head Start was even under consideration has been scary,' he said. 'We're confident that Congress will do the right thing, but even a 25% cut would be pretty austere.' This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.
03-05-2025
- Health
Head Start survives Trump administration budget proposal
WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration apparently has backed away from a proposal to eliminate funding for Head Start, the early education program that serves some of the nation's neediest preschoolers. Backers of the six-decade-old program, which educates more than half a million children from low-income and homeless families, had been fretting after a leaked Trump administration proposal suggested defunding it. Project 2025, the conservative blueprint drawn up by the Heritage Foundation and co-authored by President Donald Trump's current budget chief, also called for cutting Head Start. But the budget summary released Friday, which outlined programs set to receive drastic cuts or boosts, did not mention Head Start. On a call with reporters, an administration official said there would be 'no changes' to it. The official insisted on anonymity to preview the budget plan on a call with reporters. Still, teachers, families and advocates remain concerned about the stability of Head Start. The Trump administration is closing several regional offices and laying off the staff who support the program, which has led to funding delays that threatened to close individual preschools. A document accidentally emailed to grant recipients this week called for eliminating funding for research on Head Start and other child care programs. And before Trump took office, staffing shortages and rising costs had forced some programs to cut the number of students they served, or shutter altogether. Advocates say other cuts to education and social-safety-net programs would also hurt families served by Head Start. 'While Head Start is grateful that it was not explicitly eliminated in this skinny budget proposal, we are concerned about the significant cuts that threaten access to health services, education, and support for hundreds of thousands of families,' said Yasmina Vinci, executive director for the National Head Start Association, in a statement. ____
Winnipeg Free Press
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Head Start survives Trump administration budget proposal
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration apparently has backed away from a proposal to eliminate funding for Head Start, the early education program that serves some of the nation's neediest preschoolers. Backers of the six-decade-old program, which educates more than half a million children from low-income and homeless families, had been fretting after a leaked Trump administration proposal suggested defunding it. Project 2025, the conservative blueprint drawn up by the Heritage Foundation and co-authored by President Donald Trump's current budget chief, also called for cutting Head Start. But the budget summary released Friday, which outlined programs set to receive drastic cuts or boosts, did not mention Head Start. On a call with reporters, an administration official said there would be 'no changes' to it. The official insisted on anonymity to preview the budget plan on a call with reporters. Still, teachers, families and advocates remain concerned about the stability of Head Start. The Trump administration is closing several regional offices and laying off the staff who support the program, which has led to funding delays that threatened to close individual preschools. A document accidentally emailed to grant recipients this week called for eliminating funding for research on Head Start and other child care programs. And before Trump took office, staffing shortages and rising costs had forced some programs to cut the number of students they served, or shutter altogether. Advocates say other cuts to education and social-safety-net programs would also hurt families served by Head Start. 'While Head Start is grateful that it was not explicitly eliminated in this skinny budget proposal, we are concerned about the significant cuts that threaten access to health services, education, and support for hundreds of thousands of families,' said Yasmina Vinci, executive director for the National Head Start Association, in a statement. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. ____ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
