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HR 336119th CongressIntroduced
HEADWAY Act
Introduced: Nov 1, 2025
EducationLabor & EmploymentSocial Services
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs
The HEADWAY Act amends the Head Start Act to revise teacher qualification requirements for Early Head Start programs, permitting additional classroom staff to teach while pursuing Child Development Associate credentials under agency mentorship, while maintaining bachelor's degree requirements for at least one lead teacher per classroom to address workforce shortages.
Key Points
- 1The bill modifies Section 645A(h) of the Head Start Act to require only one bachelor's degree-holding teacher per classroom instead of all teachers by specified deadlines.
- 2Additional teachers must actively pursue Child Development Associate credentials and equivalent coursework while receiving structured mentorship from their employing agency.
- 3This creates an alternative pathway for Early Head Start staff to gain qualifications on the job while maintaining program quality standards through oversight.
Impact Areas
Early Head Start teachers and support staffChildren and families enrolled in Head Start programsHead Start agencies managing teacher certification compliance
Generated by LegislativeAnalysisAI/v3 on Nov 5, 2025