The administration of President Donald Trump announced plans to significantly reform the Head Start program by removing many regulations central to the early education initiative for the nation’s poorest children. Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for the federally funded preschool program, explained that the proposed changes aim to promote local decision-making.
Early childhood policy experts have voiced concerns that deregulation might weaken Head Start’s standing as a premier model in early education. The Associated Press reported the reform proposal, which became public on Thursday after publication online. The public has 60 days to provide feedback before implementation, though potential legal challenges might delay this.
Head Start centers serve approximately 700,000 of the nation’s most vulnerable children, including those facing homelessness, in foster care, or with disabilities. This service level would remain unchanged under the reform. However, Alex J. Adams, Deputy Secretary at Health and Human Services, mentioned the department’s hope to grant Head Start centers flexibility in their operation methods.
The changes would involve removing most program regulations, including standards for low staff-to-student ratios and requirements to provide services to preschoolers’ families. Adams remarked that federal mandates could hinder local decision-making, inflate costs, and restrict the program’s reach. He highlighted the decade-long decline in program enrollment and expressed hope for increased Head Start slots with the proposed rules.
“If we get this right with the proposed rule, we will increase Head Start slots,” said Adams during a press call.
During a call previewing the proposed changes, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy spoke highly of Head Start, begun by his uncle, Sargent Shriver, during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. Kennedy emphasized Head Start’s importance in supporting the most vulnerable children among the country’s poor society.
Nonetheless, experts believe the changes would undermine Head Start’s unique aspects. Khari Garvin, who oversaw the program during President Joe Biden’s administration, expressed concerns about the diluted version of the program weakening outcomes for children and communities.
Defining Head Start
Established in the 1960s as part of Johnson’s “War on Poverty,” Head Start operates under more than 100 pages of regulations. These rules necessitate low staff-to-student ratios, research-backed curriculums, and comprehensive services critical to children in poverty, including medical and dental exams and parental guidance. The proposal plans to eliminate nearly all of these regulations.
Instead, 1,600 Head Start operators, such as non-profit organizations and school districts, would follow state and local childcare licensing requirements. While the proposed rules significantly loosen requirements, Adams highlighted that centers could continue operations as before. He estimates these new regulations might yield over $2 billion in savings and expand Head Start’s reach to more children.
The proposal introduces some new mandates. Instruction must be conducted in English, except in tribal communities with native language immersion programs. Administrative expenses are capped at 5%, down from 15%. Additionally, new nutrition standards and a mandate for 30 minutes of physical activity, preferably outdoors if conditions allow, for every three and a half hours spent in the program, are included.
State licensing requirements for childcare invariably include more flexible regulations. According to experts, state standards typically focus on health and safety, lacking mandates for medical or dental exams, parental involvement, or specific teaching content.
Shantel Meek, leading the Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University, co-authored an analysis comparing state licensing requirements to Head Start standards, revealing stark differences. “While state licenses provide the bare minimum for children’s safety, Head Start ensures children are safe, developing, growing, and learning well,” Meek explained. “It serves an entirely different purpose.”
States generally permit a higher number of children under adult supervision than Head Start standards allow. For instance, a Head Start teacher in Mississippi can teach up to four 2-year-olds, whereas state childcare regulations permit a dozen.
Operating in all 50 states, Head Start has traditionally received bipartisan support but faced repeated threats under Trump’s administration, with previous budget director Russell Vought having proposed its removal. Shortly after the Republican president’s return to office in early 2025, some Head Start programs briefly closed due to difficulties accessing federal funds. Later, a draft budget initially cut Head Start funding but restored it following widespread backlash.
In a press call, Kennedy defended Head Start, citing studies showing graduates encounter law enforcement less, perform better academically, and secure better jobs than their peers. Kennedy stated efforts to preserve the program amid cuts affecting other agency sections.
Nonetheless, Trump’s administration recently succeeded in laying off much of the program’s support staff and closing half its regional offices.