Head Start California Thanks Congressmember Kevin Kiley for Visiting Lincoln Head Start Center

Head Start California Thanks Congressmember Kevin Kiley for Visiting Lincoln Head Start Center after urging Federal HHS Secretary Kennedy to Maintain Access for Head Start Programs

LINCOLN, CALIFORNIA — Head Start California commends U.S. Representative Kevin Kiley (I-CA-03), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, for his leadership and commitment to protecting the high-quality early childhood education that Head Start provides to thousands of children and families in California.

On Tuesday, October 13, Representative Kiley visited KidZCommunity, a Head Start Program in Lincoln, California, serving children and families in his district. During his visit, the Congressman toured a classroom and met with program leaders and preschool students.

Congressman Kiley’s visit to a Head Start program comes after he sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing his support for Head Start and highlighting the impact of local programs in his Congressional district. The letter was sent in response to proposed changes from the HHS that would weaken Head Start’s foundational, evidence-backed Program Performance Standards, which guide high-quality and comprehensive services across all Head Start programs.

In his letter to HHS, Congressman Kiley urged Secretary Kennedy Jr. to ensure that federal administrative reforms do not limit access or weaken the services families rely on:

"I believe we all share a common goal of ensuring that every child in America has the opportunity to receive a quality education. While no system is perfect, we must ensure that programs like Head Start remain intact and available to children regardless of their socioeconomic background. As the Department considers reforms to Head Start, please ensure that any changes do not limit access to the program."

The full letter written by the Congressman can be read here. 

We thank Congressmember Kiley for his efforts to preserve access to quality Head Start programs.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Melanee Cottrill, Head Start California Executive Director, melanee@headstartca.org