Today Governor Josh Stein called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to protect key standards for Head Start programs as the department considers proposed changes to the federal program. In a letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy and U.S. Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Alex Adams, Governor Stein urged HHS to preserve the research- and evidence-based safeguards that have helped make Head Start a trusted model for high-quality early education, comprehensive services, qualified staff, and meaningful support for children and families.
“Head Start has earned bipartisan support for generations because it pairs local leadership with a strong federal commitment to children and families,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Early childhood experiences shape the foundation for future learning, health, and success, and investing in young children is one of the most important things we can do for North Carolina’s future. I urge the federal government to preserve the standards that ensure Head Start programs provide high-quality care to the children and families who depend on them.”
"Head Start is where many North Carolina children first learn to love school,” said North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice "Mo" Green. “By the time they reach a kindergarten classroom, they know how to listen, share and ask questions, and their families already know how to be partners in their child's education. Teachers and principals see the difference. Many Head Start classrooms sit inside our public schools or work alongside our NC Pre-K programs, so when Head Start is strong, our schools start stronger. Small class sizes, qualified teachers, full-day schedules and health and family supports are what make it work. I join Governor Stein in asking that those standards be kept in place for every child, no matter where in North Carolina that child lives.”
The proposed rule would make significant changes to Head Start requirements that would remove or substantially weaken safeguards that are central to Head Start's quality, accountability, and comprehensive-service model.
In his letter, Governor Stein urged HHS to:
- Retain federal staff-to-child ratios and group-size limits to ensure enough teachers are present so every child receives the attention, support, and care they need.
- Preserve the full range of services that help children learn and thrive while supporting their health and strengthening their families.
- Support a stable and qualified early childhood education workforce by maintaining standards related to qualifications, compensation, benefits, and professional development.
- Maintain adequate program duration and accountability to support children’s learning and fit the realities of families’ work schedules.
- Preserve a workable administrative-cost standard and retain the current 15 percent ceiling established in federal law rather than imposing a uniform 5 percent limit.
- Maintain meaningful language access and family engagement, including the ability of programs to support children’s home languages while they learn English.
Governor Stein also expressed support for targeted efforts to eliminate duplicative administrative requirements when doing so would not weaken statutory protections or program quality. He urged HHS to work directly with governors, state agencies, Tribal nations, Head Start programs, early childhood educators, and families before issuing a final rule.
Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive programs that support more than 17,600 North Carolina children from birth to age five and provide high-quality early education and care, health screenings, nutritious food, prenatal care for pregnant women, and services that prepare children for school and beyond. Head Start serves some of the most vulnerable families in North Carolina, including families living below the federal poverty level, receiving public assistance, experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care. Head Start also supports North Carolina families and communities by helping parents participate in the workforce while providing children with early learning and comprehensive services. The program brings more than $290 million in federal funds directly to local economies across North Carolina and supports more than 5,600 jobs at local agencies, private nonprofit child care centers, and school systems.