Government shutdown imperils dozens of Head Start preschool programs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Head Start programs that serve more than 58,000 of the nation’s neediest preschoolers are facing a cutoff of federal funding at the end of the month because of the government shutdown, leaving many scrambling to figure out how to keep their doors open.

The early education initiative is funded almost entirely by the federal government, making it particularly vulnerable to funding disruptions. The programs — which are run by schools, local governments and nonprofits — receive new grants annually and are not allowed to carry over unspent money.

With new grants on hold, a half dozen Head Start programs already missed federal disbursements they were expecting on Oct. 1 and are staying open with fast-dwindling reserves or help from local governments. Another 134 programs will not receive federal money that is due Nov. 1 if the government does not reopen, according to the National Head Start Association. All told, centers serving more than 65,000 children could be affected.

In Tallahassee, Florida, a Head Start program run by Capital Area Community Action Agency, Inc. has been running on “fumes” since it stopped receiving federal money at the start of the month, interim CEO Nina Singleton Self said. It is drawing down reserves, getting an advance on a city grant and taking out a line of credit, but those funds will run dry this week.

To stay open beyond that, Self is asking how many staff members would work without pay. She’s also steeling them for financial uncertainty, advising them on how to take loans out from their retirement accounts or apply to programs that would help them pay utility bills. She’s also asked other nonprofits and philanthropies for help.

“We’re reaching out for everything that we can,” Self said.

Preschool centers count the days they could stay open

Another organization in north Florida that operates eight rural Head Start centers for 365 kids was cut off Oct. 1 and has enough funding to keep its doors open until the end of November.

“After that … I don’t really know what to tell you,” said Michele Ward, executive director of Suwanee Valley Community Coordinated Child Care.

Rekah Strong, who leads a Vancouver, Washington-based organization that operates Head Start centers, said some likely will have to shut down around Nov. 1, when the organization would normally receive its federal grant. She doesn’t see other funding options.

Closing a center even briefly has ripple effects, Head Start leaders warn. The early education program provides two meals a day to students, along with medical screenings and dental care. Many of the children who attend Head Start have parents working in hourly jobs who risk losing work if they do not have child care.

“Every day this shutdown continues, programs are forced to make impossible choices just to keep their doors open. Children cannot wait,” said Yasmina Vinci, executive director of the National Head Start Association.

Low-income families that rely on Head Start are facing the prospect of losing other assistance as well. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children — better known as WIC — nearly ran out of money because of the shutdown before the Trump administration provided $300 million to keep it running temporarily. The president’s “Big Beautiful Bill” also imposes cuts on Medicaid and food stamps.

Head Start faces a string of challenges

Launched six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, Head Start has a history of bipartisan support but has faced calls this year for its funding to be cut back.

A budget document showed the White House weighed shutting down Head Start altogether, a prospect that led to an outcry from both sides of the aisle before the administration backed away from the proposal. Project 2025, a detailed set of policy recommendations authored by the conservative Heritage Foundation, recommended eliminating Head Start.

In January, Head Start operators struggled to access their federal money because of problems with the government’s online portal. Some had to shut down temporarily.

The shutdown began when Congress failed to pass a bill to fund the government. In a standoff with the Trump administration, Democrats are insisting on the extension of tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans and the restoration of cuts made to Medicaid. Without the tax credits, more than 20 million Americans on Affordable Care Act plans would see their health care costs rise.

Joel Ryan, executive director of the Washington Head Start Association, said he is eager for Congress to end the shutdown. But he said he also knows that many Head Start families and staff members rely on Medicaid and on the Affordable Care Act plans.

“I’m glad that the Democrats are fighting to restore health care access,” Ryan said. “I’m also really cognizant of the ramifications of the government shutdown.”

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