On July 23, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that the current administration violated federal law earlier this year by delaying and withholding nearly $825 million in Head Start funding. This jeopardized access to early childhood education and care for hundreds of thousands of low-income families across the United States.
The GAO found that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) failed to comply with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which requires the executive branch to carry out spending as directed by Congress. This marks the third such violation of the law by the administration in 2025 alone.
Between January 20 and April 15, 2025, HHS disbursed roughly 65% of the Head Start funding issued during the same period in FY 2024. This is approximately a 34–35% decline, totaling around $825 million less aid than the year before.
The delay was reportedly due to internal reviews initiated by the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), part of the administration’s broader effort to reexamine and restructure federal spending.
Head Start, a $12 billion federal child care program established in 1965, provides early education, nutrition, health screening, and parental support for low income families. In 2022, they supported over 800,000 children, most of them from families living below the federal poverty line.
While funding resumed by June, the consequences of the three-month delay were immediate and far-reaching. Local Head Start providers reported widespread interruptions, including delayed enrollments, shortened program hours, and temporary closures of early childhood education centers. Some community-based programs, already operating on thin margins, struggled to retain staff or provide basic services.
For many working families, especially single mothers, the impact was destabilizing. Head Start is not only an educational lifeline for children but also a critical support for caregivers who rely on the program to pursue employment or education. Interruptions in care can force parents to leave jobs, miss work, or take on additional caregiving responsibilities without support.
Early childhood advocates emphasize that consistent access to Head Start is essential for cognitive, emotional, and social development. Delays in funding, even if temporary, can have long-term effects on the most vulnerable children, including those experiencing homelessness, disability, or food insecurity.
As legal experts and lawmakers assess potential next steps, advocates continue to call for increased protections for programs that serve low-income families. For them, the Head Start delay was not just a technical violation of law, but a stark reminder of how political decisions can quickly jeopardize the safety net for children in poverty.
