Head Start

The federal government remains shut down, in what is now the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Around the Kansas City region, nonprofits, food banks and private businesses are stepping up to help feed families.

Kansas City Head Start centers will stay open for now, despite prior concerns the federal shutdown would force closures on Nov. 1. Instead, local providers have agreed to take a financial gamble to keep services open.

If the government shutdown extends beyond Nov. 1, more than 65,000 children could be at risk of losing access to Head Start, the federal early-learning program for low-income families. Thousands of Kansas City children would be impacted.

Si el cierre del gobierno federal continúa, el Consejo Regional de Mid-America ha declarado que podría verse obligado a cerrar temporalmente los centros de enseñanza preescolar Head Start que atienden a más de 2,300 niños de la Ciudad de Kansas City a partir del 1 de noviembre.

If the federal government shutdown continues, the Mid-America Regional Council said it may need to temporarily close Head Start centers serving more than 2,300 Kansas City children beginning Nov. 1.

The Mid America Regional Council has a new agreement with Guadalupe Centers to operate a Head Start program near Swope Park. The council also approved an amendment for Kansas City Public Schools to take on more kids in the Columbus Park area.

The YMCA of Greater Kansas City closed operations at a Head Start center near Swope Park today, after closing three others earlier this month. Officials say staffing levels were insufficient to serve the 289 children enrolled in the program.

In Missouri, just under 25% of its Head Start centers are within a walkable distance from a public transit spot — making the early childhood program less accessible to families without reliable transportation.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt was part of the group that sued to stop President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for employees of Head Start, a federal pre-K program for low-income families.

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