BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Government shutdown creates uncertainty for Head Start programs serving low-income families, with potential closures if funding gaps extend.
- The federally funded early childhood education programs provide free childcare, meals, and healthcare screenings while parents work
- While Head Start staff aren't federal employees, extended shutdowns could lead to classroom closures and staff furloughs
- The Temple-based program has enough grant money to operate until January 1, but construction projects are already affected
- Families depend on Head Start for childcare so they can work, with many saying they'd have nowhere else to take their children if programs close.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The ongoing government shutdown is creating uncertainty for federal funding nationwide, potentially impacting Head Start programs that provide crucial early childhood education and childcare for low-income families.
Head Start is a free early childhood education program for low-income families — a federally funded resource that gives parents an opportunity to work while their young children receive care and education.
"If Head Start was taken away, we wouldn't have anywhere to take them," Head Start parent, Clara Parker said.
"I didn't have any help, but bringing her here, I can go to school, go to work," Head Start parent, Tiona Blane said.
"Parents would be out of a job because we can't take them to school, we can't take them to work, we can't take them anywhere, we need to provide for them," Michael Gutierrez, a parent who brings his child to Head Start explained.
The program provides comprehensive services beyond basic childcare.
"They're providing breakfast, lunch, snacks, they do healthcare screenings, so that's a big help to families like myself," Parker said.
Now, those resources may not always be available
Head Start staff are not federal employees, but the National Association of Head Start said in a statement: "If a shutdown extends into weeks or months, the risk of classroom closures and staff furlough rises sharply, directly affecting children, families and communities."
The full statement can be read below,
At midnight on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the United States federal government shut down after funding expired, with Congress and President Trump unable to agree on funding for fiscal year 2026.
Despite the shutdown, Head Start programs will remain open across the country and Head Start staff, who are not federal employees, will continue to work for the foreseeable future. However, if a shutdown extends into weeks or months, the risk of classroom closures and staff furloughs rises sharply, directly affecting children, families, and communities.
“For more than 60 years, Head Start has had the steadfast, bipartisan support of leaders in Washington, D.C., because our mission — being the launchpad to success for children and families — transcends politics. Even as Congress debates and the government shuts down, Head Start programs will remain open. Families can rely on us, as they always have, to be a stable and dependable presence in their children’s lives.
That resilience, however, comes at a cost. Rising expenses and inflation are putting enormous pressure on Head Start programs already working tirelessly to serve every child and family who walks through their doors. Our teachers and staff, who are the backbone of Head Start, are doing heroic work on salaries that are often far below what they could earn elsewhere.
We know children cannot put their development on pause while politics play out. As Congress moves forward, we urge lawmakers from both parties not only to resolve this shutdown but also to provide the increased funding needed to keep Head Start strong and sustainable.”
Head Start should be safe for the short term. Central Texas 4C in Temple reports it has enough funding to last until Jan. 1.
"We are able to continue because we've already got an approved grant, so until that runs out we're good," Executive Director of Central Texas 4C, Janell Frazier said.
But the shutdown does affect their ability to pay construction workers on the construction of their new facility in East Temple.
"We're halfway through and I can't access the rest of the funding which is sitting inside the payment management system of the federal government," Frazier said.
For now, families who send their children to Head Start are hoping they don't lose the much-needed resource to provide for their loved ones.
"It's a big help to low-income families, because if they were to shut down tomorrow, a lot of families wouldn't know where to take their children, we would lose jobs," Parker said.
The program should be funded through the end of the year. If the shutdown really does last beyond Jan. 1 when Central Texas 4C's funds run out, that's when they'll begin to consider class cancellations.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
