Some Head Start preschools close their doors as government shutdown continues: Here's how it’s hurting low

Across the United States, thousands of children from low-income households have been shut out of early education as the ongoing government shutdown halts funding for Head Start, the federal preschool programme established nearly sixty years ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. Dozens of centres that were due to receive federal grant payments on 1 November, 2025, have closed indefinitely. Others are staying open through temporary aid from local governments, school districts and philanthropies, but many warn their resources are rapidly dwindling. At least 140 programmes have missed their annual federal funding, affecting nearly 65,000 preschoolers and expectant parents. More than 8,000 families have already lost access to care, Associated Press (AP) reports.