By The Seattle Medium
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration has withheld nearly $1 billion in Head Start funding so far this year, representing a 37% decline in grants awarded compared to the same period last year, according to newly released data from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funding shortfall is already forcing program closures across the country—including in Washington state—and placing the future of thousands of vulnerable children, families, and educators at risk.
The sharp funding drop coincides with a broader push by the administration to dismantle Head Start, a federal program that provides early childhood education, health services, and family support to low-income children. President Trump is finalizing a proposal to eliminate the program altogether, while simultaneously shuttering half of the regional offices that manage Head Start operations and firing dozens of federal staff tasked with ensuring these centers can continue to serve local communities.
This week, a Head Start provider in Lower Yakima Valley, Washington, announced it would close indefinitely due to not receiving its annual federal grant. The closure affects more than 400 children and 70 staff members, leaving families without child care and educators without jobs.
In response, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued a strongly worded statement condemning the administration’s actions.
“As he works to give more tax breaks to billionaires like himself, Donald Trump is doing everything he can to destroy Head Start—without a care in the world for the hundreds of thousands of working families across the country who depend on it,” said Murray.
“So far this year, Trump has slow-walked $1 billion in funding from going out the door to Head Start programs, and we are beginning to see the devastating consequences: centers closing, kids kicked out of the classroom, teachers losing their jobs, and entire communities losing out. In Washington state, hundreds of kids will be kicked out of Head Start programs—sending their parents scrambling—if this isn’t immediately rectified.”
“Trump isn’t content to simply hold up funding—he wants to eliminate the program altogether and rip pre-K and essential support away from families nationwide. Democrats won’t let a proposal like that go anywhere in Congress—but make no mistake: Trump is already doing all he can to wreck the program on his own, withholding funding and shuttering the offices and firing the people who get local Head Start centers what they need to serve families,” Murray continued. “Now, we’re seeing the ruinous consequences. I’m going to keep fighting back with all I’ve got—because we’ve got to keep mobilizing and opposing this administration’s cruel agenda to help billionaires and hurt working families.”
From January 1 to April 15, 2025, the Trump administration disbursed just $1.605 billion in Head Start grants. That compares to $2.548 billion during the same period last year—a $943 million difference. The delays come despite Congress funding Head Start at $12.27 billion for both fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
Head Start centers rely on predictable funding cycles to continue operations. Even short delays can trigger layoffs, classroom closures, and disruptions to critical early learning services.
The cuts are hitting states across the board. California saw a decline of more than $128 million, New York nearly $65 million, and Texas more than $61 million. In Washington state, Head Start funding dropped from $50 million last year to just $13.6 million so far in 2025—a nearly $36.5 million cut.
Since early 2025, the Trump administration has undertaken aggressive moves to dismantle Head Start’s infrastructure. In February, dozens of staff were laid off from the HHS Office of Head Start and Office of Child Care. In April, HHS closed half of the regional offices responsible for supporting and overseeing local programs, without providing a clear plan for how services and oversight would continue uninterrupted.
The lack of transparency and strategic planning has alarmed advocates and lawmakers alike, who say the administration is undermining one of the country’s most successful early education initiatives. Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has served nearly 40 million children and families, with over 750,000 currently enrolled and more than 17,000 Head Start centers in operation—many serving rural and underserved communities.
Source: Seattle Medium
