SPOKANE — The Trump administration’s proposed changes to Head Start programs are raising concerns among parents and educators across Eastern Washington.
The Department of Health and Human Services is proposing regulation changes and budget cuts to the program nationwide. Thousands of Washington families depend on Head Start for education and child care.
Under the proposed changes, low student-to-teacher ratios in preschool classrooms could become less of a priority. Critics worry this could harm children who need extra attention.
“You could have a lot more kids in the classroom and you don’t have to pay people as much, and you don’t have to make sure the teachers have really good training and ongoing support,” said Katy Warren, deputy director of the Washington Head Start Association.
The proposal also eliminates income verification through self-attestation, requiring families to submit pay stubs or tax returns instead. The department says it wants to prevent misuse of funds, but critics argue the change could prevent families experiencing homelessness from enrolling.
State Head Start leaders say the changes would eliminate more than 700 jobs statewide, with around 300 in Eastern Washington.
Senator Patty Murray is hosting Head Start parents in Washington D.C. tomorrow, including two mothers from Spokane. Murray stated: “This is an illegal and backwards move to deny single parents and unmarried couples federal funding they should be entitled to.”
A 60-day public comment period on the proposal opened last week, and advocates are working to submit as many comments as possible in opposition.
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