Education and child care experts are sounding alarms over a potential federal proposal to cut funding for Head Start, a program that could significantly impact Texas families. Advocates argue that such a move would undo decades of progress in early childhood education and worsen the state’s ongoing child care challenges.
On Monday, leaders from the National Head Start Association (NHSA) and the Texas Head Start Association (THSA) urged lawmakers to preserve funding for Head Start. The federally funded program aims to promote school readiness for young children from low-income families by providing education, health services, nutrition, and family support.
“Head Start is not just about early education; it addresses a comprehensive approach to fighting poverty,” said Henry Jones, managing partner of THSA, during a virtual press conference.
Founded in 1965 and overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Head Start serves children from birth to age 5. In Texas, more than 65,000 children benefit from Head Start and Early Head Start programs, according to the program’s 2023 fiscal year report.
In Harris County, the local Head Start program supports around 1,300 children at 16 locations in the Houston area. In addition to educational services, the program ensures children receive necessary immunizations and regular dental and physical exams.
The looming cuts to early childhood education funding come as Houston ISD, the state’s largest school district, recently decided to close its wraparound services department. This department provides students of all ages with free school supplies, food, and other essential services. These services will now be shifted to the district’s seven Sunrise Centers, with plans to open another center next school year.
In nearby Fort Bend County, more than 500 children participate in Head Start programs. Nonprofit organization BakerRipley has also announced plans to open two new centers in the Missouri City area.
During the press conference, Jones warned that cutting funding would leave thousands of children without access to early education and critical services. This concern was shared by Deborah Bergeron, deputy director of the NHSA.
“Head Start is a dynamic program that addresses every aspect of a child’s development,” Bergeron said. “It centers on families, amplifies parent voices, and empowers parents living in poverty.”
The Trump administration is expected to release a budget proposal soon that could eliminate several federal programs, including Head Start. According to reports by the New York Times, the proposal claims that the program uses a “radical” curriculum and favors families without legal status.
“I don’t quite understand it,” said Bergeron. “Some of the language in the proposed budget is confusing. It refers to Head Start as an education program, but that’s like calling the Marines a fitness program.”
Bergeron stressed that cutting Head Start funding would further harm child care access in a state already grappling with a child care crisis. Texas has lost nearly 75,000 child care providers since last year, according to data from the child advocacy nonprofit Children at Risk. The same organization found that nearly 600,000 Texas children under the age of 5 had working parents who earned less than 200% of the federal poverty line.
A 2023 study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Texas Association of Business, and Early Matters found that Texas loses over $9 billion in economic activity annually due to a lack of accessible child care.
Kim Kofron, director of early childhood education for Children at Risk, emphasized the broader benefits of Head Start. “Head Start not only boosts the economy, but it also reduces crime, improves health outcomes, strengthens families, and fuels our economy,” Kofron said.
“If we cut funding for Head Start, we aren’t trimming excess—we’re cutting into the very core of our future,” she added. “The return on investment in early childhood education is undeniable.”
