Head Start preschool programs may close across the country later this week because of the federal government shutdown. The National Head Start Association — a non-profit that provides early learning to low-income children and families — said several of its grants will end Friday, eliminating funding for 134 programs.
The programs serve 58,000 children, but they can’t continue until Congress strikes a deal to reopen the government, according to The Washington Post. Should the programs close, thousands of families and young children will be without free child care and other services.
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“It’s really frustrating,” Tommy Sheridan, the association’s deputy director, told The Post. “Parents rely on us to have child care to be able to go to work, to be able to go to school.”
Lack of funding
Since the government shut down on Oct. 1, numerous programs have stopped receiving federal funding. However, some managed to remain open temporarily by using reserves or receiving assistance from other agencies.
Now, however, grants are set to expire, which officials say could lead to more sites shutting down. The Post reports that unless the government reopens by Saturday, programs that serve tens of thousands of children will lose funding.
Head Start officials warn that a lack of funding could trigger a domino effect of problems. Sheronda Smith, the president of the Tennessee Head Start Association, said the shutdown creates an “immediate threat to students.”
She said closures will hurt the economy as staff are furloughed, parents are forced to miss work to take care of their kids and site operators stop ordering food and other goods from vendors.
“This shutdown is so serious,” Smith told The Post. “We are trying to stay open as long as we can.”
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Since 1965, Head Start programs have reached more than 38 million children and their families.
Government shutdown continues
As the government shutdown heads toward a fifth week, the issue among senators remains the same. Republicans want a so-called clean continuing resolution with no additional funding. Democrats are calling for extending Obamacare tax credits and repealing Medicaid changes.
Each side blames the other for the shutdown.
“All of this could be over if Republicans would simply get serious about negotiating to end the healthcare crisis, come to the table, and fund the government,” Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told the Post.
“Democrats have voted 12 times to keep the government shut down. No amount of Democrat spin is going to put food on the table, pay the bills, or fund programs like Head Start,” Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.
What is Head Start?
Head Start was founded in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. In the past 60 years, it has grown to serve roughly 750,000 children nationwide.
According to the organization’s website, the programs support children’s growth from birth to age 5. Services are centered around early learning and development, health and family well-being.
Local sites typically provide free child care, early education, health screenings and more.
