Trump administration proposes major Head Start deregulation overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration said Thursday it plans to overhaul Head Start, tossing out many of the regulations that are the hallmark of the early education program for the nation’s neediest children.

Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the federally funded preschool program, said the proposed changes would encourage more local decision-making. But the proposal has sparked alarm across the Head Start community, where advocates say it threatens the backbone of the antipoverty initiative. Head Start centers serve around 700,000 of the nation’s most vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care or disabled.

The Associated Press previously reported on the proposed rule, which became public Thursday when it was posted online. Americans have 60 days to weigh in before it goes into effect, though it could face legal challenges that might delay implementation.

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