Connecticut Legislators: Stand Up for Head Start and Early Head Start
The federal government is considering major changes to Head Start and Early Head Start — programs that are an important part of Connecticut’s early care and education system.
Child Care for CT is encouraging Connecticut state legislators to join lawmakers from across the country in signing on to a public comment opposing these proposed changes.
The deadline for legislators to sign on is 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 6.
What is changing?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has proposed a major rewrite of the Head Start Program Performance Standards.
The proposed rule would remove or change requirements related to teaching and learning, staff qualifications, health and safety, family engagement, services for children with disabilities, and other supports for children and families.
Head Start and Early Head Start do much more than provide early learning opportunities. They connect children and families with health, developmental, and family supports while providing early care and education to families across the country.
Changes to these programs can therefore have consequences well beyond individual Head Start classrooms.
Why does this matter in Connecticut?
Connecticut has made significant commitments to strengthening our child care system and making high-quality care more accessible and affordable for families.
Head Start and Early Head Start are part of that system.
As Connecticut works to expand access, support the child care workforce, and strengthen quality, we should also protect the federal programs that families and communities rely on. Federal policy that weakens Head Start standards could work against the progress Connecticut is trying to make.
Connecticut state legislators can speak up
The National Women’s Law Center, State Innovation Exchange, and Child Care for Every Family Network are inviting state legislators from across the country to sign on to a joint public comment opposing the proposed rule.
Child Care for CT is encouraging members of the Connecticut General Assembly to add their names.
If you are a Connecticut state legislator:Review the state legislator comment and add your name by 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 6.
The final comment will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the federal public comment process.
Connecticut residents can help
You don’t need to be a legislator to take action.
If you live in Connecticut, contact your state representative and state senator and ask them to sign on.
We’ve created a simple form that makes it easy to send a message directly to your legislators:
Connecticut has made real progress toward treating child care as the essential infrastructure that it is. Protecting Head Start and Early Head Start — and the standards designed to support children and families — is part of that work.
Legislators: sign on. Residents: ask your legislators to add their names. The deadline is October 6.
