In reaction to a proposal for a major overhaul to the federal Head Start program by the Trump administration, Gov. Maura Healey and three members of the Massachusetts federal delegation are calling on the president to reverse the newly proposed standards they say will “dismantle” the program in the Bay State.

The proposed changes to the program, according to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS), would give individual states more flexibility regarding the curriculum, staff-to-student rations, and group sizes. It would also lower the cap on administrative expenses from 15% to 5% in an effort to reduce overhead costs and introduce new nutritional requirements along with baseline requirements for physical activity among students.

“President Trump has repeatedly targeted Head Start, and now he is trying to dismantle it from the inside out. This proposal would strip away the standards that keep class sizes small, keep kids safe and make sure they get the services they need,” Healey said Wednesday during a press conference at ABCD Head Start in Malden. “That isn’t flexibility. It means lower-quality care and fewer supports for families. We’re urging people across Massachusetts to speak out and help us protect Head Start.”

HHS says the proposed rule is projected to save U.S. taxpayers $2.2 billion while preserving or expanding up to 236,000 Head Start slots nationwide. Its the largest known reinvestment in the program since it was created 61 years ago, the Trump administration says.

“Head Start began as a bold commitment to the health, dignity, and potential of every child. My uncle, Sarge Shriver, founded the program on a simple conviction: strong families, wholesome nutrition, and healthy childhood development can change the course of a child’s life,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “Today, we are returning Head Start to those roots. We are removing unnecessary bureaucracy, strengthening nutrition and physical health, trusting parents and local communities, and opening Head Start to hundreds of thousands more children. That’s how we renew the promise of Head Start for the next generation.”

Healey and House Minority Whip and Congresswoman Katherine Clark say the new rule would provide no additional funding and eliminate federal standards ensuring consistent care for children in the program.

“They (Republicans) told us flat out in Project 2025 that their objective is to dismantle the Head Start program and spend that money on tax cuts for billionaires. First they tried to defund it totally. They wrote a budget that eliminated funding for Head Start in its entirety, and we beat that back,” added Clark.

“(The proposed rule) would increase class sizes. It would forbid the use of any language but English. It would curtail developmental screenings,” Clark continued. “Even the Republican administration has admitted that there are risks with that. But they are willing to risk our kids in order to continue to fund the very wealthiest Americans.”

Head Start serves over 10,000 children in Massachusetts, providing early education, child care, health and dental screenings, developmental supports and other services for low-income families.

Healey and Clark are urging Massachusetts residents, educators and providers to speak out against the proposed changes during the federal public comment period, which runs through October 6.

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