Statement from KHSA Executive Director Heather Schrotberger on Federal FY26 Head Start Funding

FY26 Appropriations Secure Funding for Head Start  

 Lawrence, Kansas — The Kansas Head Start Association is pleased that final fiscal year 2026 (FY26) appropriations secure $12.4 billion in federal funding for Head Start. The bipartisan funding bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) includes an $85 million increase for Head Start after consecutive years of nearly level funding.

“For the past year, Head Start programs have faced funding uncertainty. With this funding in place, programs in Kansas can focus their attention on supporting the well-being of our most vulnerable children and their families, strengthening opportunities for young Kansans across our state,” says Heather Schrotberger, executive director of the Kansas Head Start Association.

Head Start programs in Kansas provide intensive, comprehensive early education to 6,200 young children through Head Start preschool services and Early Head Start services for pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. Like Head Start programs across the country, programs in Kansas are facing rising prices, making it more expensive to operate. KHSA hopes to see Congress prioritize our nation’s youngest children by increasing investments in Head Start in the future.

Nationwide, Head Start creates opportunities for nearly 800,000 children and more than 1 million working parents. It is an effective two-generational approach that yields long-term returns of $7 - $10 for every federal dollar invested. Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has reached nearly 40 million families.

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