Protect Head Start from RFK Jr!

Protect Head Start from RFK Jr.’s attacks

Since his time in office, US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy has repeatedly undermined the well-being of our nation’s children, families and moms–the very population his department is tasked with serving and supporting. Now he is attacking the Head Start program, proposing to eliminate most of the program's standards and roll back regulatory rules in a move that will further exacerbate our nation’s worsening child care crisis while spelling disaster for the hundreds and thousands of children and families who rely on Head Start for care and so much more.

These changes will harmfully:

Reduce access to quality early learning, health, family engagement and leadership, and comprehensive support services to children and families
Worsen child care ratios by increasing classroom numbers.
Reduce qualification and credential standards for teachers.
Remove guidelines around supporting children with disabilities, who make up the required 10% Head Start enrollment for disabled populations.
Heavily impact rural communities, where Head Start is often the only reliable early learning and child care program available to families.

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TAKE ACTION: Congress must call on Health and Human Services (HHS) to protect Head Start!

Dear member of Congress:

Secretary RFK Jr. is proposing changes to Head Start that would eliminate most of the program's standards and roll back regulatory rules that protect hundreds and thousands of children who are reliant on this program for care. This move will further exacerbate our nation’s worsening child care crisis while spelling disaster for the hundreds and thousands of children and families.

Head Start has been the most important social and educational program for children, families, and communities that the United States has ever undertaken. Since its inception over 60 years ago, it has provided opportunity through childcare to over 40 million children and their families. This program operates in all 50 states, opening doors for parents to go to work, kids to thrive, and childcare workers to be able to stay in their profession. Already too many parents across the country cannot afford child care, with the annual price of center-based child care for an infant exceeding the cost of housing as well as the cost of in‑state tuition at a public four‑year university. Head Start enables parents to work or go to school, underscoring the importance not only for kids, but also for the financial sustainability of families.

The success and demonstrated positive impacts of Head Start and programs has garnered strong bipartisan support for decades—support we rely on as we urge you to call on Health and Human Services (HHS) to reject these reckless proposed changes.

These changes will harmfully:

Reduce access to quality early learning, health, family engagement and leadership, and comprehensive support services to children and families.
Worsen child care ratios by increasing classroom numbers.
Reduce qualification and credential standards for teachers.
Remove guidelines around supporting children with disabilities, who make up the required 10% Head Start enrollment for disabled populations.
Heavily impact rural communities, where Head Start is often the only reliable early learning and child care program available to families.

The proposed rule changes would significantly weaken the Head Start program by reducing its ability to provide quality early learning, health services, family engagement services, and parent leadership opportunities that have supported families for decades. They will increase classroom sizes, reduce teacher standards, and gut requirements supporting children with disabilities.

Instead of irrevocably weakening important, effective, and well-loved programs like Head Start, we should find ways to lift families and our economy. We urge you to protect this vital program by immediately calling on HHS to rescind RFK Jr.’s proposed rollbacks and deregulations for Head Start.

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