White House proposes eliminating Head Start funding as part of sweeping budget cuts [View all]

Source: Yahoo! News/AP

Thu, April 17, 2025 at 5:05 PM EDT


The Trump administration is asking Congress to eliminate funding for Head Start, a move that would cut early education for more than half a million of the nation’s neediest children and child care for their families.

The proposal is tucked in a 64-page internal draft budget document obtained by The Associated Press that seeks deep cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees Head Start. It is still in a highly preliminary phase as the White House prepares to send Congress its budget request for the 2026 fiscal year.

It is not clear if the proposed cuts will be accepted by lawmakers. While Congress often ignores a president’s budget request, the proposed elimination of Head Start highlights the administration's priorities as President Donald Trump seeks to overhaul education in the United States.

“The budget does not fund Head Start,” according to the draft. It says eliminating the program is consistent with the Trump administration’s “goals of returning control of education to the states and increasing parental control.” “The federal government should not be in the business of mandating curriculum, locations, and performance standards for any form of education,” the document says. Spokespeople for Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house-proposes-eliminating-head-210504797.html