Georgia Head Start leaders concerned over Trump administration's plan to overhaul preschool program

The federal government released a proposed plan to change its Head Start program.  Leaders of Head Start in Georgia have concerns about whether the rules will be detrimental to children during these early and critical years of learning and development.

Head Start centers serve around 700,000 of the nation's most vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care, or disabled.  Its regulations, which stretch more than 100 pages, outline requirements on everything from child-to-teacher ratios and child health screenings to family engagement.

On Thursday, officials with the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the federally funded preschool program, announced plans to overhaul Head Start, tossing out many of the regulations.

"The test is whether it serves more children, whether it strengthens outcomes, preserves accountability, maintains local flexibility, and remains grounded in evidence and the law," said Juanita Yancey, the executive officer of the Georgia Head Start Association.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the rule changes will improve the way early learning centers operate, creating more than 200,000 additional slots and reducing red tape.

Head Start leaders in Georgia fear the changes will diminish the program's quality and lack accountability. It's a risk they say the state can't take.

"It is a part of Georgia's childhood landscape. More than 20,000 toddlers, infants, and preschoolers participate in Head Start. That is across 350 sites that collectively employ over 6,000 Georgians," said Kristin Bernhard, the chief executive officer for the Georgia Early Alliance for Ready Students.

The proposal would create a pathway for states and local governments to assume a greater role in setting regulations for the program. It would also reduce compliance-driven tasks for Head Start staff.  Federal officials believe the proposal could save more than $2.2 billion.

"What we are looking for when we are reviewing these rules is ensuring that any shift to reductions in paperwork don't lead to a reduction  of accountability that lead to child outcomes," Bernhard said.

The public can provide feedback for 60 days on the federal government's regulation website.