DENVER — Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is pushing back on proposed federal changes to Head Start, saying the reforms will “hurt young people.”
Weiser joined a letter with 25 other state Attorneys General saying the changes would “gut” the program.
“Our letter is a shot across the bow. It is telling this administration this is a harmful action that is going to hurt kids. Do not do it,” Weiser said.
Head Start provides pre-school education to children from low-income families.
Watch the Full Story Below
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ proposal would eliminate Head Start performance standards, impose an English-only mandate and reduce the allowance for administrative costs from 15 to 5 percent.
The Department of Health and Human Services says the rule changes will reduce the federal regulatory burden and ultimately serve more children.
“We are removing unnecessary bureaucracy, strengthening nutrition and physical health, trusting parents and local communities, and opening Head Start to hundreds of thousands more children. That’s how we renew the promise of Head Start for the next generation,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
But many point out that Head Start schools cannot teach more kids with less administrative funding and fewer standards.
“Providers are really concerned about this because they see this as harmful. They see this as so counterproductive. Right now, kids are already struggling. A lot of kids are behind where they should be in reading. These steps are going to make their future more bleak,” Weiser said.
Over 770-thousand children are enrolled in the program nationally. It serves 10-thousand Children in Colorado each year.
Today was the end of the 60-day open comment period on the proposed changes.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.