SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — More than 2,000 San Diego families could lose access to crucial early childhood education and support services if the Trump administration's proposed budget cuts to Head Start are approved.
I sat down with Episcopal Community Services, one of the local Head Start providers, who said the program takes a holistic approach to supporting low-income families with young children.
The program provides childcare, healthcare screenings, fresh food and meals and counseling for families through their child's first few years of life.
"How are we making sure that families understand what the rights are, how can they get the right support for their children, and how to navigate the system, and that's one of the top concerns that I have. If he were to go away, who would those families go to? Sometimes, Head Start is the only option," said an ECS representative.
The funding cuts could cost ECS around $25 million. With that money lost, ECS could potentially shut down a majority or all of their sites, and around 300 teachers could lose their jobs.
While they won't completely dissolve their early childhood programs, the cuts would drastically reduce availability.
On Monday, a group of parents and education providers filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over these proposed cuts. The lawsuit accuses the Department of Health and Human Services of unlawfully attempting to dismantle the program without approval from Congress.
ECS is currently looking to partner with other community organizations to continue providing these services. They're also asking people to call on their members of Congress to advocate for Head Start.
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