Gutting Head Start standards will harm rural kids

A version of this column originally appeared in The Alpena News.

For over 60 years, Head Start has provided comprehensive education and health services for families struggling to make ends meet. Right here in Michigan, Head Start serves 27,000 children growing up in households with low incomes while also helping their parents pursue educational and employment opportunities.

Despite Head Start’s proven success in boosting educational attainment and fighting intergenerational poverty, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is proposing rule changes that will undermine the program’s core components, ultimately reducing access to children and families who would benefit most. The proposed rule changes would be especially disruptive for families in rural areas.

The Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMCSA) serves over 2,000 families through Head Start programs in 22 counties across the northeast lower peninsula. For Tricia Grifka, Early Childhood Services Coordinator for NEMCSA, “Weakening the standards hurts our community’s most vulnerable children and puts them at a disadvantage academically, socially and physically.”

Part of what sets Head Start apart from other preschool programs is its whole-family approach to services. NEMCSA, like all Head Start programs, works with the entire family to make sure needs are met. From goal-setting to service referrals, no other federal program is so comprehensive.

One area where the proposed rule seeks to weaken standards is in access and referrals to health services, including mental health, dental care, and developmental screenings. In 2025, Head Start programs in Michigan ensured over 23,000 children had a dental home where they could access oral health preventative care and treatment.

Many rural counties in Michigan have a shortage of dental health providers, but Head Start programs track children’s access to oral health care and make referrals when needed. Robyn Hart, Family Services Coordinator with NEMCSA, worries the rule change could reduce access to care, with negative long-term effects. “A child experiencing dental pain can’t learn.”

And Robyn understands the needs of Head Start families; she herself was first connected to Head Start as a parent of four children, all of whom participated in the program. Her role as a parent leader deepened her passion for the work and inspired her to join NEMCSA as a member of staff after completing her degree. She has now been with the organization for 35 years, helping families address their immediate needs while empowering them to set goals for their futures.

The proposed rules also significantly weaken standards for early care and education services. Head Start is often celebrated as the gold standard for the quality of its early education programs, but the proposed rules would remove regulations governing staffing ratios, group sizes and teacher credentials. If reduced standards cause program quality to deteriorate, families in rural counties will have few alternatives as child care deserts are often prevalent, meaning three or more children are competing for each licensed childcare slot.

NEMCSA’s Policy Council, a committee of parents and community members who help lead and make decisions about the program’s activities based on local needs, has also been reviewing the proposed changes with concern. The proposals to require all instruction to be in English and remove additional services for children with disabilities stood out to the council as deeply unfair.

Statewide, Head Start provides services to over 3,600 dual-language learners. Across NEMCSA’s service area, 23% of enrolled children have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs),  which provide access to specialized services, allowing them to fully participate in all aspects of the Head Start program. If the proposed changes are adopted, developmentally appropriate education for these children and crucial services for their families will be woefully inadequate.

In rural communities, Head Start’s flexibility to tailor services that address community-specific needs is especially important. In NEMCSA’s service area, lack of transportation is often a major barrier to accessing programs. Robyn, who oversees home visits, quantified the challenge: “Just a one-way trip to visit a family can be 30 miles, so 60 miles round-trip.”

If adopted, the department’s analysis estimates savings of up to $2.2 billion a year, but these savings come from weakening standards and eliminating essential services. The proposed rule would cut program costs by having fewer teachers, shorter program days, fewer home visits and reduced health supports. The long-term consequences to children, families and communities are not factored into the cost estimates.

The proposed rule changes are still under consideration and open to public comment through October 6. The department will review and respond to comments before issuing a final rule.