Search

Federal Issues: Head Start Proposed Changes and Department of Education

The Administration’s, "Restoring Flexibility to Support Head Start Program Access",  newly released proposed rule would eliminate important Head Start and Early Head Start requirements that are essential to get, and keep, babies on track. It would eliminate child-to-staff ratios that keep children safe as well as certain services for pregnant and postpartum moms, mental health services and many other comprehensive supports that make Head Start and Early Head Start one of the nation’s most effective programs.

  • NAEYC’s statement: Oppose proposed regulations to Head Start
  • Trump administration unveils major Head Start overhaul. Read more here

Lowering the Bar: An Analysis of How Replacing Head Start Standards with State Child Care Licensing Weakens Early Learning Across the United States | The Children's Equity Project

How you can submit public comment on the proposed Head Start changes
Members of the public have until Oct. 6 to submit comments on the proposed rule change. You can do so by:

Department of Education: from the Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Early Childhood and the undersigned disability, civil rights, and education organizations strongly oppose the Administration’s efforts to transfer the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the Department of Justice (DOJ) through Interagency Agreements (IAAs). These agreements undermine the core foundation of federal disability, education, and civil rights policy and implementation. Read the full statement here
 
Federal Congressional representatives are home in their districts -open to visits from their constituents. Reach out to them to invite them to visit your local Head Start Programs, Early Intervention Programs or email them your concerns- California Senators, Representatives, and Congressional District Maps - GovTrack.us
 
Resources:

Georgetown Center for Children and Families brief explains how Medicaid helps many educators access care, highlighting how protecting Medicaid can strengthen workforce recruitment and retention, which supports a more stable childcare system for children and families. 
 
The CA. Department of Education has released an update regarding Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Family Choice and the provision of Special Education Services for 4-year-old children. Read more HERE
 
The California Department of Education has issued a press release regarding Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Family Choice and the provision of Special Education Services for four-year-old children. This press release is designed to support local educational agencies (LEAs) by providing them with essential information that can be shared with families, ensuring that they understand the various UPK options available to them.

Fran Chasen and Annie Cox, IDA Policy Committee