Trump Administration moves to deregulate Head Start program

The Trump administration is preparing a major rollback of federal requirements for Head Start, the nation’s early‑education and anti‑poverty program. Proposed changes would eliminate most of the program’s 133 pages of standards, including curricula for math and literacy, class‑size limits, medical screenings, home‑visit requirements and even a rule that children brush their teeth after meals. Advocates warn the deregulation could undermine the program’s anti‑poverty mission, which serves about 700,000 children under six and has reached more than 30 million since its 1965 launch.

Administration officials say the revisions will streamline a heavily regulated system and give states and cities greater control, while federal funding would remain in place. Critics, including child‑care policy expert Ruth Friedman, describe the plan as a “massive gutting” of a program the White House previously labeled “radical.” The changes are expected to be formally introduced as early as next week and could be finalized by the end of the year.