The Inspire Development Centers in Sunnyside will close its Head Start and Early Head Start programs indefinitely due to a loss of federal funding. The closure will affect over 400 preschool children and result in the loss of 70 jobs.
The Sunnyside facility serves children from low-income families, offering educational services like Head Start, Early Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start. These programs provide early learning, child care, and family support services for children from birth to age 5.
Typically, the center would receive funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by mid-February. This agreement, which would take effect on May 1, has not been received this year. As a result, the administrators made the decision on Tuesday to close the programs.
Jorge Castillo, CEO of Inspire Development Centers, expressed his frustration over the delay. “In my 31 years of working for this organization, I’m not aware of any type of delay like this that has required the organization to suspend services,” Castillo said. “It’s disappointing. We hope that they can clarify this quickly and we can resume services as soon as possible.”
While the Head Start and Early Head Start programs will be closing, other programs at the center will continue. Inspire Development Centers will keep operating its Seasonal Head Start, which serves 1,900 children, and its state-funded Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), which supports 700 children.
Both Head Start and ECEAP programs serve 3- and 4-year-old children. However, ECEAP is state-funded, while Head Start relies on federal funding. These programs offer free early childhood education and care, along with family support services, child health coordination, and nutrition programs.
To qualify for Head Start, families must meet certain income criteria or face specific challenges, such as homelessness or having children with learning disabilities.
The closure of regional Head Start offices, including the Pacific Northwest Region 10 office in Seattle, has compounded the issue by creating a communication gap. Staff in the Sunnyside office have been unable to get clear answers about the program’s funding.
The situation comes as USA Today reported that the Republican administration is considering cutting the federal program entirely. Since its creation in 1965, Head Start has helped 40 million children. In Washington state alone, over 15,000 children are enrolled in the program.
Joel Ryan, executive director of the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP, criticized the potential cuts. “We ask Congress to deepen and expand their commitment to Head Start and the children and families who need it most,” Ryan said. “Eliminating this program would devastate communities and families across the country.”
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has also proposed cuts to the state’s ECEAP program, which serves children in communities like Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco. Nearly 900 children in the Tri-Cities area already lack access to early childhood services due to funding shortages.
Childcare access remains limited for many families in the Tri-Cities, with less than one-third of local families able to find care for children aged 3 to 5. State reports indicate that over 50,000 children statewide are eligible for free preschool, but only half of them are currently being served.
Castillo said that if the grant funding arrives, it will still be uncertain when the staff can be rehired and the children can be re-enrolled. The Seasonal Head Start program, which needs funding by July to continue, is also at risk of closure. The delay in funding has left many families uncertain about their access to crucial early education services.
