The proposed changes would reduce support for professional development, coaching, qualifications, and career pathways for Head Start staff, making it more difficult to recruit and retain qualified educators and maintain high-quality services for children and working families.

The proposed changes would replace federal teacher-child ratio and group-size requirements with state minimum standards, deeply diminishing classroom quality and the individualized attention children receive.

The proposed changes would reduce access to mental health, developmental, and disability services that help identify concerns early and connect children and families to the supports they need to succeed.

The proposal would reduce the allowable administrative cost cap from 15% to 5%. Effective administration is essential for compliance, workforce management, family engagement, community partnerships, and overall program operations. Reducing administrative capacity could hinder programs' ability to operate effectively and achieve intended outcomes.

The proposed changes would eliminate standards that support children's home languages and families' preferred languages. This will reduce family engagement, create communication barriers, and limit learning opportunities for dual language learners.

I am writing to express concern about proposed changes that would reduce support for workforce development within Head Start programs. 

Professional development, coaching, staff qualifications, and career advancement opportunities are essential for recruiting and retaining qualified early childhood educators. Reducing these investments will further strain the workforce and negatively affect the quality of services provided to children and families. 

I respectfully urge HHS to preserve workforce development supports and withdraw the proposed rule. 

I am writing to express concern about proposed changes that could weaken classroom ratio requirements in Head Start programs.

Maintaining current teacher-child ratios is essential to ensuring children receive the individualized attention, support, and safe learning environments they need to thrive. Weakening these standards will negatively impact school readiness and the quality of services families depend upon.

I respectfully urge HHS to maintain existing classroom ratio standards and withdraw the proposed rule.

I am writing to express concern about proposed changes that would reduce support for mental health, developmental, and disability services within Head Start programs.

These services help identify concerns early and connect children and families to critical supports that improve outcomes and promote long-term success. Preserving these services helps ensure children receive the assistance they need during their most important years of development.

I respectfully urge HHS to preserve these essential services and withdraw the proposed rule.

I am writing to express concern about the proposal to reduce the administrative cost cap from 15 percent to 5 percent.

Strong administrative systems are critical to program accountability, compliance, workforce management, family engagement, and community partnerships. A significant reduction in administrative capacity could impair programs' ability to meet federal requirements and deliver highquality services to children and families.

I respectfully urge HHS to maintain the current administrative cost cap and withdraw the proposed rule.

I am writing to express concern about proposed changes that would eliminate standards supporting dual language learners and family engagement in Head Start programs.

Supporting children's home languages and families' preferred languages helps strengthen communication, family engagement, and positive learning outcomes. Eliminating these standards will create barriers for families and reduce support for children who benefit from dual language learning opportunities.

I respectfully urge HHS to preserve these standards and withdraw the proposed rule.

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards.

Head Start provides critical early education and family support services that help children succeed while enabling parents to participate in the workforce. I am particularly concerned about the potential impacts on workforce development, classroom quality, mental health and disability services, administrative capacity, and support for dual language learners and their families.

Together, these standards help ensure that children receive high-quality early learning experiences, families remain engaged in their children's education, and programs have the resources needed to serve their communities effectively. Weakening these protections will reduce program quality, limit access to critical services, and create barriers for children and families who rely on Head Start.

I respectfully urge HHS to withdraw the proposed changes and preserve the standards that have helped Head Start effectively serve children and families for decades.