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Two early-education nonprofit leaders argue in The 74 that a Trump administration proposal to rescind most Head Start regulations would replace national quality standards with an uneven state patchwork, hitting children in underserved communities hardest. The op-ed cites six decades of research showing lasting gains in children’s social skills and emotional regulation.
Two early-education nonprofit leaders are publicly opposing a Trump administration proposal to rescind most Head Start regulations, arguing in an opinion essay published by The 74 that removing national teaching, learning and program quality standards would strip low-income children of the social-emotional skills they need to succeed in school. The authors — David Adams, creator of the Resilient Scholars Program in New York City, and Jordan of the nonprofit Committee for Children — contend the plan’s stated goal of flexibility masks a shift that would make preschool quality depend on where a child lives.
The essay, titled “Changing Head Start Rules Would Rob Kids of Skills They Need for School and Life,” frames the federal Head Start program’s national standards as the mechanism that has guaranteed quality early education for more than 60 years. The authors argue that kindergarten teachers value children who can follow multi-step directions, share, manage frustration and focus — not necessarily those who arrive already reading or counting to 100, which is why it helps to help kids start school strong. Those capabilities, they write, are what Head Start’s standards are designed to build.
The authors’ central claim is that the deregulation proposal rests on a “mistaken assumption” that states would take over responsibility for quality. They point to wide variation among state childcare and early learning licensing systems, which they say generally set only a minimum floor for health and safety rather than ensuring high-quality teacher-child interactions or development of self-regulation and relationship skills. Many states, they write, do not require evidence-based readiness curricula, sustained educator coaching, regular mental health consultation or wellness screenings and follow-ups, nor do they have equal funding, workforce capacity or monitoring systems.
As supporting evidence, the essay cites a recent review of six decades of research on Head Start, which the authors say shows lasting improvements in children’s social skills, emotional regulation and positive behavior — effects they say can extend to families, siblings, peers and the next generation. The authors also draw on their own work: Adams’s Resilient Scholars Program integrates social-emotional learning across the Urban Assembly’s 22 New York City public schools, and Committee for Children created the Second Step Early Learning program, which operates in preschools and Head Start centers nationwide.
Stakes for Low-Income Children and Kindergartens
The dispute matters because Head Start serves children from low-income families, a population the program was designed to support so they would not, in the authors’ words, “lag behind before the race even begins.” The authors argue that replacing one national standard with a patchwork of state rules would make quality contingent on local resources, putting children in underserved communities — who they say need the strongest school preparation — at greatest risk.
The op-ed also predicts downstream classroom effects. Drawing on one author’s experience teaching in New York City, the essay argues that if Head Start degrades, kindergarten classes would become more chaotic, with children less prepared to interact with peers, listen to teachers and learn. The authors extend the argument to high school, saying students who miss early readiness skills will be less able to manage emotions, develop empathy and resolve conflict.
Head Start’s Federal Role Since 1965
: “Head Start is a federally funded program launched in the 1960s to provide early childhood education, health and family support services to low-income families. Unlike state-licensed childcare, which the authors describe as focused on basic health and safety, Head Start operates under national performance standards that connect learning with health services, family engagement, mental health support and relationships with adults.
The Trump administration’s proposal to rescind most of those regulations is framed by proponents as a move toward flexibility and efficiency. The op-ed’s authors accept that framing exists but dispute its substance, arguing the standards are what distinguish Head Start from “a loose collection of local programs.”
“While the proposal is framed as a move toward flexibility and efficiency, removing national teaching, learning and program quality standards would in fact weaken the foundation that makes Head Start more than just a loose collection of local programs.”
— David Adams and Jordan, in their opinion essay in The 74
Claims Not Yet Independently Verified
The 74 piece is an opinion essay, and its arguments reflect the authors’ views and their organizations’ work in social-emotional learning; it is not an independent evaluation of the proposal. The cited “review of six decades of research” is referenced in the essay but not independently examined here, and the claim that most states “cannot and would not” maintain quality standards is an assertion by the authors rather than a documented finding.
Details of the administration’s proposal — including which specific regulations would be rescinded, its timeline, and whether any standards would remain in place — are not laid out in the source material. The administration’s own rationale and any response to the op-ed’s criticism have not been reported here. The predicted effects on kindergarten and high school classrooms are the authors’ projections, not observed outcomes.
The Regulatory Fight Ahead
The Head Start regulatory proposal will move through the federal rulemaking process, which typically includes opportunities for public comment before changes take effect. Advocates on both sides — including early-education organizations such as the authors’ — are likely to continue pressing their case during that window. Watch for the administration’s formal justification for the rescissions, responses from Head Start providers and state agencies, and any research assessments of how deregulation would affect program quality and children’s outcomes.
Key Questions
What does the Trump administration’s Head Start proposal would do?
According to the opinion essay, the proposal would rescind most Head Start regulations, including national teaching, learning and program quality standards. The administration frames the change as increasing flexibility and efficiency. The specific regulatory text and timeline are not detailed in the source material.
Why do the op-ed authors oppose the changes?
David Adams and Jordan argue that national standards are what make Head Start effective, and that states lack the funding, workforce and monitoring systems to deliver consistent quality. They warn quality would become dependent on geography, with children in underserved communities at greatest risk.
What does research say about Head Start’s effects?
The essay cites a recent review of six decades of research showing lasting improvements in children’s social skills, emotional regulation and positive behavior, with effects that can extend to families and even the next generation. This is the authors’ characterization of that review and has not been independently examined here.
Who are the authors of the opinion piece?
David Adams created the Resilient Scholars Program, which brings social-emotional learning to the Urban Assembly’s 22 New York City public schools. Jordan leads or works with the nonprofit Committee for Children, whose Second Step Early Learning program is used in preschools and Head Start centers nationally.
Is this reporting or opinion?
The 74 piece is an opinion essay advocating against the proposed deregulation. Its claims — including projections about kindergarten and high school classrooms — represent the authors’ arguments, not neutral reporting or established findings.
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