The Trump administration announced plans to significantly reform the Head Start program, aiming to remove many of the regulations that define this federal early education program for the nation’s poorest children. Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the program, stated that the proposed changes would encourage more local decision-making. Early childhood policy experts argue that deregulation might weaken Head Start’s status as a leading model in early education.
The Associated Press previously reported on the reform proposal, which went public on Thursday with an online release. The public will have 60 days to provide feedback before the proposal takes effect, though it may face legal challenges that could delay its implementation. Head Start centers serve around 700,000 of the nation’s most vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care, or have disabilities. This service scope would remain unchanged by the reform.
Alex J. Adams, the deputy secretary of Health and Human Services, noted that the department aims to give Head Start centers the flexibility to alter their operations. This includes removing most program regulations, such as low staff-to-child ratios or requirements to offer services to preschoolers’ families.
Federal mandates can certainly impede local decision-making, increase costs, and limit program scope.
said Adams during a call with journalists. He highlighted a decade-long decline in program enrollment.
By getting this proposed rule right, we’ll increase enrollment numbers for Head Start.
During a call introducing the proposed changes, Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy expressed esteem for Head Start, which was initiated by his uncle, Sargent Shriver, during Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration.
It’s a program that serves the most vulnerable among the poorest children in our society, and it’s crucial to protect it.
Kennedy stated. However, the changes would affect many aspects that set Head Start apart from other early education programs, according to public policy experts.
This version of Head Start is a shell of the program,
said Khari Garvin, who oversaw the program during President Joe Biden’s administration. He criticized the proposal as a significantly diluted version that, in his view, would weaken outcomes for children and communities.
What Distinguishes Head Start
Established in the 1960s as a part of Johnson’s ‘War on Poverty,’ Head Start currently operates under more than 100 pages of regulations. These rules require, among other things, that centers have low staff-to-child ratios and use research-backed curricula. They also ensure that centers provide comprehensive services crucial for impoverished children, including medical and dental exams and parental guidance. The proposal would eliminate nearly all these regulations. Instead, the 1,600 Head Start operators — including nonprofits and school districts — would follow state and local child care licensing requirements for many program aspects.
While the proposed rules largely loosen requirements, Adams emphasized that centers could choose to continue operating as they had before. He estimated that the new rules could save over two billion dollars and allow Head Start to reach more children.
The proposal introduces some new requirements. Staff would need to conduct all instruction in English, except in tribal communities running native language immersion programs. The cap on administrative expenses would drop from 15% to 5%. The proposal also includes new nutrition standards and mandates 30 minutes of physical activity — preferably outdoors if weather permits — for every three and a half hours of program time.
State Standards Are More Permissive
Experts emphasize that, in general, state licensing requirements for child care are much less strict than current Head Start regulations. State standards mainly focus on ensuring that children are healthy and safe. Generally, they do not require centers to offer services like medical or dental exams, do not specify parent involvement methods, or address what should be taught in child care settings.
Shantel Meek, director of the Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University, co-authored an analysis comparing state licensing requirements with Head Start standards, revealing significant differences.
While licensing is, say, the bare minimum to keep children safe, Head Start includes ensuring that children are safe, as well as making sure they develop, grow, and learn well,
Meek explained. It’s a totally different purpose.
Importantly, states allow adults to care for many more children than Head Start standards permit. In Mississippi, for instance, a Head Start teacher may only teach up to four two-year-old children. State child care regulations allow up to a dozen two-year-olds to be under one adult’s supervision.
Operating in all 50 states, Head Start has long enjoyed support from both Democrats and Republicans. However, it has faced repeated threats under Trump’s administration. His budget chief, Russell Vought, previously called for its elimination. Shortly after the Republican president resumed office in early 2025, some Head Start programs had to briefly close due to issues accessing federal funds. Later, a budget draft cut Head Start funding, a decision reversed after widespread backlash.
In a call with journalists, Kennedy stated his belief in Head Start’s effectiveness. He cited research indicating that its graduates have fewer law enforcement encounters, do better in school, and have better jobs than their peers. He added that he tried to protect the program from many of the cuts affecting the rest of his agency. Nevertheless, the Trump administration managed last year to lay off much of the program’s support staff and close half of its regional offices.
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