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What is happening to Head Start? On August 7, 2026, the Department of Health and Human Services shared proposed changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards. Although Head Start is organized under and somewhat protected by the Head Start Act, the Standards set expectations for quality and many of the services provided. What is being proposed? The proposal indicates a desire to eliminate key elements of the Standards and instead follow state requirements. While ther

Child-Parent Centers calls for urgent action to restore federal funding in support of Head Start Programs at risk of closure. Read Press Prelease here

130 organizations issued a joint statement urging Congress to take action to protect Head Start by ending the federal shutdown now. To read the statement and see the organizations that signed on please visit this link.

WASHINGTON – This week, Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), a Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Acting Director of the Office of Head Start Tala Hooban demanding they release delayed federal funding for Urban Strategies Early Head Start in Phoenix. Yesterday, Urban Strategies received the funding they were owed. Head Start provides affordable childc

Contact: Jessica Rivera-Garcia Executive Director, Arizona Head Start Association Email: JRG@azheadstart.org Press Release: Statement Regarding HHS announcement Phoenix, July 14, 2025- The Arizona Head Start Association (AZHSA) remains committed to ensuring that every child—regardless of background—has access to quality early education and the foundational support they need to thrive. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a press release last Thursd

Contact: Jessica Rivera-Garcia Executive Director, Arizona Head Start Association Email: JRG@azheadstart.org Press Release: Head Start Funding at Risk - Here's How You Can Help Phoenix, April 28, 2025 – The Head Start community urgently requests that all Arizonans take immediate action regarding a potential threat to Head Start funding. According to a recent article in USA TODAY published on April 11, the Trump administration is considering a budget proposal that would elim