S2819119th CongressWALLET

Head Start for America's Children Act

Sponsored By: Senator Bernie Sanders

Introduced

Summary

This bill would expand and modernize Head Start to serve more infants and toddlers, require more year‑round and extended‑day options, and strengthen mental‑health, disability, and Native language supports.

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  • Families and children: Would broaden eligibility to include families at or below 60% of the State median income and explicitly cover homeless children, foster care children, and children with disabilities. It would add mental‑health screening during home visits and push many center‑based programs toward full‑calendar‑year operation by Sept. 30, 2027 with defined exemptions.
  • Early childhood workers and providers: Would expand Early Head Start provider eligibility and prioritize partnerships with Tribal, minority‑serving, and Hispanic‑serving institutions. It would raise staff training expectations, require wage and benefits comparability reporting, and tie a three‑year teaching commitment to certain loan repayment rules.
  • Native American, Native Hawaiian, and migrant/seasonal programs: Would institutionalize Tribal and Native Hawaiian participation in governance, fund language and cultural preservation, bar non‑Native grantees for Native programs, and exempt these programs from the year‑round requirement while reserving a 4.5% grant pool for them.

*Would authorize a FY2026 baseline of $144.9 billion and multi‑year targeted reservations including $4.4 billion for extended operations and $300 million for slot conversions, thereby increasing federal spending.*

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

14 provisions identified: 13 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Broader Head Start eligibility and pilots

If enacted, the bill would expand Head Start eligibility to children with family income at or below 60% of the State median and add many categorical groups like homeless, foster, SSI, TANF, SNAP, and Section 8 recipients. The bill would bar extra local eligibility tests and create a Community Eligibility Pilot for up to 10 agencies with $95 million. It would also allow migrant and tribal programs to use certain discretionary selection rules and treat Freely Associated States as 'States' for Head Start purposes.

Big new Head Start funding

If enacted, the bill would authorize $144.872 billion for Head Start in fiscal year 2026. Each year after would rise by an annual adjustment percentage tied to CPI-U. The bill would set aside at least $3.58 billion in FY2026 for staff compensation. It would fund $5 billion for facilities and reserve funds for slot conversions, regional offices, research, and other priorities.

Better health and disability services

If enacted, the bill would require Head Start to improve coordination with Medicaid and provide technical help to speed payments and referrals. Early Head Start home visits would include mental health screening and referrals. Programs would get more training, access to mental health consultants, and guidance to provide assistive technology and accommodations for children with disabilities.

Head Start child-care partnerships

If enacted, Head Start agencies could get competitive grants to partner with child care providers. Grants could pay for training, financial help, and blending Head Start and child care funds to give full working-day care. The bill would provide $1.625 billion for these partnership activities for FY2026–2030.

Head Start on college campuses

If enacted, the bill would fund competitive grants for Head Start partnerships with colleges to serve student parents on campus. Grants would run five years with renewals and give priority to historically underserved institutions. The bill would appropriate $500 million for FY2026–2030 for these campus programs.

Head Start workforce pay and training

If enacted, the bill would fund grants to rebuild the Head Start workforce and set aside at least $40 million for career advancement partnerships. It would allow paid clinical teaching experiences and require degree recipients to work three years with no repayment if the work requirement is not met. The bill also expands wage and benefits reporting.

Higher Head Start Funding Limits

If enacted, the bill would double a named program funding limit from $100 million to $200 million. It would also raise a reserved set‑aside from 3% to 4.5%, increasing the share of funds for that category.

More full-day, year-round care

If enacted, the bill would fund grants and set rules so many Head Start centers can provide more than 1,380 hours a year. It would create competitive grants for extended hours and summer operations. By September 30, 2027, centers must be full calendar year unless exempted. The Secretary may exempt agencies if year-round schedules would hurt enrollment.

Head Start ADA Compliance Required

If enacted, the bill would require Head Start facility paperwork to include a certification of compliance with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This aims to improve physical and program access for children with disabilities.

Help getting to and staying in Head Start

If enacted, the bill would provide $91.575 million for transportation to help children reach Head Start from FY2026 through FY2030. It would also let programs offer supports like transportation, child care, dependent care, assistive technology, and food to help people join Head Start training and activities.

Competitive Early Head Start awards

If enacted, Early Head Start grants would be awarded competitively. Priority would go to entities with a record of early, continuous services and to current Head Start operators. This may shift awards toward experienced providers.

Stronger Native and Hawaiian protections

If enacted, the bill would add Native Hawaiian organizations to appeals and notice rules and generally defer to Native experts when making guidance for Native-serving Head Start programs. It would support Native language revitalization, add digital literacy programs for Native participants, and let tribal Head Start programs set discretionary enrollment rules and culturally responsive mental health supports.

Local Control over Head Start Curriculum

If enacted, the bill would bar Head Start programs and local schools from forcing each other to use a specific curriculum. This preserves local program and school control over teaching materials.

Stronger Tribal Head Start Oversight

If enacted, the bill would create a Native American Head Start advisory committee. The Secretary would consult the committee on research and planning. The Office of Head Start must keep program offices for Native and migrant programs and expand regional staffing and technical help.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Bernie Sanders

VT • I

Cosponsors

  • Richard Blumenthal

    CT • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Kirsten Gillibrand

    NY • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • John Fetterman

    PA • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Mazie Hirono

    HI • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Timothy Kaine

    VA • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Edward Markey

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Jeff Merkley

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Andy Kim

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Alex Padilla

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Tina Smith

    MN • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Chris Van Hollen

    MD • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Elizabeth Warren

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Peter Welch

    VT • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Ron Wyden

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 9/16/2025

  • Adam Schiff

    CA • D

    Sponsored 12/15/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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