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For more than 60 years, Head Start has helped children from families with low incomes enter school ready to learn while connecting families with health, nutrition, disability, and other essential supports.
Now, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is proposing sweeping changes to the federal standards that help ensure children and families receive high-quality services no matter where they live.
Their proposed rule would replace the existing Head Start Program Performance Standards with a significantly reduced set of federal requirements.
These changes will weaken the existing national standards that have made Head Start a model for comprehensive, high-quality early childhood education. We are deeply concerned about:
- Inconsistent staff-to-student ratios from state to state,
- Less family engagement and parent involvement,
- A patchwork of protections for students with disabilities,
- Fewer services and less program improvement, and
- Less qualified staff.
All children, no matter where they live, deserve a quality education with high standards.
Submit a public comment and tell the Administration to withdraw its proposal and to protect Head Start’s strong national standards for children, families, and educators.
Be sure to personalize your message for maximum effect—the more original your comment, the better.
Comments are due before October 6, 2026.