Head Start's mission threatened by proposed federal rule changes

For more than 30 years, I have dedicated my career to supporting young children and families — beginning in direct service with Head Start and Early Head Start and later through public policy and advocacy. Over that time, I have had the opportunity to understand early-childhood policy from multiple vantage points: the families and providers it directly affects, and the state and federal systems that shape the services they rely on.

It is from that perspective, and with deep respect for the role Head Start has played in communities across the country for more than six decades, that I feel compelled to speak out about the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the program.

The administration has proposed rolling back vital Head Start quality and safety standards, taking another step toward the Project 2025 goal of eliminating the program. The proposed changes would reduce requirements related to mental-health services, supports for pregnant women and families following childbirth, and evidence-based standards that help keep children safe, healthy and engaged.

I respectfully oppose these proposed changes to Head Start. My opposition is not based on politics. It is based on experience and on the fundamental belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.

Head Start and Early Head Start hold a special place in my heart because they are where I began my career. Working in those programs was incredibly rewarding and shaped my understanding of the challenges families face and the life-changing difference that high-quality early-childhood services can make.

Head Start has never been just a preschool program. It is a comprehensive, two-generation approach that supports children’s learning while connecting families with health care, nutrition, mental health services, family engagement, and community resources. For many families, it provides the foundation they need to achieve greater stability and success.

The impact of Head Start is substantial here in Iowa. According to the National Head Start Association’s 2026 Iowa profile, Iowa’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs provided 6,534 funded seats through 206 centers and 499 classrooms in fiscal year 2025. These programs employed nearly 2,500 people and helped 5,370 parents remain employed, attend school or participate in job training.

Iowa’s Head Start programs also conducted more than 50,000 home visits, provided preventive dental care to more than 6,200 children and helped 854 children receive care for chronic health conditions. They served 629 families experiencing homelessness, 271 children in foster care and 156 pregnant women. These numbers demonstrate why Head Start cannot be reduced to preschool alone. It is an essential part of Iowa’s early childhood, health, family-support and workforce system.

As someone who has worked in direct service and in systems change, I have seen firsthand that investments in early childhood pay dividends for children, families, communities and our economy.

Recognizing that every community is different, Head Start has always relied on local programs to respond to the unique needs of local families. With 206 centers operating across Iowa, Head Start is especially important in rural communities, where families may have fewer options for early education, health care, mental health services, transportation and family support.

My concern is that these proposed rule changes would move the program’s focus toward administrative compliance and away from the mission that has guided the program for more than 60 years: providing comprehensive, high-quality early childhood education and family support to children and families facing the greatest barriers to opportunity. The greatest consequences would likely fall on rural communities and families with the fewest resources.

We should be strengthening Head Start’s ability to fulfill its mission, not dismantling the standards and comprehensive services that have made the program successful.

Senior policy advocate Sheila Hansen oversees Common Good Iowa's early-childhood policy work. She submitted these comments to the federal government on proposed Head Start rules released this month by the Administration for Children and Families. This PBS News Hour report outlines the proposed rule changes.