A Heritage Foundation report proposes to end Head Start, concluding that the program does not improve school readiness or produce lasting benefits, spends more per child than alternatives, fails to protect children adequately, and is burdened by unnecessary regulations. It recommends eliminating Head Start, block granting its funds to states, and replacing federal standards with less stringent state childcare regulations. Although Head Start is long overdue for reauthorization and a case can be made for regulatory reform, the report’s findings and recommendations are unsupported by evidence. The full body of research indicates Head Start has immediate benefits for children and likely improves adult outcomes, while relaxed class size and ratio requirements would likely reduce benefits. The report raises useful questions about how Head Start should adapt to changing conditions, but its limited, selective, and misleading use of evidence does not usefully inform policy decisions.

Suggested Citation: Barnett, W.S. & Healy, M. (2026). NEPC Review: From Washington, DC, to the states: Rethinking Head Start. Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center. Retrieved [date] from https://nepc.colorado.edu/review/head-start