Why Trump’s plan to cut Head Start regulations could undermine services for the country’s poorest families

A teacher leads a clay activity with students at a dual language Head Start program at Hillcrest Elementary School in Monterey Park, Calif., in August 2026. Christina House/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

For over 60 years, the federal program Head Start has helped children from low-income families get ready for elementary school through early childhood education and related support services, like speech therapy and developmental screenings.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on Aug. 6, 2026, proposed changes that would cut the majority of the rules that guide Head Start programs and would also give states more authority over how the federal program is run.