Head Start Funding in AZ Released After Gallego Pushes Administration

WASHINGTON —Head Start programs in Arizona received word that their funding will be released. This comes afterSenator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)and other lawmakers pushed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)last weekto stop withholding federal funds thatmore than 17,000 childrenin Arizona rely on. The previously delayed funds left an Arizona Head Start program unable to make payroll and forced to take out a loan to pay staff.
“Eliminating Head Start would be catastrophic for Arizona.  At a time when our state is already in a childcare crisis, cutting Head Start would devastate working families, displace thousands of educators, and rob 17,000 children of vital   early education and health services. We must act now to save Head Start and protect Arizona’s families, economy, and future,”Eve Del Real,  Arizona Head Start Association Board President.
“Eliminating Head Start funding would not only undermine access to high-quality early care and education, particularly in rural areas; but also trigger catastrophic social and economic disruption by weakening family stability, reducing workforce participation, and eroding critical support for our most vulnerable children,”said Jessica Rivera-Garcia, AZHSA Executive Director.
Also in last week’s letter, Senator Gallego pushed the Administration on other outstanding issues with Head Start, includingagaindemanding answers from the Administration on the closure of Arizona’s regional HHS office:
“This left hundreds of programs without dedicated points of contact to address mission critical issues like approving grant renewals and modifications, investigating child health and safety incidents, and providing training and technical assistance to ensure high-quality services for children,”said Senator Gallego and his colleagues.
In response torecent reportsthat the Administration aims to eliminate Head Start entirely, Senator Gallego and his colleagues wrote that,“We believe it is obvious that eliminating Head Start would be detrimental to hundreds of thousands of children and families.”
After Trump’s chaotic funding freeze disrupted Head Start programs in January, Gallegocalled onthe Administration to fully protect funding and ensure such disruptions do not happen again.
4/28/25