MADISON – The Department of Children and Families submitted a public comment strongly urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to withdraw the Trump Administration’s latest proposal to drastically roll back Head Start Program Performance Standards.
“Head Start has always been about supporting the whole family and leveling the playing field for children and families facing the greatest needs,” said acting DCF Secretary Nadya Pérez-Reyes, “When we eliminate ratios, increase barriers for kids experiencing homelessness, and weaken health protections for Wisconsin’s youngest kids, we aren’t just changing regulations – we are putting kids at risk and weaking the safety net that helps families thrive. We must keep families at the center of Head Start.”
DCF’s submission builds on Gov. Evers recent letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams where the governor emphasized how destructive the Trump Administration’s latest proposal is to the quality and safety of Head Start programs, which offer high-quality early learning, health, and family support services to approximately 700,000 kids nationwide.
For over six decades, Head Start has been an essential resource for communities across the United States, offering free learning and developmental services to children and families. Wisconsin is home to 42 Head Start and Early Head Start programs that served 8,231 Head Start Preschool children, 4,055 Early Head Start infants and toddlers, 1,771 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start children, and 298 pregnant women during the 2024-2025 program year. Grant recipients employed 4,516 staff statewide, and 10,524 people volunteered in Head Start programs, which demonstrates the value Head Start holds in Wisconsin communities.
DCF’s public comment can be viewed on the Federal Register website.
This release is also available on the DCF website.
