Funder Briefing: Head Start Proposed Regulation

On August 6, HHS posted for public inspection a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on “Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs“.

The changes outlined could remove key hallmarks of Head Start that have made it an anchor of support for families and a model for the early care and education field.    The rule is anticipated to reduce staff-child ratios, curriculum standards, health and developmental screening requirements and more.   In addition, it is expected to limit how programs serve multilingual children, families and communities.

This funder briefing will provide an overview of the proposed regulation, explain its potential impact on children, families, and Head Start programs, highlight key strategies for opposing harmful provisions, and identify concrete actions funders can take, including participation in advocacy and coalition efforts.

Speakers [Bios]

• Barbara Chow, Program Director, Education | Heising-Simons Foundation
• Ming-Qi Chu, Deputy Director, Women’s Rights Project | American Civil Liberties Union
• Rio Romero-Jurado, Policy Manager, National Policy, Start Early
• Katy Warren, Deputy Director | Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP

Strategy Session Moderator:

• Vivian Tseng, President and CEO, Foundation for Child Development

Co-Sponsored by:

Briefing resources:

ECFC members login to view Start Early’s briefing slide deck and related resource compilation, and speaker contacts.  Other briefing attendees can contact Rena Large for assistance with speaker connections.

Public Comment Tools:

• Federal Register Public Comments Submission Page
• National Association for Education of Young Children | Understanding the Head Start NPRM: What’s at Stake and How to Take Action explains the federal rulemaking process, the role of public comments, what makes effective public comments and how to participate.
• Start Early | A Simple Guide to Submitting a Public Comment & Protecting Head Start Webinar Series for Champions and Changemakers

Field Statements:

• BUILD Initiative | Head Start Under Threat, What the Field is Saying (Aug 14-16, 2026)
• EdTrust | Civil Rights and Disability Organizations’ Joint Statement in Opposition to Administration Efforts to Dismantle Head Start (August 6, 2026)
• Education Week | What This Rural Head Start Program Stands to Lose with Federal Changes
• National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) | An English Only Mandate for Head Start Will Only Harm Children
• National Head Start Association | Resources & Talking Points
• State Early | Start Early Opposes Proposed Changes to Head Start That Would Put Decades of Progress for Children and Families at Risk (August 6, 2026)
• Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP | News Release: Trump Administration Escalates Campaign to Dismantle Head Start (August 6, 2026);  News Release: Children Can’t Wait: National Survey Finds HHS Workforce Cuts Delaying Critical Head Start Services (August 11, 2026)
• SchoolHouse Connections | Proposed Head Start Rule Eliminates Critical Protections for Children Experiencing Homelessness breaks down what’s at stake.
• The Arc of the United States | Head Start Was Built to Include Children With Disabilities. Don’t Weaken It | The 74 article by Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States (August 14, 2026)
• The Children’s Equity Project | Lowering the Bar: An Analysis of How Replacing Head Start Standards with State Child Care Licensing Weakens Early Learning Across the United States (August 2026)
• The Hechinger Report | ‘It wouldn’t be Head Start anymore:’ Providers blast federal proposal to alter preschool program (August 8, 2026)