Head Start at Risk | Columbia News

Head Start programs, vital for low-income kids since 1965, face major threats in new HHS proposals that could slash support for children with disabilities, weaken teacher standards, and cut home visits—all while forcing programs to slash admin budgets. In Richland County, where only 43% of five-year-olds are kindergarten-ready, these cuts could devastate families already struggling with poverty and food insecurity. Richland First Steps warns that current admin funding is essential to run programs effectively and urges everyone to speak out before the October 6 deadline—because every child deserves a strong start. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e8416294a576a3c1