Shutdown 2025: Impact On Head Start Programs

UPDATE 11/10/25 – Day 41 of the Federal Shutdown

As the shutdown continues, Head Start programs in 40+ states did not receive their scheduled funding on November 1st. This put many in immediate jeopardy of closing their doors.

As of Monday, 11/10/25, Head Start sites in 17 states and Puerto Rico have had to close their doors. This leaves over 9,000 children and families without access to the care, early learning, nutrition, and stability Head Start provides. 

In addition to those which have closed, many Head Start programs are only able to remain open by making serious concessions. Some have been forced to eliminate transportation and services, while others have had to cut back on staff or shorten operating hours. Still others have had to take out loans or open private lines of credit, raising concerns about paying interest rates and taking on associated risks if their full funding is not issued quickly once the government reopens. 

We continue to urge Congress to protect Head Start by ending the shutdown. We also urge them to commit to swiftly reimbursing Head Start programs with their missed funding, ensuring they can quickly get back to the work of caring for children and supporting families.

Below you’ll find news clips from around the country tracking the impact the shutdown is having on Head Start services. We will continue to monitor the situation around the nation in the days ahead. 

UPDATE 10/29/25

Federal funding for Head Start programs is dispersed on a staggered grant cycle, meaning different programs receive their funding at different times throughout the year. (One Head Start program may operate multiple Head Start sites, each with a set number of “funded slots” available for eligible children.) During a shutdown, this funding is not dispersed, putting many Head Start programs in immediate jeopardy of closing their doors.

• When the federal shutdown began on October 1st, Head Start programs located in 3 states did not receive their operational funding.  These programs serve more than 6,000 young children.
• On November 1st, Head Start programs located in 40+ states and Puerto Rico did not receive their operational funding. These programs serve nearly 60,000 children.
• Taken together, this missed funding will impact Head Start programs which work with an estimated 65,000 young children in 40+ states across the nation. 

When Head Start programs are forced to close, children lose access to the care, early learning, nutrition, and stability Head Start provides. Below you’ll find a map and chart showing what this looks like at the state level, as well as stories from local, state, and national news sources as they cover the impact.

News Coverage

Map and Chart

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