SEATTLE, Wash – Washington State Association of Head Start joined similar programs from Oregon, Wisconsin, Illinois and Pennsylvania in a lawsuit filed Monday in the Western District of Washington.
It names as defendants Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy and the directors of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.
The complaint says Head Start has transformed the lives of families for 60 years, providing free early childhood education to 40 million children in every state.
“Defendants are now dismantling this crucial program in defiance of Congress,” the complaint reads. “A recent version of President Trump’s budget proposes the complete elimination of Head Start by September 30, 2025.”
Cuts to the program have already begun.
At least five of the 12 regional Head Start offices have been closed.
The complaint cites the Head Start program in Sunnyside, Washington which was forced to suspend services.
“The sudden closure left 400 children without care and over 70 staff members without jobs,” it says.
The complaint says the administration’s actions are in violation of Congress’s orders and the separation of powers because Congress has already allocated money to Head Start programs.
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