LANSING, Mich. — The Early Childhood Investment Corporation, Michigan Head Start Association, and Michigan Community Action are urging Michigan’s congressional delegation to protect the comprehensive services and family-centered approach that have defined Head Start for more than 60 years.
In a letter recently sent to the delegation, the organizations raised concerns about proposed changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced in August. The proposed rule would significantly reduce federal regulatory requirements and shift several areas of Head Start oversight to align with a multitude of individual state standards.
Michigan early childhood leaders say the proposed changes will weaken the research-based standards that ensure Head Start provides comprehensive services to children and families experiencing poverty.
“Head Start is more than a preschool program. It is a comprehensive system of support that connects children from birth through age five and their families to many resources such as education, nutrition, health and disability services, and other resources,” said Alan Oman, senior advisor of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation. “Michigan has built many of its early childhood investments around the best practices and standards Head Start has developed over the last six decades.”
Head Start programs served more than 17,000 families in Michigan in the most recent available data. Last year, Michigan Head Start programs provided services through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to 4,896 children with developmental delays or disabilities, served 932 children in foster care, and 1,855 children experiencing homelessness.
“Head Start providers see every day why these standards matter,” said Chanda Hillman, executive director of the Michigan Head Start Association. “The children and families we serve often need more than a classroom. They need a coordinated network of education, health, nutrition, developmental, and family supports. Federal standards help ensure that those services remain available to children who need them most, regardless of where they live in Michigan.”
The proposed rule would also change requirements related to areas including classroom group size and ratios, home visitor caseloads, lower educational qualification requirements for early educators, background checks, and transportation by shifting expectations to individual state standards, which will create rule inconsistencies across states and weaken protections that Head Start programs currently provide nationwide.
“Community Action agencies are on the front lines of supporting families experiencing poverty, and Head Start is one of the most important tools we have,” said Brian McGrain, executive director of Michigan Community Action. “When a child has a developmental delay or disability, or has a parent working or completing job training, the comprehensive nature of Head Start matters. Families should not have to navigate a patchwork of standards to receive high-quality early childhood services.”
The three organizations are calling on members of Michigan’s congressional delegation to urge HHS to maintain strong federal requirements for comprehensive Head Start services and reject any final rule that substantially weakens the Head Start Program Performance Standards.
In addition to reaching out to members of Congress, the HHS public comment period on the proposed rule is open through October 6, 2026, and the partner organizations are encouraging everyone to make comments here.
