October 7, 2026 – For decades, Head Start has served as one of our nation’s most important investments for families.  Over the years, it has prepared our children for school, connected parents to critical resources, and built a path toward economic stability. No state has more at stake than Texas, which enrolls more children in Early Head Start and Head Start than any other state in the nation. Head Start reaches thousands of San Antonio families, every day. In 2024, Early Head Start and Head Start provided 7,346 seats for our city’s youngest learners. That’s thousands of children getting a strong start in school and thousands of parents able to work, train, or study knowing their kids are in good hands.

The need in San Antonio is greater than in most of the country. For the past decade, roughly 18% of San Antonians have lived in poverty, well above the Texas rate of 13.9% and the national rate of 12.5%. Our families face steeper odds, and our investment in early childhood should reflect that. Yet, proposed changes to the program threaten to place new obstacles in front of the very families Head Start was designed to serve. Among these possible changes are increased documentation requirements for parents experiencing homelessness, sudden displacement or informal unemployment, as well as requiring English-only instruction in classrooms. For families living on the edge, additional barriers can mean the difference between accessing opportunity and being left behind.

In 2024, CHILDREN AT RISK conducted focus groups with 30 caregivers in low-income areas in San Antonio for the Children’s Health Initiative. Families unanimously reported that due to Head Start, they had one less thing to worry about. Finding high-quality early education wasn’t a struggle, because Head Start was there when they needed it most. Families emphasized that these programs help children begin Kindergarten ready to learn, interact with peers, and succeed in the classroom. Not only do these programs prepare our children for the classroom, but they also connect families with health screenings, nutrition education, and other parenting resources. Enrollment allows caregivers time to pursue employment, educational opportunities, or workforce training while knowing their children were receiving high-quality early education.

The focus groups also revealed an uncomfortable reality: private preschool is not an option for many families. Educational costs can be an insurmountable barrier. Parents often compared private preschool tuition to a monthly rent payment, placing it far outside the reach of households already struggling to cover basic necessities. For families facing those decisions, there is no backup plan if Head Start becomes inaccessible.

That is why the proposed changes to Head Start are particularly concerning. Families experiencing housing instability, unemployment, or financial hardship often already face significant administrative burdens. Requiring additional paperwork from parents who are homeless or unemployed may sound reasonable from a policy perspective—in practice, it can delay enrollment or prevent eligible children from receiving services altogether. Program integrity should be maintained through spot checks and oversight on the back-end, instead of adding more even more up-front hurdles that cast the largest shadows on the families with the least.

The proposal to require English-only instruction is troubling.

San Antonio is mostly a Hispanic/Latino community where many families speak Spanish at home. Focus group participants reported already experiencing language barriers during enrollment and difficulties finding staff who could communicate effectively with them. Rather than addressing these challenges, an English-only approach risks making families feel less welcome while limiting opportunities for multilingual learners to thrive. Yet, with 48% of all Texas children younger than 6 enrolled in a dual-language program, parents are increasingly and consistently requesting multilingual enrollment materials, clearer communication, and culturally responsive outreach efforts. The solution to language barriers is not fewer language supports. It is more.

Families are not asking for special treatment. Instead of creating new hurdles, policymakers should focus on addressing the challenges families face firsthand. Parents called for simplified enrollment systems, real-time waitlist information, stronger communication from program staff, improved transportation support, and greater investments in services for children with developmental needs, including autism. These recommendations reflect what families in San Antonio need to make sure their children are set up for success and that their household has the education needed to contribute to our growing economy.

Head Start is not a handout. It is a proven investment in human potential. Children should not be denied opportunities because of circumstances entirely outside their control. Instead of creating new barriers through additional paperwork, English-only requirements, or policies that discourage vulnerable families from seeking help, we should expand access to a program that helps children succeed in school and produces benefits that last a lifetime. The future of Texas depends on ensuring every child enters kindergarten ready to learn, regardless of their family’s income, language, or circumstances. That’s exactly what Head Start has been doing for nearly 60 years.