“I actually think that preschool was better for him than TK. I feel that now that he is going to kindergarten, he’s more advanced and ready to go. Head Start was a big help for me and I’m very grateful for it.” –California Head Start parent

As recently as last month, the current administration proposed gutting Head Start across the country. Although Head Start has dodged cuts for now, many believe the future of this critical safety net program is precarious at best. Arbitrarily cutting such programs without considering the significant impact on children, families and communities across the country is irresponsible and will cause irreparable damage in California and beyond. Many don’t realize just how important Head Start is for multilingual learners and their families.

What exactly does Head Start do?

Head Start, founded in 1968, is a federally funded early childhood education program that provides comprehensive services including education, health, nutrition, and family support to children ages 0-5, families, and pregnant women from low income backgrounds. Children from birth to age five who are from families with incomes below the federal poverty guidelines are eligible for Head Start services. 

Local entities are able to design the program to best meet the needs of the children and families they serve while maintaining high standards aligned to the Head Start Program Performance Standards. Services are delivered through a variety of strategies including part-day and full-day center-based preschool programs, home visiting, family child care programs, parent education, health services, and more. 

California’s Head Start Program

California’s Head Start program is the largest in the nation, accounting for 10% of all children served and receives approximately 13% of the total federal Head Start funding. In FY 2024, California received over $1 billion dollars for Head Start and Early Head Start combined. The State of California does not fund Head Start or Early Head Start directly. However, nearly 70% of the state’s Head Start grantees use both Head Start funding and California federal and state early education funding to provide a full year and full day of services for children and families who qualify versus the part time, partial year program funded by federal dollars. . Cuts to Head Start would create a significant gap in funding for our most vulnerable children, families and those who care for them. 

California is part of Head Start Region IX, which also includes Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In April 2025, the Region IX Office in San Francisco, which provided support, technical assistance and oversight to California’s Head Start programs, was closed as part of the current administration’s purported efforts to increase efficiency.

Eligibility and Enrollment

While some estimates suggest a family of four in California must make over $180,000 annually to live comfortably, that same family must make less than $32,150 to qualify for Head Start services. In California, Head Start is truly serving those with the greatest need including:

• Families living below the federal poverty line
• Children from homeless families
• Families receiving public assistance such as TANF or SSI 
• Foster children regardless of their foster family’s income
• Children with certain special circumstances such as diagnosed special needs, regardless of income

According to the 2025 California Head Start profile, the state has approximately 75,000 Head Start slots in preschool, family child care, American Indian/Alaska Native, and migrant education programs. Of these, 6,416 slots are allocated for migrant and seasonal Head Start participants. 6% of 3- and 4- year olds in California participate in a Head Start program. Although significant, funded slots have declined by nearly 9% since 2022. With Transitional Kindergarten reaching full implementation in the fall of 2025, Head Start is seeing a shift in enrollment. While 4-year olds historically made up the bulk of enrolled children, the program is seeing a significant increase in 3-year olds with classrooms primarily serving the younger age group. 

“Because she went to Head Start, in the future, my child will get a better job, travel to different countries. A good thing is that they don’t forget their home language.” –California Head Start parent

Head Start and Dual Language Learners

The Region IX DLL Head Start data reports that the region serves over 100,000 enrolled children with 5 out of 10 designated as a dual language learner. Between 2021 and 2023, the region saw a 23% increase in dual language learners participating in Head Start. California Head Start programs serve 80,000 dual language learners— representing nearly 50% of the state’s total Head Start enrollment.

The Head Start Program Performance Standards require the use of evidence-based teaching practices for English and home language development. This is particularly critical for children in California who face unique challenges and opportunities as they learn more than language simultaneously. Some studies have demonstrated that dual language learners who participated in Head Start as 4 year olds experience sustained positive benefits demonstrated through cognitive and health outcomes through first grade.  A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates that Head Start enrollment leads to significant gains in receptive vocabulary and early literacy and numeracy, with some of the greatest gains evident with Spanish-speaking children and those with limited English proficiency.

It is imperative that we elevate the benefits of Head Start, advocate for continued funding and  ultimately ensure our young dual language learners have the opportunities afforded to them through this critical program.