Proposed Rule to Roll Back Head Start Wage and Benefit Requirements

The Department of Health and Human Services is proposing to remove specific wage and benefit rules for Head Start programs that were added last year. The 2024 rule required local Head Start centers to create pay scales, match public preschool teacher pay, guarantee a living wage, and provide health care and paid leave by 2028 and 2031. This new proposal would cancel those mandates.

Why it matters: This is mostly an administrative adjustment to program rules. If finalized, it would change the compliance requirements for local Head Start operators, potentially lowering their staffing costs. It does not change who qualifies for Head Start or how the program is funded, but it does alter the conditions under which grants are awarded.

Who it affects

• Local Head Start grant recipients and program operators

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This proposed rule comes from the Children and Families Administration at the Department of Health and Human Services and is published in the Federal Register; review the full document before relying on any details.

Agency: Health and Human Services Department, Children and Families Administration
Source: Federal Register — read the official document