SAN JOSE, CA – The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) is calling on families, educators, community organizers, and elected leaders to join local advocacy efforts as the federal government considers changes to the Head Start Program. The proposed changes will create barriers for Santa Clara County children and families who utilize Head Start services.

Head Start is a federally funded early childhood program providing young children with education, health and nutrition, and support services. While SCCOE operates Head Start programs locally, it is required to follow federal Head Start policies and requirements. Regulations are set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Recently, HHS released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that is open for public comment through October 6. 

“Head Start has long opened doors to opportunity for children and families in our community,” said SCCBOE Vice President Jessica Speiser. “As these proposed changes are considered, it is critical that the meaningful voices of Santa Clara County families, educators, and community members are heard. We need your help in supporting policies that remove barriers, celebrate multilingualism, and ensure every child has access to this strong foundation they need to thrive.”

Support for Multilingual Learners: Among the proposed changes is the requirement for Head Start instruction to be exclusively in English. Approximately 60 percent of children enrolled in the local SCCOE Head Start programs come from homes where another language aside from English is spoken. Head Start Programs currently support both English development and children’s home language(s), recognizing that multilingualism is a strength that contributes to academic success, family engagement, and social-emotional development. We must continue this practice.  

Access for Families Experiencing Homelessness: Current Head Start regulations allow for the enrollment of children who are homeless without requiring income documentation, recognizing that families facing housing instability often do not have access to necessary records or documents. SCCOE Head Start programs enroll 50 children each year experiencing homelessness. Under proposed changes, income documentation would be required without exception, effectively precluding these families from participating in Head Start. Placing this burden on families already experiencing homelessness is unnecessary.    

Administrative Cost Cap: The proposal also reduces Head Start administrative expenses from the allowable 15 percent to 5 percent. Administrative costs include essential services such as payroll, human resources, information technology, office operations, and other functions necessary to operate the early learning program. The proposed cap could significantly affect program operations. Fewer than 4 percent of Head Start programs nationwide currently meet the proposed threshold and the SCCOE is among the other 96%. 

The SCCOE is working alongside partners, community members, educators, and advocates to ensure the needs of families and children are represented in the federal review process. But we need your help; review the proposal and participate in the public comment process by the October 6 deadline by visiting the Headstart.Gov ​Website - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking​. ​  

“We have a responsibility to advocate for our youngest learners to ensure they are prepared for kindergarten and long-term success. Changes should preserve and expand equitable access to high-quality services and opportunities,” said County Superintendent Dr. David M. Toston, Sr. “We support efforts to improve programs and increase flexibility where appropriate while ensuring every student in every community is ready to enter school as their first steps to building their future.”