A group of Massachusetts state senators is urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to withdraw proposed Head Start program rule changes that could diminish the quality of services used by thousands of children and their families across the Bay State.
The federal agency announced in early August sweeping plans to remove 1,400 federal regulations and standards for the early childhood education and health program, including a reduction in required operating hours, larger child-to-teacher ratios and removal of mandated vision, hearing and developmental screenings.
The Trump administration said in the Aug. 6 announcement that eliminating administrative oversight would “restore flexibility” to local programs and save an estimated $2.2 billion.
Many Head Start providers and child development advocates, however, warn the changes could gut the comprehensive program that is run in Hampshire and Franklin counties by Greenfield-based Community Action Pioneer Valley.
Those concerns are outlined in a Sept. 22 letter that 25 state senators sent to the federal agency during an open comment period that ends on Tuesday, Oct. 6. According to the Federal Register, 18,465 comments have been submitted so far.
“These Head Start centers go well beyond providing early childhood education,” said Sen. Jake Oliveira, D-Ludlow. “They provide the wraparound services that are so essential to break that generational cycle of poverty.”
Oliveira is leading the efforts on behalf of the senators who signed the letter, including Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield. Oliveira said a group of state representatives is working on a similar letter.
“The Head Start Act requires the Secretary to ensure that revisions to the standards do not reduce the quality, scope, or services provided by Head Start,” the letter said. “We are concerned that the proposed rule would result in precisely such reductions.”
Gov. Maura Healey expressed similar concerns in August. If approved, the rule change would affect 10,000 children enrolled in the 28 Head Start programs across the commonwealth. The cuts could have cascading impacts on other state childcare initiatives that partner with Head Start, such as the Massachusetts Child Care Financial Assistance programs.
“This proposal would strip away the standards that keep class sizes small, keep kids safe and make sure they get the services they need,” Healey said in an Aug. 26 statement. “That isn’t flexibility. It means lower-quality care and fewer supports for families. We’re urging people across Massachusetts to speak out and help us protect Head Start.”
In Hampshire and Franklin counties, Community Action Pioneer Valley provides Head Start services at two sites in Turners Falls and single-site locations in Orange, Amherst, Northampton, Ware and Easthampton. The program offers 311 slots and employs 150 people.
Marianne Bouthilette, Community Action’s interim director of Head Start and early learning programs, said the proposal hinders Head Start’s ability to deliver services. Without mandated hearing, vision and disability screenings, families could miss the signs of disabilities or sensory impairments early on, she said. Additionally, she said relaxing instructor education requirements and removing evidence-based student-to-teacher ratios would lower educational success.
“Children learn best when their health is sound, teachers are consistent and qualified and when we find out their needs early on,” Bouthilette said.
Most of Community Action’s Head Start classes run six hours a day, and some run as long as 10 hours to deliver all the necessary services. The proposed rule would require programs to provide only 3½ hours of instruction per day. Fewer hours would limit time for health services, and Oliveira said the change would also affect working parents.
“If you eliminate some hours, that forces parents to make a decision to find alternative early childhood programs or pull back on their working hours,” Oliveira said.
The proposal would not only eliminate regulations but also add barriers to educational and health services, Bouthilette said. Ending self-attestation would make it harder for families experiencing homelessness to enroll, since they often lack documents such as proof of residency or birth certificates. An English-only instruction requirement would isolate families who speak other languages or have limited English proficiency, she said.
“We would have to remove anything in our classrooms that has some (language) written on it other than English,” Bouthilette said. “If we wanted to work with a parent or child that speaks another language, we would have to use English.”
According to a statement from Healey, 64% of children enrolled in Head Start last year identified as dual-language learners, 16% of children experienced homelessness and 12% had an Individualized Education Program.
The Trump administration says the rule changes will allow local Head Start programs to tailor their lessons to local needs, but the proposal also removes the avenues for caregivers to shape their children’s education, like parent committees or caregiver positions on policy councils, opponents point out.
Oliveira said the benefits of early childhood education and health care extend beyond K-12 schools and last throughout residents’ lives. Head Start is where children build basic reading and math skills, he said, and where healthy habits like brushing teeth begin.
With just a week left in the comment period, Oliveira and Bouthilette are urging residents and municipal leaders to submit their comments and concerns on the rule change. People can send a comment on the proposal online at Regulations.gov.
