HHS Unveils Proposed Head Start Reforms To Expand Access To The Head Start Program & Empower Parents

On August 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) introduced a new proposed rule regarding the Federal Head Start program that is designed to change the requirements for math and literacy curricula, class sizes, medical screenings, and home visits. According to HHS, the Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) is projected to preserve or create as many as 236,000 Head Start slots nationwide and save $2.2 billion, which the agency describes as the largest reinvestment in the program since it began 61 years ago . . .