Standing Up for Head Start Families in DC and Salem
Our Early Education Program staff met with lawmakers in D.C. and Salem to advocate for stronger support for Head Start. Our message was clear: continued investment is critical to keeping Head Start strong. Here’s what they reported back
DC:
At the end of January, we participated in a series of federal advocacy meetings in Washington, D.C., meeting with Senator Ron Wyden, Senator Jeff Merkley, and Representative Suzanne Bonamici to discuss the importance of continued and strengthened support for Head Start. During these meetings, we highlighted Head Start’s critical role in serving children from birth to age five. We shared how Head Start provides comprehensive early education, health, dental, and mental health services, while also supporting parents through workforce training, goal setting, and family engagement. We emphasized the program’s long-term impact, including improved high school and college completion rates, better health outcomes, reduced involvement with the criminal justice system, and a documented annual return on investment of more than 13 percent.
Our primary advocacy requests included:
· Support for increased Head Start funding in FY27. While we expressed appreciation for the small increase included in the FY26 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill, we underscored that three years of near-level funding have not kept pace with inflation. We urged the offices to submit our funding request to the Appropriations Committee, sign onto support letters, and vote to increase funding to ensure programs can meet the needs of children, families, and communities.
· Help ensure timely grant awards. We raised concerns about delays in grant disbursement that have, in some cases, led to temporary program closures. We asked for their support in ensuring the timely processing of grants and assistance in addressing administrative challenges when they arise.
· Co-sponsorship of bipartisan “Building Blocks to Success” legislation. We encouraged support for key bills that strengthen the Head Start workforce and expand access, including:
o The HEADWAY Act, supporting Early Head Start teachers earning credentials.
o The Head Start for Our Future Act, allowing eligible college students to work in Head Start through Federal Work-Study.
o The SEED Act, extending the classroom supply tax deduction to early childhood educators.
o The PATH to Education Act, strengthening transit connections to Head Start and higher education institutions.
Overall, our advocacy efforts focused on reinforcing Head Start as a proven, community-driven model that strengthens children, families, and local economies, and on urging
Oregon’s congressional delegation to continue championing the program at the federal level.
Salem:
In Oregon, we met with Representative Grayber, Senator Lieber, Senator Reynolds, Representative Nguyen, Representative Isadore, and Senate President Wagner to discuss the challenges facing Head Start programs across the state and to outline concrete policy solutions for the 2026 legislative session.
We shared that Head Start programs across Oregon are experiencing significant financial strain. Costs for insurance, energy, facilities, food, staffing, and benefits have risen sharply, while nonprofit providers struggle to keep pace. Programs are also facing workforce shortages, losing staff to higher-paying positions in other preschool settings or other industries. At the same time, children enrolling in Head Start increasingly require additional behavioral health and specialized supports.
In some communities, a lack of coordinated enrollment guidelines has led to eligible Head Start children enrolling in other preschool programs, further destabilizing funding. As we shared with legislators, when programs cannot hire staff, secure facilities, or enroll eligible children, classrooms close and services are reduced.
To address these challenges, we advocated for the Legislature to:
· Maintain funding for Oregon Pre-Kindergarten (OPK) and programs within the Early Learning Account.
· Allow OPK programs to reinvest underspent funds when those funds can stabilize operations.
· Permit the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) to redirect underspent funds to other Head Start programs facing layoffs or service reductions.
· Convene and support a collaborative “budget table” between DELC and the Oregon Head Start Association to address program-specific stabilization needs.
· Work during the interim to address workforce shortages, facility and classroom capacity, coordinated enrollment, and budget stabilization efforts.
A powerful component of our advocacy was the inclusion of our Policy Council Chair and a state representative, who shared personal impact stories about how Head Start has changed the trajectory of children and families. Their firsthand experiences underscored that Head Start is more than a preschool program; it is a comprehensive support system
that strengthens families, promotes school readiness, and builds long-term stability in communities.
Across both our federal and state meetings, our message was clear: Head Start is a proven and essential safety net for Oregon’s most vulnerable children and families. Stabilizing and strengthening the program requires coordinated action, adequate funding, administrative support, and policies that allow programs the flexibility to respond to local needs.
