Marysville LEADS Head Start Assistant Teacher, Fernanda Duran, helps Harmony Scott with a puzzle designed to help her count during the end of class, Oct 7, 2025.

Head Start could face further disruptions in November if the government is not reopened, according to the National Head Start Association (NHSA).

The federally funded program provides early childhood support for low-income families through a variety of services, including childcare, education and health resources.

“Every day this shutdown continues, programs are forced to make impossible choices just to keep their doors open. Children cannot wait," said Yasmina Vinci, executive director of NHSA, an organization that advocates for Head Start programs.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Administration for Children & Families, which oversees Head Start, for comment.

What will happen to Head Start if government shutdown continues into November?

If the shutdown continues, 134 Head Start centers across 41 states − which support about 59,000 children in total − will be without the federal grant funding they typically receive by Nov. 1, forcing them to potentially tap into emergency local resources to stay open, NHSA said.

As of Oct. 16, six Head Start programs serving about 6,500 children were already operating without federal funding after missing grant dollars on Oct. 1, NHSA said.

On Nov. 1, nearly 10% of all Head Start children will be at risk of losing access to their classrooms, NHSA said on Oct. 22.

NHSA said it is urging lawmakers to end the shutdown, restore October funding for Head Start programs and pass an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026 that includes a cost-of-living adjustment to sustain services.

“Head Start programs are showing extraordinary resilience — they’re opening their doors every morning, even without knowing when the next check will come,” Vinci said. “That commitment is heroic. But resilience alone can’t keep the lights on. Washington must act now.”

What is Head Start?

Head Start is a federal program that supports children and families by focusing on education, health and parent engagement, per NHSA. It is aimed at supporting low-income families.

The program's services can be delivered in a center, at a family childcare home or in a home-visiting format.

Services include prenatal care, health and nutrition, as well as affordable childcare.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Government shutdown could further disrupt Head Start services in November

Reporting by Melina Khan, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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