{"id":5872,"date":"2025-04-22T10:42:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T14:42:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/?p=5872"},"modified":"2025-04-22T10:42:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T14:42:31","slug":"supporting-head-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/supporting-head-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting Head Start"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Earlier this month, the\u00a0Washington Post reported<\/a>\u00a0that an internal budget document for the federal Department of Health and Human Services proposes eliminating funding for Head Start and Early Head Start. The document says, \u201cThe federal government should not be in the business of mandating curriculum, locations and performance standards for any form of education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporters of early childhood education should be deeply troubled by this proposal and by the closure earlier this month of five regional Administration for Children and Families (ACF) offices that provide operational support to local Head Start programs.\u00a0Head Start is an important part of New York\u2019s early childhood ecosystem, providing care, education, and support to community-based programs that serve thousands of children and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Head Start supports<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The federal government established Head Start in 1965 to provide comprehensive early learning and development support at no cost to children and families whose household incomes are at or below the\u00a0federal poverty level<\/a>\u00a0($32,150 for a family of four) or who receive public assistance. Head Start also offers services to children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, children with disabilities, Native and American Indian children, and children of migrant and seasonal workers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to early learning programs, Head Start also provides meals, medical and dental screenings, and health support for families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Head Start works<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nationally, Head Start operates on a \u201cfederal-to-local<\/a>\u201d funding model: In communities across the country, local school districts, nonprofit and for-profit groups, faith-based institutions, tribal councils, family and home-based settings, and other community organizations design and operate programs that are responsive to their community\u2019s unique needs while qualifying for federal funding through the federal Administration for Children and Families. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The national Office of Head Start<\/a> provides training and technical assistance to these local programs to support consistency and best practices in high-quality programming, and yearly reports to Congress provide transparency and accountability about Head Start standards.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head Start and the early learning workforce<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Head Start often serves as a model for strengthening the early childhood workforce across the country. In 2024, for example, regulatory changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards<\/a> required Head Start programs to raise their educators\u2019 salary to parity with local public school prekindergarten teachers, which the Office of Head Start estimated would\u00a0increase most teachers\u2019 annual salary<\/a>\u00a0by about $10,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head Start in New York State<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Head Start, which has served nearly\u00a040 million children<\/a>\u00a0nationwide over the past 60 years, currently supports\u00a048,000 children in New York State<\/a>\u00a0and 750,000 across the country. (See\u00a0this map<\/a>\u00a0from the Center for American Progress to find out how many Head Start slots are available in your Congressional district.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head Start is especially critical in \u201cchild care deserts,\u201d or areas that lack sufficient child care services to meet demand. According to a February 2025 report from New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli<\/a>, 60% of New York\u2019s census tracts \u2014 particularly in rural areas \u2014 still qualify as child care deserts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New York State Head Start Association<\/a> works closely with our state\u2019s Council on Children and Families and Early Childhood Advisory Council and is a vital part of the early care and learning ecosystem in New York State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to stay informed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n