Alton, IL (KMOX) - In the face of threats to federal funding, leaders in the Head Start program say their early interventions are a good taxpayer investment.
Head Start and Early Head Start programs are funded at $12.27 billion in FY2024, which is an increase of $275 million over the previous fiscal year. This funding covers both programs together, and many are concerned it could face cuts from DOGE.
So, what is it? The 60-year-old Head Start program and its newer offshoot, Early Head Start, provide preschool and child care for roughly 800,000 children in low-income families. As MSNBC reported, the goal is to boost kids’ health and school readines, increase their earnings in adulthood and their chances to attend college and reduce their likelihood of crime.
"Our kids are more likely to complete high school, more likely to enroll in college, less likely to be arrested, less likely to enter foster care, less likely to experience poor health or chronic health conditions," says Gene Howell, President & CEO of Riverbend Head Start in St. Louis. Howell tells KMOX those conclusions come from researchers who followed Head Start participants from their youth to the age of 40.
Reports in recent weeks indicate the pre-school program will be cut under the latest Trump Administration budget proposals.
Howell tells KMOX's Total Information AM (5-9 am on 104.1 FM) that Head Start provides key support to economically disadvantaged families, including health, dental, vision, and nutritional screenings. "We provide services to bring this child up to speed, so that when they get to Kindergarten they are essentially on a level ground with their more fortunate peers." The agency is hoping to rally support from the public to save the program at https://nhsa.org/take-action/
The Trump Administration has vowed to streamline the government and save taxpayer dollars. Budget officials have said no final decisions have been made.
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