S 2819119th CongressIn Committee

Head Start for America's Children Act

Introduced: Sep 16, 2025

Education

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, titled the Head Start for America's Children Act, proposes a broad overhaul of the Head Start Act with a strong emphasis on expanding and modernizing services, deepening cultural and linguistic responsiveness (especially for Native American and Native Hawaiian communities), and significantly increasing funding and program reach. Key changes include: mandating a minimum center-based service year of 1,380 hours; expanding definitions and authorities to explicitly include Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Freely Associated States populations; adding mental health and language/cultural objectives to core activities; reorganizing regional offices for stronger technical assistance, monitoring, and staffing; and creating substantial new or expanded funding streams to support facilities, transportation, workforce development, extended operation, and partnerships with child care providers and institutions of higher education. The bill also strengthens safeguards and oversight to ensure Native American and Native Hawaiian programs are truly operated by or in partnership with Native communities, and it elevates the role of Native languages and cultures in curricula and outcomes measurement. In short, the bill aims to dramatically scale up Head Start (and Early Head Start) services, broaden who is served, center mental health and culturally/linguistically responsive practices, and retool funding and administration to support year-round operations, workforce advancement, and stronger tribal and Native Hawaiian engagement.

Key Points

1Expanded purpose and scope
2- Adds mental health as a core element alongside education in the Head Start framework.
3- Emphasizes growth of infants, toddlers, and children (not just “children”) and broadens the inclusion of learners with diverse language needs.
4Minimum hours and curricula
5- Replaces the prior standard with a requirement that Head Start/Early Head Start center-based services provide a minimum of 1,380 hours in a year.
6- Creates a Native American Child Outcomes Framework and allows curricula for Native American Head Start programs to focus on Native languages and culturally responsive teaching and learning.
7Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Freely Associated States focus
8- Recasts terminology from “Indian” to “Native American” and ensures Native Hawaiian and Freely Associated States (Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau) are explicitly included.
9- Establishes dedicated program offices and consultation requirements for Native American and Native Hawaiian communities.
10Authorization of appropriations and new funding streams
11- Sets a substantial baseline appropriation for 2026 and ties future funding to a publication CPI-based adjustment.
12- Creates additional project funding for: facilities improvements and expansion; transportation to Head Start; workforce development; community eligibility pilots; partnerships with higher education; extended operation to support more than 1,380 hours; and Head Start–child care provider partnerships.
13- Provides specific appropriations for extending center-based services, converting slots, and mental health supports.
14Financial support for disabilities
15- Requires the Secretary to ensure financial assistance accounts for the costs of serving children with disabilities.
16Regional offices and modernization
17- Replaces the current structure (Section 639) with a model that maintains at least 10 regional offices and 2 program offices, focusing on technical assistance, local support, performance monitoring, and staff recruitment/retention.
18- Requires regional design proposals developed with public input and ensures dedicated regional coverage for Native American and migratory programs.
19Funding allotments and reserved funds
20- Recasts allotment formulas to reflect Native American and Freely Associated States needs.
21- Requires set-asides to fund Native American language preservation, research, demonstration, and evaluation, and to support career advancement and regional office staffing.
22- Establishes requirements to reserve funds for Native American language activities and for expanding or sustaining comprehensive services (including hours, transportation, and staff compensation).
23Agency designation and prohibitions
24- Strengthens and standardizes designation renewal to emphasize Native American governance and consultation with Native Hawaiian organizations.
25- Prohibits non-Native American Head Start agencies from receiving grants for Native American Head Start programs.
26Standards, monitoring, and guidance
27- Elevates mental health, linguistically/culturally responsive practices, and Native languages/cultures in performance standards and monitoring.
28- Requires guidance to Native American Head Start agencies that supports universal design for learning and culturally relevant practices, and formal consultation with tribes and Native Hawaiian communities for ongoing improvements.
29Curricula for Native programs
30- Allows flexibility to preserve and revitalize Native languages and cultures and to teach in Native languages where appropriate.
31- Directs alignment of Native American curricula with a Native American Child Outcomes Framework.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Children and families served by Head Start and Early Head Start, with a particular emphasis on Native American (including Alaska Native) and Native Hawaiian communities, migratory families, and children with disabilities.- Native American Head Start agencies, Native Hawaiian Head Start agencies, and programs operated in partnership with Native communities.Secondary group/area affected- Head Start staff and educators, including those working on Native language preservation and mental health services.- Tribal governments, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Native Hawaiian educational organizations.- Local Head Start programs, migrant/seasonal Head Start programs, and organizations involved in facility expansion, transportation, and workforce development.- Institutions of higher education and child care providers partnering with Head Start.Additional impacts- Increased federal investment across facilities, transportation, extended operations, and workforce compensation, potentially driving broader downstream economic activity in local communities.- Expanded language and cultural requirements could necessitate new curricula, training, and hiring practices to meet Native language and cultural goals.- Enhanced regional offices may change how services are delivered locally, with more robust technical assistance, monitoring, and tailored support for communities with special linguistic/cultural needs.- Stronger protections and requirements around Native American governance and eligibility to receive Native American Head Start funds, including prohibitions on non-Native agencies receiving Native American grants, which could affect program design and partnerships.Head Start and Early Head Start: Federally funded programs serving preschool-aged children (and infants/toddlers in Early Head Start) to improve school readiness, health, and family outcomes.Native American Head Start agencies: Head Start programs operated by or for Native American communities, including tribal entities and Native Hawaiian organizations.Native American Child Outcomes Framework: A framework developed to reflect language, culture, and educational goals specific to Native American communities, used in curriculum and assessment.Universal Design for Learning: An instructional approach that aims to make learning accessible to all students, including those with disabilities, through flexible methods and materials.Freely Associated States: Countries in the Pacific region (Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau) with a special agreement with the U.S.; included for eligibility and program considerations in this bill.

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