Shutdown 2025: Impact On Head Start Programs
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.
- If the shutdown persists, on November 1st, Head Start programs located in 40+ states and Puerto Rico will 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
- National: Associated Press Some Head Start preschools shutter as government shutdown continues
- National: Business Insider Nearly 65,000 kids could lose access to Head Start programs if the government shutdown continues
- National: Hechinger Report Child care crisis deepens as funding slashed for poor families
- National: PBS News Hour Government shutdown threatens critical funding for Head Start programs
- National: The 74 Opinion: Want to Protect American Children? End the Shutdown
- National: Hechinger Report ‘The clock is ticking’: Shutdown imperils food, child care for many
- National: NPR Shutdown puts thousands of schoolkids at risk of losing Head Start services
- National: NPR The federal government is still shut down. Here’s what that means across the country
- National: Washington Post Two of the government shutdown’s most dramatic effects are about to hit
- National: ABC News Head Start programs serving nearly 65,000 kids at risk of closing amid government shutdown
- National: Reuters Head Start education program in jaws of US government shutdown
- National: NOTUS Head Start Programs Are Closing Down as Shutdown Funding Lapses Grow
- National: Associated Press What to know as federal food help and preschool aid will run dry Saturday if shutdown persists
- National: NPR Families could start losing access to Head Start if shutdown continues
- National: Politico Shutdown imperils key education program for young children
- National: Associated Press Federal food benefits and preschool aid to run dry starting Saturday if shutdown continues
- National: USA Today Government shutdown could further disrupt Head Start services in November
- National: Politico 6 ways the shutdown is about to get worse
- National: Education Week, 100-Plus Head Start Programs Will Go Without Federal Funds If Shutdown Drags On
- National: Associated Press Government shutdown imperils dozens of Head Start preschool programs
- National: NBC News Head Start programs flash red lights ahead of November funding cliff
- National: K-12 Dive Head Start advocates warn shutdown will harm early learning programs
- Arkansas: NBC4 UAMS to temporarily close locations for early childhood education program, cites lack of federal funding caused by shutdown
- Arizona: KJZZ Head Start programs feel effects of government shutdown
- Arizona: KTAR Head Start programs in Arizona at risk of closing due to government shutdown
- California: Cal Matters Head Start closures leave hundreds without child care
- California: Record Net Santa Cruz County temporarily closes Head Start centers as government shutdown continues
- California: ABC 7 CA Head Start programs facing closure amid government shutdown
- California: EdSource Government shutdown chokes off funding to Head Start
- California: The Observer On the Brink: Federal Gov’t Shutdown Threatens SNAP/CalFresh, Headstart Programs
- California: Mendocino Voice Head Start programs in Mendocino, Lake counties to remain open during shutdown
- Colorado: Denver 7 Colorado Head Start prepares to lose federal funding on Nov. 1 amid shutdown
- Colorado: Colorado Public Radio Colorado Head Start’s funding is the latest loss as the federal shutdown continues
- Colorado: ABC7 Federal shutdown threatens Colorado early child care centers, putting 1,300 kids and their families at risk
- District of Columbia: NBC Washington Shutdown impact on early childhood education programs
- Florida: WCTV Head Start programs in Tallahassee face uncertainty as government shutdown continues
- Florida: WTXL Head Start services in Florida at risk as government shutdown continues
- Florida: Central Florida Public Media Some Central Florida Head Start centers could close amidst shutdown
- Florida: West Orlando News Thousands of Florida Children, Families Could Lose Head Start Access Amid Shutdown
- Georgia: First Coast News Local families face first week without Head Start education services due to government shutdown
- Georgia: Healthbeat Atlanta ‘A shutout for parents’: Looming SNAP, WIC, and Head Start cutoffs threaten children’s health
- Georgia: WSAV Government shutdown puts Georgia early childhood programs at risk
- Georgia: GPB Some Head Start programs in Georgia at risk as federal shutdown halts funds
- Georgia: Atlanta Journal Constitution Opinion: Congress shouldn’t toy with early childhood education funding
- Georgia: WABE 15 Head Start centers in rural Georgia set to close due to government shutdown
- Georgia: WTOC Government shutdown threatens Georgia early childhood programs
- Georgia: WABE Georgia Head Start providers raise the alarm over potential loss of federal funds during government
- Georgia: 11 Alive Head Start programs in Georgia at risk of closing if government does not reopen soon
- Georgia: Axios Atlanta Federal shutdown in Georgia: housing, food stamps and public health affected
- Idaho: KXLY Moses Lake Head Start program faces closure amid government shutdown
- Indiana: Vincennes Sun-Commercial Federal shutdown to impact local Head Start programs
- Indiana: WANE Federal government shutdown puts Head Start programs at risk
- Iowa: KWQC Government shutdown closes Head Start programs in eastern Iowa
- Iowa: IPR Federal shutdown interrupts child care programs for Iowa families
- Iowa: Iowa Capital Dispatch Iowa Head Start programs could see reduced services as shutdown continues
- Iowa: KWQC, Federal funding freeze threatens Head Start programs for 294 children
- Iowa: OurQuadCities.com, Iowa families set to lose access to childcare due to government shutdown
- Kansas: Johnson County Post How Johnson County Head Start programs are weathering the federal government shutdown
- Kentucky: Spectrum News Funding fight jeopardizes Head Start
- Kentucky: Spectrum 1 News Shutdown puts Kentucky Head Start programs at risk
- Louisiana: Fox 8 Local daycare centers have growing concern about funding for Head Start programs
- Louisiana: Louisiana Illuminator Louisiana Head Start providers turn to loans to stay open amid government shutdown
- Louisiana: WWL Vulnerable families across the state impacted by the ongoing government shutdown
- Louisiana: WWNO Louisiana Head Start providers turn to loans to stay open amid government shutdown
- Louisiana: WGME Cuts to federal programs like SNAP and Head Start are impacting working families
- Maine: WGME Maine’s Head Start program faces impacts from government shutdown
- Maine: Portland Press Herald, Some Mainers who rely on Head Start could be impacted if shutdown drags into November
- Maryland: Baltimore Banner Will Maryland’s Head Start programs survive the shutdown?
