HEAD START
Right now, Congress is working on a budget proposal that includes eliminating the Head Start program nationwide. For Wisconsin children, this could be devastating. In St. Croix County alone, Head Start funded preschool enrollment for over 9,000 children in 2023.
Head Start promotes school readiness for children from birth to age five who live in low-income households. Families also benefit from participation in the program, as it also provides prenatal care, housing support, job training, and education both for parents and staff.
Starting in 1965 as part of the “War on Poverty” program, Head Start has always received bipartisan support, until now. Sadly, Trump loyalists are turning away from our most vulnerable children and families in favor of giving over 5 trillion dollars’ worth of tax cuts/benefits to America’s most wealthy.
Financially, though Head Start is good economics, generating $7 for every $1 spent, according to the National Head Start Association. The program has long been credited with increasing graduation rates and promoting greater career success, both of which support economic growth.
Poverty isn’t always overtly evident. As a teacher in the Hudson School district for 22 years, I was sometimes surprised to find out about a homeless student/family, or even about households that were struggling to pay bills, feed their families, and provide much-needed clothing and healthcare.
In 2022, about 13% of St. Croix County’s families with children were already classified as “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed” or ALICE (more than 1 in 10); these families earn more than the Federal Poverty Level but less than the basic cost of living for the County, and they can’t afford the essential costs of living here.
Head Start partners with parents, families, and communities to create a positive, sustainable, growth-oriented environment for America’s most vulnerable young people.
Remind Congress that what makes America great is our future–our children. Contact your congressmen today and ask them to support Head Start in Wisconsin and across the country. We must protect our future.