In his latest morally bankrupt and completely harmful move, Trump’s Presidential Budget details were leaked, including his plans to disastrously eliminate Head Start. You heard me right. This would rob children and families of opportunity and hurt our economy by zeroing out this vital and effective program.

I’ll be blunt. Trump is doing exactly what he told us he would do—enacting Project 2025 one harmful item after another. And this time, he let it slip that he disastrously plans to eliminate Head Start in his budget proposal. Not okay. We can’t let Congress or anyone else downplay the seriousness of this threat. As the Maya Angelou saying goes: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

Head Start has been an extraordinary and unmitigated success for families, for children, for small businesses, and for our economy as a whole. Launched in 1965 as a comprehensive child development program, Head Start has been the most important social and educational program for children, families, and communities that the United States has ever undertaken. Over the last 60 years it has provided opportunity through childcare to more than 38 million children and their families. [1] Head Start has earned the strong bipartisan support it has enjoyed for decades—support we will now rely on as we look to Congress to reject this reckless proposal.

Research tells us that Early Head Start and Head Start work—for children, for families, for communities, for businesses, and for our economy! These programs significantly assist in the development of early childhood mental health (like social-emotional development), language, and cognitive development. The value of infant and early mental health cannot be understated. Children who have positive and engaging interactions in their earliest years are more likely to enjoy good physical and mental health over their lifetimes. They are also better able to experience, regulate, and manage their emotions—key skills for later school readiness. [2] Children who attend Early Head Start and transition to Head Start are more ready for kindergarten than children who do not attend Head Start. [3] Head Start serves a diverse group of children, families, and pregnant people. Of families served, 37% identified as Hispanic or Latino, and 27% identified as Black or African-American, non-Hispanic or Latino. Additionally, about 32% of children enrolled were dual language learners, of which two-thirds were in families that primarily spoke Spanish at home. [4] In short, Head Start is a massive success.

Not only does this program provide children with the opportunities to thrive in school and in life, it is an economic boon to all of us when families have access to affordable child care—and parents can get to school and work, as well as contribute to their communities. We already know the challenges a lack of child care has had on the ability of parents, especially moms, to work.

Total elimination of Head Start will throw children, families, and communities into chaos at an already uncertain and worrying time. Parents will further be forced to leave jobs or their own schooling due to a lack of affordable, quality early care and education for their children. Businesses will have a harder time filling open positions. Is this making America great again? This is beyond unacceptable.

In Solidarity,

Lauren, Nina, Nadia, Kristin and the whole MomsRising.org & MamásConPoder Team

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