The Trump administration announced plans to overhaul Head Start, a federally funded preschool program for the nation’s most vulnerable children. The proposed changes aim to encourage more local decision-making and eliminate many of the program’s regulations.
Background
Head Start, which began in the 1960s as part of the War on Poverty, is currently governed by over 100 pages of regulations. These regulations require centers to have low staff-to-student ratios and a research-backed curriculum, among other things, and ensure centers provide wraparound services critical to children in poverty, including medical and dental screenings and parent coaching.
The proposal would toss out nearly all of these rules, allowing Head Start’s 1,600 operators to look to state and local childcare licensing requirements for guidance. While the proposed rules largely loosen requirements, officials emphasized that centers have the option to continue operating as they had in the past.
Reactions
Early childhood policy experts argue that the deregulation could undermine Head Start’s position as the gold standard in early education. Khari Garvin, who oversaw Head Start under Democratic President Joe Biden, said, ‘This version of Head Start is a shell of the program… This is a deeply diluted version of the program which in my view will cause child and community outcomes to wane.’
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy spoke reverently about Head Start, highlighting its importance for the nation’s most vulnerable children. He also cited research showing that Head Start graduates have fewer law enforcement encounters, do better in school, and have better jobs than their peers.
The proposal adds some new requirements, including a 5% cap on administrative expenses and a requirement for 30 minutes of physical activity for every three and a half hours of the program. Staffers would also have to deliver all instruction in English, except in tribal communities that run immersion programs in native languages.
Original reporting: Voice of San Diego — read the source article.
