Shutdown 2025: Impact On Head Start Programs
UPDATE: 11/18/25
Head Start programs around the nation are continuing to re-open, some more quickly than others. As of today, Head Start sites in 13 states plus Puerto Rico are still closed, leaving more than 6,000 children and families without access to the essential care, early learning, nutrition, and stability that Head Start provides.
UPDATE 11/12/25 – Day 42 of the Federal Shutdown
What’s New: On November 12, Congress ended the federal shutdown after 43 days by passing a Continuing Resolution to fund the government through January 30.
What’s Next: In the days ahead, the Senate will reportedly consider a handful of Appropriations bills, including the Labor-HHS-Education bill proposed in July. That bill included increased funding for both the Child Care and Development Block Grant and for Head Start (details here). A full spending bill must be passed before January 30 in order to keep the government from shutting down again.
The Ask: Tell your Member of Congress to pass the FY26 Labor-HHS-Education bill to ensure full-year funding for the programs that support child care and early learning for families around the country.
Stay up to date with the FFYF State of Play: FY26 Appropriations, updated frequently.
UPDATE 11/11/25
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 today, Head Start sites in 17 states plus Puerto Rico have had to close their doors, leaving more than 9,000 children and families without access to the essential care, early learning, nutrition, and stability that 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.
News Coverage
- National: Associated Press Families brace for continued gaps in Head Start service despite government reopening
- National: Reuters Talks to end government shutdown take a promising turn, Senate majority leader says
- National: Stateline States, donors and schools scramble to keep Head Start centers open — for now
- National: The Hill Head Start programs in danger after government shutdown funding lapse
- National: Roll Call No quick fix for Head Start funding as programs start to close
- 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
- Arizona: KJZZ Head Start programs feel effects of government shutdown
- Arkansas: NBC4 UAMS to temporarily close locations for early childhood education program, cites lack of federal funding caused by shutdown
- California: Lookout Santa Cruz As government shutdown ends, Santa Cruz County nonprofit scrambles to restart Head Start child care program
- 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
- Colorado: The Gazette Head Start program for children loses federal funding in shutdown
- Colorado: The Gazette Head Start program for children loses federal funding in shutdown
- Florida: WMBB Local Head Start program faces closure amid government shutdown
- Florida: WGCU Government shutdown forcing some Head Starts to shutter as well
- Georgia: Ledger-Enquirer Government shutdown set to close GA Head Start programs. Here’s where, how many
- Georgia: First Coast News Local families face first week without Head Start education services due to government shutdown
- Georgia: WABE 15 Head Start centers in rural Georgia set to close due to government shutdown
- Idaho: KXLY Moses Lake Head Start program faces closure amid government shutdown
- Indiana: Vincennes Sun-Commercial Federal shutdown to impact local Head Start programs
- Iowa: KWQC Government shutdown closes Head Start programs in eastern Iowa
- Iowa: IPR Federal shutdown interrupts child care programs for Iowa families
- Iowa: OurQuadCities.com, Iowa families set to lose access to childcare due to government shutdown
- 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: 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
- Massachusetts: WBUR Head Start agencies in Mass. expect cuts to programs due to federal shutdown
- Michigan: Bridge Michigan In Michigan’s UP, a Head Start preschool closes. Blame the government shutdown
- Michigan: Upper Michigan’s Source, CAAM shutting down early childhood education services amid government shutdown
- Missouri: First Alert 4 Head Start programs feeling the strain of the federal shutdown, as local program’s funding is in limbo
- North Carolina: EdNC As time runs out, a dozen Head Start families and providers share their fears
- North Carolina: WLOS Some Head Start centers across Southeast close, workers laid off amid government shutdown
- North Carolina: Triangle Business Journal Head Start program braces for 250 layoffs as shutdown lingers
- Ohio: WTVG TPS to temporarily suspend Head Start, Early Childhood Education programs
- Ohio: WOUB Hundreds of families in southeast Ohio are without access to early childhood program during the federal shutdown
- Ohio: Ohio Capital Journal Ohio Head Start programs suffer, close as federal government shutdown rolls on
- Ohio: Cleveland.com Federal shutdown forces closures at some Ohio Head Start providers, others still at risk
- 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: Oklahoma Voices Oklahoma Head Start centers face ‘dire’ funding loss from government shutdown
- North Carolina: WUNC NC Head Start closures leave working parents ‘scrambling’ to find child care
- Pennsylvania: Times Observer Budget crisis hampers Head Start programs
- South Carolina: Aiken Standard Federal shutdown forces one SC Head Start provider to temporarily close as others face uncertainty
- Tennessee: The Tennessean Some Tennessee Head Start slots to close if federal shutdown continues past Nov. 1
- Texas: Texas Tribune Texas Head Start closures during government shutdown add to state’s child care woes
- Texas: Texas Tribune Texas Head Start closures during government shutdown add to state’s child care woes
- Texas: San Marcos Daily Record Government shutdown forces Head Start closure
- Washington: Kent Reporter Low-income families face loss of preschool programs
- 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
- Wisconsin: PBS Wisconsin Tawny Hardyman on closure of Head Start classes in Wisconsin
- Wisconsin: TMJ 4 Sheboygan County families scrambling as Head Start program faces closure due to government shutdown
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin Public Radio Nearly 400 Wisconsin children will lose Head Start in November with government shut down
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