Proposed federal cuts leave Virginia Head Start Association asking: ‘How could we recoup that?’
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Head Start programs across Virginia could soon face major challenges. Proposed federal cuts by the Trump administration would impact thousands of children who rely on this early education and care.
For decades, the federally-funded education program has provided resources for young children from low-income families.
"The program really offers a lot of training along the lines of financial literacy and parent development for the chance for families to succeed," said Dawn Ault, executive director of the Virginia Head Start Association. "We provide families with caseworkers, home visitors and work with them to have access to healthcare."
According to the Associated Press (AP), President Donald Trump and his administration have requested that Congress eliminate funding for the Head Start program in a 64-page draft budget.
The draft says eliminating the program is consistent with the Trump administration's "goals of returning control of education to the states and increasing parental control."
While the budget is still in the preliminary phase, Ault said news of the potential cuts is already creating uncertainty.
"It's a very stressful time and we are all very concerned," she said. "These are our youngest, littlest learners, [from] birth to [age] five, and they are our future ... and to cut off services for these programs is absolutely devastating."
In response, Virginia senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, alongside 40 congressional colleagues, sent a letter to the Trump administration calling for the protection of Head Start.
Locally, school districts like Richmond, Hanover and Petersburg each have hundreds of students enrolled in their Head Start programs.
According to Richmond School Board documents, 683 students enrolled in the district's Head Start programs for the 2024-25 school year. In Hanover, a spokesperson said a total of 105 students are currently enrolled in such programs. In Petersburg, 136 students are enrolled in Head Start.
These districts are expecting over $13 million combined in Head Start funding.
Other districts, like Henrico County Public Schools, receive state funding for preschool programs through the Virginia Preschool Initiative.
"We have good support here in Virginia, but it would still be a loss of $174 million into our early childhood system in Virginia alone," Ault said. "And how could we recoup that, I do not know."
Ault explained that many of the impacts would be felt by working families, especially those in rural communities facing limited childcare options.
"A lot of people would not be able to continue to work or go to school, because they wouldn't have childcare that they could afford," Ault said.
Ault is urging people to take action by signing an online petition from the National Head Start Association.
