For Immediate Release

July 10, 2025

NAEYC’s vision is that each and every child thrives and learns in a society dedicated to ensuring all children reach their full potential. This vision is threatened by a policy change announced by the Administration today that would limit some immigrant children's participation in Head Start. This harmful policy change, which reverses decades of precedent, comes alongside the establishment of similar new requirements for some higher education and food assistance programs, targeting many of the people who are able to learn and thrive with this support, including young children and early childhood educators.

For over 60 years, and under bipartisan leadership, Head Start has served as a vital school readiness program for children from low-income families and has never limited access to children based on immigration status. This decision, based on a re-interpretation of a 30-year-old law, will harm young children during their earliest years of foundational brain development. It will negatively impact the programs that provide high quality early childhood education in the communities that need it most. It should be reversed.  

NAEYC will continue to work with our partners and share information with our community as we learn more details through further guidance, and prepare to add our voices during the upcoming 30-day comment period. We will ensure our members and educators on the ground are supported in understanding the changes, how they might affect their programs and communities, and how they can continue to support quality education for each and every child.