Tell Congress to Protect Head Start Quality!

Head Start as we know it is at risk. The federal government is proposing to replace the existing 133-page Head Start Standards with just 12 pages of largely vague requirements--putting decades of carefully developed quality standards at risk. The current standards were developed over decades with input from families, Head Start programs, and experts and reflect research and best practices for delivering high-quality services to young children and families furthest from opportunity. Rather than strengthening this framework, the proposal would eliminate much of the detail that ensures programs know what high-quality services look like and how to deliver them consistently. It also adds new restrictions that could make it impossible for many programs to operate as they do today, including a 5% cap on administrative costs and a requirement that classroom instruction be conducted only in English. The result would be fewer services, lower quality, and less support for the children and families who need Head Start most.

Children need your voice now. Whether you are a Head Start staff member, parent, alum, or someone who believes every child deserves a strong start in life, your voice can help protect the quality of Head Start. Congress needs to hear from the people who know and value this program and understand what could be lost if decades of quality standards are weakened or eliminated. This is not simply a change to paperwork or reducing red tape--it would fundamentally change the services that children and families receive.

Take action now: Use the form below to send a letter directly to your Representative and Senators. Share your experience with Head Start and urge them to ask the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withdraw the current proposal and develop a replacement that preserves clear, consistent, evidence-based standards for effective, high-quality Head Start programs nationwide.