Some Head Start Preschools Shutter as Government Shutdown Continues

November 6, 2025

The ongoing government shutdown has forced numerous Head Start preschool centers across the United States to close after missing federal grant payments that were scheduled for November 1st. Approximately 140 programs serving roughly 65,000 children from low-income families, homeless situations, or foster care have been affected, with at least 8,000 families facing complete closures as of the reported Monday. The shutdowns have created cascading hardships for vulnerable families who depend on Head Start not only for early education and developmental therapy but also for daily meals and childcare that enables parents to work.

Who is affected

Approximately 65,000 preschoolers and expectant parents across 140 Head Start programs
At least 8,000 families experiencing center closures as of the reported Monday
Children from low-income households, homeless children, and children in foster care
Over 1,100 children served by East Coast Migrant Head Start Project in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma
Approximately 900 staff members furloughed from migrant Head Start centers
Specific families mentioned: Keiliana Porter and her three children in Portsmouth, Ohio; Jaxson Liebfreude, his spouse, and 10-month-old daughter Maxxy in Clinton, Iowa
Working parents who depend on Head Start for childcare to maintain employment
Communities in Little Rock, Arkansas; rural areas of Ohio, Iowa, and Florida; Tallahassee and Leon County, Florida; Jefferson and Franklin counties in Florida; and southern Washington state

What action is being taken

Dozens of Head Start centers are closing indefinitely or have already closed
Some centers are staying afloat with emergency funding from local governments and school districts
In southern Washington state, Rekah Strong's organization is closing centers and classrooms and cutting back home-based visiting services
The East Coast Migrant Head Start Project has furloughed approximately 900 staff members
In Tallahassee and Leon County, Florida, centers reopened after receiving a grant from Children's Services Council of Leon County
Local school districts and churches are providing meals for children in the Tallahassee area
Parents like Keiliana Porter are pausing their small businesses to care for children at home
Families are increasing their reliance on food pantries (the Liebfreude family now visits all three local pantries monthly plus asks friends for additional food)

Why it matters

Head Start serves the nation's most vulnerable children who come from low-income households, homelessness, or foster care situations, providing not just early education but critical developmental therapy, medical and dental screenings, and two meals daily that many families depend on. The closures create a cascading crisis for already-struggling families: parents lose the childcare that enables them to work and earn income, children miss out on essential early education during critical developmental years, and families lose access to nutritious meals provided by the programs. The situation is particularly dire for migrant farmworker families, where parents may be forced to bring young children into fields or keep older siblings home from school to babysit. Since Head Start is funded almost entirely by the federal government with little financial cushion, these families have no alternative affordable childcare options, and the disruption threatens to deepen poverty cycles for the most economically vulnerable populations.

What's next

Some centers relying on dwindling reserves warn they cannot keep doors open much longer
Rekah Strong indicates her organization will provide fewer services each week if the government doesn't reopen
Centers in rural Jefferson and Franklin counties, Florida, remain closed since late October with no reopening timeline mentioned
No explicit next steps stated in the article regarding government action or resolution timeline.

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint