Head Start: Notice of Proposed Rule Making
On August 7, 2026, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs (RIN 0970-AD30). ACF is proposing replacing the current Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) with a significantly shorter set of federal regulations.
Too many of the Administration’s proposed changes undermine Head Start’s meaningful and measurable benefits for children and families – in healthy development, educational attainment, and economic well-being.
Child Care Aware® of America is is the only national organization with a network of state and local organizations that supports every part of the child care system. Our network knows what is needed to make child care work for children, families, providers, and communities. CCAoA has submitted our comments calling on ACF to rescind the proposed rule and pursue an alternative path to modernizing Head Start. We encourage advocates to read them as you prepare your own.
Submitting a public comment is one of the most important things child care and Head Start advocates can do. This hub has everything you need to get started. Under CCAoA resources, you’ll find:
- A webinar recording detailing an overview of the proposed rule, including key changes and potential implications for Head Start programs and early childhood systems;
- A summary fact sheet and section-by-section detailed analysis; and
- A template for written comments so CCR&R organizations and their partners can easily engage.
To submit feedback on the proposed changes, visit the Federal Register page and click the green “Submit A Public Comment” button. All unedited comments will be posted to www.regulations.gov, so please do not include any personal or sensitive information. Comments are due by Oct. 6, 2026.
- CCAoA Resources
Webinar Recording: Understanding the Head Start NPRM and Opportunities for Engagement
This compendium was prepared to give policy staff, researchers, and advocates a detailed, side-by-side view of how five specific Head Start policy areas are treated under three sources of authority: the Head Start Act (statute), the current Head Start Program Performance Standards (regulation), and the proposed NPRM. This document is written for readers who want to see how the underlying statutory, regulatory, and NPRM language itself compares.
Each of the five topic sections include:
- Overview: a short summary of how the three sources relate to one another on this topic
- Side-by-side comparison table: four-column tables (Dimension | Head Start Act | Current Regulations | NPRM) on each source’s treatment of a given aspect
- NPRM verbatim text and rationale: direct excerpts from the NPRM preamble explaining ACF’s reasoning for the proposed change
- Verbatim citations: the full underlying statutory and regulatory text referenced in the comparison table
Table and citation language throughout is quoted directly from the Head Start Act, 45 CFR Part 1302, and the NPRM as published; it has not been paraphrased.
Sections
- Partner Resources
The Head Start NPRM touches on issues that other organizations have also been tracking. The resources below, from partner organizations working alongside CCAoA, offer additional context and analysis of the proposed rule.
- First Five Years Fund: Frequently Asked Questions: 2026 Head Start NPRM
- ASU Children’s Equity Project: Preserving Access & Opportunity in Head Start for Dual Language Learners
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