Los Angeles City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Nithya Raman on Tuesday condemned the Trump administration’s proposal to require every Head Start program nationwide to conduct instruction solely in English. Raman warned the rule would move the federal preschool program away from multilingual instruction and would disproportionately affect communities in Los Angeles where many children speak a language other than English at home.

Local response

Raman posted on X that, as mayor, she would “fight back against Trump’s plan to gut a program that gives every LA child a strong start.” She pledged to use the mayor’s office to challenge the mandate and said she would work with the school district to consider a joint lawsuit to protect families’ rights.

Heritage Foundation rebuttal

Corey DeAngelis, a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, responded that the Head Start program should be phased out, noting a federal evaluation found it does not improve student outcomes in a lasting way and costs taxpayers heavily. He argued the English‑only requirement would better prepare children for English‑language classrooms, stating, “English is the language of American schools. If the program won’t teach it, American families with English‑speaking kids pay the price when those classrooms get dumbed down.”

Administration rationale

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the rule in August, saying it is intended to prepare children for school and aligns with President Trump’s executive order designating English as the official language of the United States. An HHS spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that a strong foundation in English is a critical part of Head Start’s mission.

Impact on Los Angeles

Federal officials estimate roughly one‑third of non‑Tribal Head Start classrooms could be affected by the language change. California receives nearly $1.5 billion annually for Head Start Preschool and Early Head Start, with 68,126 federally funded enrollment slots in the state. Nationally, more than 283,000 participants in the 2024‑25 program year come from households where a language other than English is primarily spoken or are learning another language alongside English.

Political commentary

Roxanne Hoge, chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Republican Party, also criticized Raman’s opposition, arguing the federal government has a legitimate interest in ensuring children receiving taxpayer‑funded Head Start services become proficient in English. “English is the way Americans communicate with each other, and the government has an interest in everyone becoming proficient in our country’s language,” she said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Raman, the White House and HHS for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.