WASHINGTON — A recent draft of the Trump administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposes eliminating all federal funding for the Head Start program nationally, the Virgin Islands Free Press has learned.
The proposed budget allocates zero dollars for Head Start, effectively calling for the program’s complete elimination.
According to Education Week, this proposal aligns closely with the conservative agenda outlined in Project 2025, which seeks to significantly reduce federal involvement in social services and education programs. Though the budget has not yet been approved by Congress and is subject to change, it signals a stark shift in federal priorities regarding early childhood support.
Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett, speaking in a Facebook video posted on April 23, warned of the serious local consequences if the proposal moves forward. “The proposed cuts would have massive impact across the board, particularly on social services,” Plaskett said. “Let’s take Head Start. Presently about 1,000 children [in the U.S. Virgin Islands] participate in Head Start, funded by the federal government.”
Historically, St. Croix has had 27 Head Start centers at 14 different locations; St. Thomas has 18 Head Start centers and St. John has one.
“We have $42 million going into building Head Starts around the Virgin Islands,” Plaskett noted. “However, they have proposed actually zeroing out any funding for Head Start. That means the closure of all of these schools, firing of all of the teachers, and families will have to find other ways to provide care and support child care education for children at the most vulnerable state, the youngest.”
Plaskett said the program has a track record of success in preparing children for future academic achievement.
“We know that children in Head Start do way better in school later on down the line because of the support they’ve gotten in the beginning. But Republicans want to hold us all back by zeroing out the funding in Head Start,” she said. “We’ve got to speak up, and remember, what happens in Washington affects us here.”
Supporters of the Trump administration’s proposed budget argue that federal funding for programs like Head Start should be phased out, allowing local communities, charitable organizations, and private initiatives to take on a greater role. Proponents believe that such a move would encourage economic efficiency, reduce federal spending, and help curb the national deficit.
The Head Start program, established in 1965, has a significant budget. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the total federal funding for Head Start in fiscal year 2022 was approximately $11 billion. This funding supports a range of services, including early childhood education, health screenings, and parental involvement initiatives.
Anxiety is growing within the early childhood education sector nationwide. A report from the Associated Press highlighted that mass layoffs are already beginning to affect Head Start centers across the country, leaving educators and administrators increasingly concerned about the program’s future. Leaders in the sector warn that without federal support, access to early childhood education will be dramatically reduced, especially for low-income families.
Time magazine also reported that the proposal to eliminate Head Start funding is part of a broader conservative push to minimize federal intervention in education and social welfare, reflecting a fundamental reshaping of the government’s role in providing social services.
Head Start has been operational in the U.S. Virgin Islands since 1965, when the program was launched nationwide as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Great Society” initiative. Since then, the program has served a significant number of children in the territory, including more than 1,100.
Head Start provides comprehensive early childhood development services, including health, nutrition, and education, to low-income children and families. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, the program serves children from birth to age 5 and pregnant women. It’s a federally funded program, with the federal government providing the majority of the funding, supplemented by local contributions.
The Head Start program has grown significantly since its inception in 1965, expanding from an eight-week summer program to include full-day, full-year services and various program options. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, the program serves children across all three islands, with a significant number of centers on St. Croix and St. Thomas.
