MHSA Advocacy Action Center
“Protect Head Start”
We thank you for coming here today to Advocate!
Head Start is being targeted for elimination at the federal level and we urgently need your support to protect it. As you know, Head Start is more than just a program; it’s an investment in the future of children, families, and society at large. It’s about ensuring that every child, no matter where they come from, has the tools they need to thrive in school and beyond.
Here is how you can TAKE ACTION NOW.
1. Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a notice that changes how Head Start is defined under federal law, classifying it as a “federal public benefit” and denying Head Start eligibility for certain non-citizen children.
NHSA has created a public comment template to help guide your response to this notice. Sharing your perspective on how this policy change will affect your program is key to shaping the administration’s understanding of the impact and burden this rule will have on families and staff. Submitting a comment also sends a strong message that the Head Start community is engaged, informed, and paying close attention. You can find the link to submit comments and key guidelines on the first page of the template. The comment period closes on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
Webinar
In partnership with Start Early, NHSA offered a webinar on Thursday, August 7, 2025, to help guide you through the public comment process, provide tips on personalizing your comment, and answer any questions you may have.
Click here to access the slides from this webinar.
As before, we strongly encourage you not to change your policies or proceed with any implementation of this policy at this time, as there is currently no defined clarity or guidance on this issue.
Thank you for taking the time to speak out and ensure the record reflects the real impact this policy change would have on Head Start programs and the families we serve in Michigan.
2. Click on NHSA’s Action Alert (only 1 minute) – Click here to send your representatives a pre-written letter. NHSA keeps these fresh so you may want to check back a couple of times in the month and send more messages.
3. Call your Congressional representative and US Senators office
Let them know how important Head Start is to your community. (Yes, call volume is VERY important, and they do keep a tally of the hot topics.)
United States House of Representatives Look Up
United States Senate Look Up
In Michigan, our KEY Members are the following – If they are your representative, it is doubly important that you act!
House Appropriations Committee: John Moolenaar- MI
Senate Appropriations Committee: Gary Peters – MI
4. Ask your communities to join us in delivering our message to Congress
After emailing your members of Congress, we need your assistance in getting this message out to your networks – by email, by text, or by social media – to ask Head Start families, staff, alumni, friends, and anyone who cares about Head Start to join us in delivering our message to Congress.
Talking Points- The Message To Congress
Stand up for Head Start. Reject any attempts to weaken or eliminate this important program.
Head Start and Early Head Start are federally funded programs that support families with young children who are living in poverty, in foster care, or experiencing homelessness.
Head Start provides children from eligible families with high-quality early learning as well as medical, dental, vision, behavioral, health, and nutrition services.
Without Head Start, 27,000 of Michigan’s most vulnerable children will lose access to high-quality early learning as well as meals, health & vision screenings, dental services, and the skills they need to enter kindergarten ready to learn.
In many areas, especially rural communities in Michigan, Head Start is a family’s only access to child care. Without it, hundreds of thousands of parents and caregivers won’t be able to go to work.
NHSA Talking Points – Download
NHSA TAKE ACTION: Click here
Toolkit: PROTECT Head Start – First Five Years Fund
First Five Years Fund Take Action: Click here
Data At A Glance
- $26,650 or less: Income level at which a family of three qualifies for Head Start
- 750,000: Number of children served by Head Start in 2024
- 17,000: Number of Head Start/Early Head Start centers operating nationwide, serving families in every Congressional district
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Advocating for Head Start Families
No one knows your child better than you! And as the parent of a child in Head Start, you are the expert in what your child needs and how they best learn. Using your voice to speak up for your child and other children is the essence of advocacy. Simply, advocacy is the active support of an idea or cause. We all advocate when we seek to make a difference in the lives of children. And there’s been no more important time to advocate for children in Michigan than today. Here are some things you can do to become an active advocate for your child and family.
Become Engaged/Informed: Get involved in your school’s parent group. We all gain insights and inspiration when we work with others for a common goal. There are many opportunities to do this by volunteering in your child’s program where you can learn a lot about early childhood issues. The more you learn the better informed and empowered you become!
Tell Your Story: Data and facts are important but personal stories are memorable and persuasive. A personal story helps listeners, whether elected officials or community leaders relate to the human side of an issue.
Talk to Your Neighbors, Civic and Service Groups: Tell the people around you about the importance of Head Start and what it’s meant for your family. Word-of-mouth support builds and people are most likely to believe those they know and trust. Civic and service groups are always looking for speakers knowledgeable about important community-based programs.
Contact Your Elected Leaders: Elected officials can’t possibly know everything about all issues before them. They need to hear from knowledgeable individuals who can tell them how these issues are impacting the lives of their constituents. Whether you want to thank your Member of Congress for their support of Head Start, or ask them to support Head Start in the upcoming federal budget, contact them by phone, email, on social media, or seek them out at public events. Find out when you elected leaders are hosting a community coffee hour and show up. This is the best way to start building a relationship with them. Also, do tell them you care – and vote!
Write an Op Ed/Letter to the Editor: Elected officials and their staff always scan local publications to get a sense of what’s important to the public. Use these forums to present persuasive information that can reach lots of people. And then do share these postings on your social media outlets.
Why We Advocate for Head Start: Head start is funded primarily by public dollars that pay for our grantee members' academic, social, health, and family services. The competition for public funding never goes away. With your help, we can educate decision-makers, legislators and other influential people about the value of Head Start programming, its effectiveness and its return on investment to society. Become a Head Start champion and help shape public policy.