The Trump administration has followed through on its promise to gut the Head Start program. Since , it has slashed 60 percent of the Office of Head Start staff, closed half of the regional offices where staff with local knowledge worked, delayed funding necessary for payroll and rent, and undermined the program’s mission through its ban on anything it views as promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or accessibility, or “DEIA.”
Launched in 1965, Head Start was an outgrowth of the Civil Rights Movement and its promise of racial and economic justice, particularly for Black women and children in the United States. For 60 years, Head Start has transformed the lives of more than 40 million families by preparing children for school, supporting parents -- particularly mothers -- with access to childcare, and strengthening health, education, and economic outcomes for children under five.
The Trump administration's efforts to shutter Head Start have forcibly closed some programs temporarily and have made it virtually impossible for programs to meet the needs of the children and families that rely on them. The result is chaos, confusion, and uncertainty for working families seeking childcare. This is but one of the administration’s latest attacks on children, women, and especially Black women and other women of color. Like the attacks on other safety net programs, like food stamps and Medicaid, attacks on Head Start seek to deprive women of the means to be financially independent. Without Head Start, many women would not be able to work or go to school.
The ACLU Women’s Rights Project, the ACLU of Washington, the ACLU of Illinois, the Impact Fund, filed a lawsuit on behalf of Parent Voices Oakland and Family Forward Oregon, and the Head Start Association of Washington state, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The lawsuit asks the court to order the administration to stop the gutting of Head Start and to block the enforcement of its unconstitutional ban on programs that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Parents on the frontlines of the fight to protect Head Start have shared how they have already been affected by office closures, staff layoffs, and other attempts to undermine Head Start programming.
Desiree Guerra
Credit: Desiree Guerra
My two-year-old son is enrolled in an Early Head Start program, and my three-year-old daughter is planning to begin Head Start this September. Without Head Start, I would not be able to afford the rising cost of childcare in Oregon.
I have seen firsthand how Head Start has changed my children’s lives. Since joining Head Start, my son has improved his speech and motor skills, become more confident, and developed greater empathy for others. My daughter became more outgoing and confident through her experience with Head Start and had the opportunity to develop socially with other children her own age. Both children are proudly Black, Chilean, and white, and benefit from Head Start’s diverse environment, where they are able to learn about and are taught to celebrate their heritage and identity.
Head Start provides my son with healthy foods that he does not have access to at home due to cost. It also empowers me to be a better mother. I enrolled in Head Start’s parenting classes, which taught me to better understand the needs of my children and helped me to reparent myself. Today, because of Head Start, I can attend college as a full-time student, where I am studying social work. My ultimate goal is to obtain a master’s degree and to open a shelter for domestic violence survivors and their children. As a survivor, I want to help other families like mine and be part of the change I believe in. I can’t stay in college and achieve my dreams without the support the Head Start program provides. In fighting for Head Start, my family is not asking for handouts—we’re asking for a fair shot. It gives kids a chance to succeed and parents the support they need to keep going. These attacks on Head Start send the message that our children’s futures don’t matter, but they do. I won’t stop speaking up until they’re heard.
Osbornique Williams
Credit: Osbornique Williams
The Head Start teachers have been incredibly helpful in supporting my son learn how to better communicate. They take the time to make him feel heard and understood. With three kids, our household is very busy. Head Start provides a space for my son that is just for him—a setting where he gets to learn, interact, and play with other kids his own age.
My son is Black and multi-racial. His identity is celebrated in Head Start, where the students and staff also share his diverse background. I’m very fearful of my son losing this.
Because we cannot afford to pay for pre-school, without Head Start, my three-year-old son would lose access to Education. Since he is behind his peers in speech and language, losing the support of Head Start could undo the progress he has made and set him back even more.
Access to Head Start means that I am able to go to my doctor’s appointments, go grocery shopping, prepare meals, and otherwise take care of my family. Because of Head Start, I am able to be more focused and present with my other children, including going to my eight-year-old son’s sports practices and games to support and spend time with him. It takes a village to raise children, and Head Start is a part of that village.
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