The federal government officially shut down on Oct. 1, 2025, when Republicans and Democrats could not reach a funding agreement to keep the government open. While we don’t know how long the government will remain shut down, some early childhood programs will feel a squeeze until an agreement is reached. 

A shutdown pauses or scales back many federal operations, which may delay or disrupt funding to programs. While many federally funded early child services should be able to operate as usual in the short term, the longer a government shutdown goes on, the greater the likelihood it could disrupt and impact your work and the families you serve.  

We’re actively monitoring the situation and advocating to protect and prioritize early childhood programs.  

Here’s what you need to know: 

What is a government shutdown? 

Each year, Congress must pass appropriations legislation to fund the federal government. This bill must be signed into law by the president before the start of the new fiscal year on October 1. If Congress does not pass an appropriations bill or short-term funding known as a Continuing Resolution (CR) to temporarily extend funding, the government experiences a shutdown, where services and programs deemed “non-essential” are paused until a funding agreement is reached. This year, the Administration is also threatened to fire, rather than furlough, many impacted federal staff, which could have longer-term implications for the management of federal programs and services.

How did we get here?  

• Congress had until September 30 to pass legislation to fund the government for the next fiscal year (October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026).
  • The Senate has proposed protecting and, in some cases, expanding funding for early childhood programs.
  • The House proposal includes deep and harmful cuts to ECE, such as eliminating funding for Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five and the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program. 
• Since Congress has not yet reached an agreement on spending levels and individual program funding (on a range of issues much broader than ECE), leaders are debating plans for a short-term CR to temporarily extend funding. The disagreement at this moment largely revolves around whether and how Congress extends healthcare subsidies that expire at the end of the year and could cause insurance premiums to rise for many individuals and families.

What Could This Mean for Early Childhood Programs?  

Government shutdowns are costly and disruptive to the public and to the effective administration of publicly funded programs and supports; however, not all programs are impacted in the same way at the same time. Many ECE programs can continue temporarily using carryover or mandatory funds; however, the longer a shutdown goes, the more likely that early childhood educators and the children and families they serve could see major disruptions to the supports that help them thrive. Here’s what we know so far about potential implications for key early childhood education programs: 

Child Care and Development Block Grant 

CCDBG funding is discretionary and subject to the annual appropriations process, but impacts on programs in the short term should be mitigated by the fact that states have funding on hand, multiple years to spend down discretionary funds, and receive additional mandatory funding through the Child Care Entitlement to the states. So in the short term, programs serving families receiving subsidies should not have their payments disrupted immediately; however, a longer shutdown risks a greater impact to program stability. 

Head Start  

Head Start funding is also discretionary, and grants are awarded on a rolling basis, starting at different months throughout the year. There were only a handful of Head Start programs with October 1 grant start dates this year, so impacts were fairly limited in the first month of the shutdown, but the situation for Head Start grows increasingly dire as we approach November. 

If the shutdown extends into November, more than 130 Head Start programs serving 65,000 children across 41 states and Puerto Rico will be left without federal funding for their operations tied to their November 1 grant start dates. For these children and their families, this threatens access to high quality early childhood education opportunities and the comprehensive services Head Start provides to help them thrive.  

IDEA Special Education and Early Intervention 

IDEA programs are forward-funded and receive their funding in July and October. The Department of Education has put in place a contingency plan to ensure funding goes out on October 1.

During the shutdown, the Administration made the unprecedented decision to fire nearly all staff overseeing special education programs at the Department of Education. This decision runs counter to decades of bipartisan support and commitment from Congress to ensure children with disabilities have federal protections and supports that allow them to reach their full potential, beginning in early childhood. NAEYC and our partners have condemned this decision, which is not required by a government shutdown, and encourage you to join us in reaching out to your Members of Congress to call on the Administration to reverse course on this harmful decision.  

Tell Congress: Protect Children’s Right to an Inclusive and Quality Education  

Child and Adult Care Food Program 

Prior to November 1, child care programs participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) should be able to continue operating without major disruptions. However, if the shutdown extends to November 1 and beyond, state agencies and child care programs may see delayed reimbursements for nutrition services for 4.4 million children. 

WIC 

When shutdowns occur, WIC programs continue to operate until they run out of funds. At the start of the shutdown the WIC program only had enough funding to serve families for a few weeks and in early October the Administration provided WIC with temporary funds to keep the program operating. Some states have indicated these short-term dollars will last until early November at best. While local and state governments can provide their own monies when federal funds run out, it is uncertain whether this is feasible for all states and communities. Disruptions to WIC risk the health and nutrition of millions of expectant mothers, infants, and young children.  

SNAP 

October SNAP benefits were obligated in September, which means October payments for SNAP recipients will be processed and are not in jeopardy. However, future food benefits face high risk come November 1 as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not indicated that they will use contingency reserves to cover SNAP costs, and several states warn recipients that services may be suspended in November without federal funding. Interruptions to SNAP could increase food instability for low-income families and early childhood educators who rely on SNAP. 

Next steps 

NAEYC is continuing to work alongside our partners and allies to: 

• Advocate for critically needed investments in essential early childhood programs 
• Ensure policymakers understand the real-world impact of delays and cuts 
• Keep educators, providers, and families informed about potential disruptions and available resources 

We need your voice alongside ours. Contact your members of Congress and urge them to pass a funding bill that protects and invests in early childhood programs. 

Take Action. 

We want to hear about your experience in the shutdown. Please share your story if your program faces disruptions or challenges in the face of the government shutdown. 

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