HHS Proposes Restructuring Of Head Start Program

On August 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) proposed changes to the federal Head Start Program Performance Standards. The proposed rule would revise requirements related to administrative spending, staffing, class sizes, health services, home visits, parent engagement, and other program operations. According to an August 6, 2026 Press Release, HHS estimates that the changes could preserve or create as many as 236,000 Head Start slots nationwide and generate $2.2 billion in savings for reinvestment in direct services.

One of the most significant proposed . . .