Head Start Stood by Children and Families — Now Congress Must Stand by Head Start

November 13, 2025

Alexandria, Va. – With the federal government finally reopened after more than 40 days of gridlock, the National Head Start Association (NHSA) honors the extraordinary efforts of the Head Start community — local program leaders, teachers, family service staff, and parents — who refused to let politics interrupt a child’s learning, meals, or sense of belonging.

While federal offices went dark, Head Start centers across the country kept the lights on as long as possible. Directors cobbled together emergency funds, community partners stepped in with donations, and staff came to work not knowing when they’d next be paid. However, this has not been possible in every community, leaving nearly 10,000 students impacted by closed Head Start centers, resulting in thousands of parents without child care, and cutting access to healthy meals at an especially critical time.

“Head Start has always been about partnership — families, communities, and staff working hand in hand to lift up children and their futures,” said Yasmina Vinci, executive director of NHSA. “During this shutdown, that partnership became the backbone of hope. When the system failed them, the people of Head Start didn’t flinch. In virtually every community where Head Start was directly impacted, they held the line for America’s most vulnerable children. They carried this program through a political storm — and that courage deserves more than our gratitude — it deserves real investment.”

These past weeks have made it painfully clear that the strength of Head Start rests on the shoulders of a workforce that is chronically underpaid yet deeply devoted. Many staff worked without pay, dipped into savings, or took on second jobs — all while nurturing children, supporting families, and holding their communities together. NHSA is urging Congress and the administration to recognize this reality by providing increased and stable funding to help Head Start address rising costs nationwide as part of the regular Fiscal Year 2026 funding process on our doorstep.

“This shutdown exposed how deeply we rely on a workforce that is underpaid, overextended, and yet unwavering in its commitment to our nation’s most vulnerable children,” Vinci continued. “If we want to build a stronger, more resilient nation, we must start with the people who build that resilience every single day — our Head Start teachers, family advocates, and program leaders. They have done their part. Now it’s time for the nation to do ours.”

As services resume under renewed federal operations, NHSA calls this moment not a return to normal — but a chance to recommit to what works. For six decades, Head Start has proven that when children and families are supported, communities thrive. That promise was tested once again through the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Now it must be strengthened through action.