- Massachusetts: WHDH Shutdown concerns spread to Head Start childcare programs
- Massachusetts: WBUR Head Start agencies in Mass. expect cuts to programs due to federal shutdown
- Michigan: WZZM Michigan families could lose access to Head Start amid government shutdown
- Michigan: Upper Michigan’s Source, CAAM shutting down early childhood education services amid government shutdown
- Michigan: Detroit Free Press Nearly 3,000 Michigan kids at risk of losing Head Start services due to federal shutdown
- Minnesota: KIMT Head Start programming at risk of losing funding
- Minnesota: KSTP Childhood development program at risk in Minnesota as shutdown continues
- Minnesota: MinnPost The shutdown threatened to close dozens of Head Start centers. Then the state stepped in.
- Missouri: First Alert 4 Head Start programs feeling the strain of the federal shutdown, as local program’s funding is in limbo
- Missouri: KCUR Missouri families could lose access to Head Start if shutdown continues
- Missouri: KCUR Thousands of Kansas City kids could lose Head Start programs if government shutdown drags on
- Missouri: KCTV5 ‘Cruel to families’: 2,300 vulnerable Kansas City children at risk amid government shutdown
- Missouri: KFVS Head Start program concerns rise amid shutdown; southeast Missouri stable for now
- Montana: Montana Free Press, Federal shutdown puts a Hi-Line Head Start program at risk
- New Mexico: Santa Fe New Mexican Head Start funding to run out on Saturday as shutdown drags on, potentially affecting hundreds of N.M. children
- New York: Spectrum News N.Y. schools urging Congress to protect Head Start program amid ongoing government shutdown
- North Carolina: WLOS Some Head Start centers across Southeast close, workers laid off amid government shutdown
- North Carolina: WITN Government shutdown could impact Head Start programs for children
- North Carolina: Triangle Business Journal Head Start program braces for 250 layoffs as shutdown lingers
- North Carolina: ABC11 Early Head Start program in Durham at risk as government shutdown continues: ‘We need it to end’
- Ohio: Cleveland.com Federal shutdown forces closures at some Ohio Head Start providers, others still at risk
- Ohio: NBC 4 Thousands of kids’ childcare threatened as federal child care closures hit Ohio
- Ohio: The Enquirer Opinion: Congress must protect Head Start by ending the government shutdown now
- Ohio: WHIO Childcare centers face closure with no funding due to the shutdown
- Ohio: WTOL Government shutdown threatens Head Start programs; thousands of children could be affected
- Ohio: 13 News How government shutdown could affect child care in Ohio
- Ohio: Fox 8 Some Ohio Head Start programs may have to stop due to government shutdown
- Ohio: Statehouse News Bureau Federal shutdown could shut out low-income kids in seven Head Start programs in Ohio
- Ohio: The Enquirer As federal shutdown continues, 3,700 Head Start children in Ohio could have nowhere to go
- Ohio: Local 12 Local childcare programs face closure as government shutdown impacts funding
- Ohio: Lima News WOCAP to suspend Head Start Nov. 3 due to shutdown
- Ohio: Times-Gazette Shutdown puts local Head Start program at risk
- Ohio: Sidney Daily News Head Start keeping eye on government shutdown
- Ohio: Fox19 Early childhood programs could face funding crisis due to government shutdown
- Oklahoma: News 9 Oklahoma families feel the impact as federal shutdown pauses child care subsidy program
- Oklahoma: The Oklahoman Four Oklahoma Head Start programs set to lose funding due to government shutdown
- Oklahoma: News 9 Oklahoma families brace for Head Start closures amid government shutdown
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Voices Oklahoma Head Start centers face ‘dire’ funding loss from government shutdown
- Oregon: The Oregonian Government shutdown puts Oregon preschool programs in jeopardy
- Nevada: KTNV Head Start program closes locations nationwide. How are valley locations impacted?
- Pennsylvania: Times Observer Budget crisis hampers Head Start programs
- Pennsylvania: Butler Eagle Head Start programs face financial uncertainty amid budget impasse
- Pennsylvania: ABC16 Local Head Start programs concerned about funding amid state budget impasse, government shutdown
- Rhode Island: Providence Journal Government shutdown threatens RI Head Start programs. Why funding is in danger.
- Tennessee: The Tennessean Some Tennessee Head Start slots to close if federal shutdown continues past Nov. 1
- Texas: Texas Public Radio Funding for Texas school meals and most San Antonio Head Start programs continues after Nov. 1
- Washington: King 5 News Parents scramble as shutdown threatens early learning programs for thousands of Washington Kids
- Washington: KIRO WA Head Start closures leave thousands of families without childcare
- Washington: OPB Head Start programs in Southwest Washington start to shrink as federal funding dries up
- West Virginia: WV News Shutdown threatens Head Start programs, national association warns
- Wisconsin: TMJ 4 Sheboygan County families scrambling as Head Start program faces closure due to government shutdown
- Wisconsin: WSAW Gov. Evers announces federal government shutdown impacts services at two Wisconsin Head Start programs
- Wisconsin: Fox 6 Federal shutdown threatens Sheboygan Head Start program, others statewide
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin Public Radio Nearly 400 Wisconsin children will lose Head Start in November with government shut down
Map and Chart
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