Funder Briefing: Head Start Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)

The Trump Administration plans to propose new regulations for the Head Start anticipated to be “the most sweeping overhaul in a generation” that could roll back health and safety regulations, eligibility for U.S. citizen children in immigrant and mixed status families, and quality standards and comprehensive services, among other changes. Rolling back core principles of Head Start will affect hundreds of thousands of children, including children specifically included in Head Start because of vulnerabilities like living with a disability or facing homelessness. This funder-only briefing will feature Katie Hamm and Yvette Sanchez-Fuentes from Start Early, both of whom have overseen the administration of the federal Head Start program. They will brief us on the anticipated regulation, ways the early childhood field is preparing to respond, and the best roles for funders.

Background:

As part of a “Child Care Reform Package” released on May 11, the Administration issued four separate policy actions: a Head Start Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Final Rule, a Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF) Information Memorandum, and a CCDF Dear Colleague Letter.  These documents serve different purposes, ranging from proposing and finalizing regulatory changes to providing guidance and policy recommendations.  First Five Years Fund’s State Of Play: Rules and Regulations  provides background and context for each of these policy actions.

Head Start Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) Related Resources:

• Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) “Restoring Flexibility to Improve Head Start Access”
• Investing in Head Start Teachers Is Investing in Children’s Future | Start Early blog on wages and benefits NPRM
• Deep Dive: Unpacking the Head Start Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Remove Compensation Requirements | EdCounsel
• Deep Dive: The Real Cost of Rolling Back Head Start Wage Requirements | National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER)
• Deep Dive & Guidance on Submitting Public Comments | National Head Start Association

Related Resource Shared in Chat:

• Head Start Spending Per Slot Varies Widely Across Grants, Driven in Part by Cost of Living and Local Program Design Factors | ASPE Office of Human Services Policy