Tell Congress to Stop the Attack on Head Start!
The federal government is proposing to eliminate most of Head Start's standards and roll back regulatory rules. If enacted, this move will further exacerbate our nation's worsening child care crisis while spelling disaster for the hundreds and thousands of children and families who rely on Head Start for care.
The importance of supporting the Head Start program and its teachers and families cannot be overstated. Head Start is the most important social and educational program for children, families, and communities the United States has ever undertaken, operating in all 50 states, and providing child care access and comprehensive services to nearly 40 million children over the past few decades. Head Start enables parents to work, provides high-quality early education and care to our littlest learners, and allows child care workers to stay and advance in their profession.
Programs like Head Start are more critical than ever. The child care system has been unaffordable and unattainable for families across the nation for decades. Yet instead of working to address this ongoing crisis, the current administration is proposing to undermine Head Start by pushing forward on harmful rule changes to the program.
These changes will harmfully:
- Reduce quality early learning, health, family engagement and leadership, and comprehensive support services to children and families.
- Worsen child care ratios by increasing classroom numbers.
- Reduce qualification and credential standards for teachers.
- Remove guidelines around supporting children with disabilities, who make up the required 10% Head Start enrollment for disabled populations.
- Heavily impact rural communities, where Head Start is often the only reliable early learning and child care program available to families.
We need your help now to defend Head Start from these attacks. If enacted, these changes would significantly weaken the very fabric of Head Start and disrupt family stability and economic security, physical and mental health checkups, and other vital services.
Tell Congress to immediately call on Health and Human Services to rescind these proposed rule changes and protect Head Start!
Here are some talking points you can use for your call:
The U.S. Department Secretary of Health and Human Services has issued a proposal that would eliminate most of the program's standards and roll back regulatory rules.
This move will intensify our nation's worsening child care crisis while spelling disaster for the hundreds and thousands of children and families who rely on Head Start for care.
Head Start is the most important social and educational program for children, families, and communities the United States has ever undertaken.
For over 60 years Head Start has provided high-quality child care access and comprehensive services to nearly 40 million children over the past few decades.
Today Head Start serves about 700,000 children under 6.
Head Start enables parents to work, provides high-quality early education and care to our littlest learners, and allows child care workers to stay and advance in their profession.
The child care system has been unaffordable and unattainable for families for decades undermining Head Start with these deregulations will further harm child care access and accessibility.
These changes will harmfully:
Reduce quality early learning, health, family engagement and leadership, and comprehensive support services to children and families.
Worsen child care ratios by increasing classroom numbers.
Reduce qualification and credential standards for teachers.
Remove guidelines around supporting children with disabilities.
Heavily impact rural communities, where Head Start is often the only reliable early learning and child care program available to families.
These changes significantly weaken the very fabric of Head Start and will disrupt family stability and economic security, physical and mental health checkups, and other vital services.