Federal Policy

Protect Head Start

White House budget proposal may end funding for a historic program with a proven record of success for young children and families

On April 16, a memo from the federal Office of Management and Budget was leaked to the media, indicating that the administration’s 2026 budget proposal may entirely eliminate funding to Head Start, ending a program that has enjoyed broad bipartisan support for the past 60 years. Head Start provides early care and education and family support services for nearly 800,000 of our nation’s youngest children facing poverty and other serious challenges to their early development.

What the end of Head Start would mean for Nebraska

Head Start programs serve 67 of Nebraska’s 93 counties, benefitting families in major metropolitan centers as well as rural communities throughout the state. Current federal funding supports our state’s capacity to serve 5,653 eligible children. Terminating funding for Head Start would have severe, cascading effects not only for the children and families served by these programs, but for all Nebraskans.

Head Start makes it possible for parents to work by offering reliable early care and education programs, especially in communities with few other options. Removing this support would force many parents out of the jobs that enable them to provide for their children, pushing families further into financial instability.

Eliminating Head Start’s child care services will do more than force parents to leave the workforce. Smaller household incomes will hurt local economies as families cut back on their spending. It also shrinks the labor pool for Nebraska employers who desperately need to fill open jobs, resulting in a less attractive business environment for our state overall.

Every Head Start dollar stays in the community, supporting jobs, purchasing supplies and helping to keep local economies strong. Even better, every Head Start dollar returns $7 – $10 in long-term benefits through better outcomes in education, employment and other areas. Eliminating a program with such a high rate of return is a poor economic decision for our nation and our state.

Stay Informed

TAKE ACTION

There is still time to speak up on behalf of Head Start before the administration formally submits its budget to Congress. Here’s what you can do:

Call or write to Nebraska’s federal delegates today to tell them that you support continued funding for Head Start and the services it provides for Nebraska’s children, families and communities.