Source New Mexico: NM delegation calls for feds to release Head Start money

The New Mexico congressional delegation on Monday called for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to release November grant reimbursements to Head Start programs, including three of the state’s Tribal Head Start programs.
Head Start is a federally funded program that provides early education, early screening, meals and supports families. Due to the recent federal government shutdown and prior funding delays, New Mexico Tribal Head Start Programs Raman Navajo School Board, Alamo Navajo School Board and San Felipe Pueblo did not receive their federal grant reimbursements for Fiscal Year 2026 on Nov. 1.
In a letter sent to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the New Mexico delegation asked for the department to send grant notifications and reimbursements to programs affected during this grant cycle across the country.
“As of November 5th, Head Start sites in 18 states and Puerto Rico have already been forced to halt operations and close their doors,” the letter reads. The letter further points out that programs struggling to remain open to children may make cuts elsewhere, such as in staffing, transportation and operating hours. “Still others had to take out loans or use reserve funds, which have placed them in financial risk and strain already limited resources.”
The delegation also requested that the HHS maintain communication with Head Start grantees so the local programs can plan and sustain “essential services.”
The letter noted that about 60,000 U.S. children were impacted by the lapse in funding, including more than 250 New Mexico children supported by the three Tribal Head Start Programs.
According to theNew Mexico Early Childhood Education Department, more than 7,800 children were served by Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Fiscal Year 2024. There were also 20 active Tribal Head Start and Early Head Start programs in the same time frame.
Last month, U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.)introducedthe Every Child Deserves a Head Start Act to protect Head Start from calls to eliminate it, as well as restore the programs’ regional offices.
“Affordable, accessible childcare is a critical lifeline for working families in New Mexico,” the delegation’s letter reads. “Head Start programs play an indispensable role in delivering high-quality early learning, health, and family well-being services that are especially vital in underserved and low-income communities.