The future of Head Start is being written right now, and this fall, staff from La Casa de Don Pedro made sure Newark’s voice was part of that story.
Joining Head Start leaders from across the country at the National Head Start Association’s Fall Leadership Institute, the LCDP delegation traveled to Washington, D.C. with something no policy brief can replicate: the lived reality of the families they serve every day.
The Institute brought together program leaders, educators, and advocates to dig into the federal policy landscape, the latest funding trends, and the workforce challenges facing Head Start programs nationwide. Sessions equipped attendees with practical tools for leading through change, and with the confidence to make every conversation with a lawmaker count. For the LCDP team, it was both a learning experience and an urgent call to action.
The current administration has proposed sweeping changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards, changes that would eliminate science-based requirements for educational quality, child safety, developmental screenings, and mental health services. It would remove evidence-based teacher-child ratios, weaken parent engagement requirements, and impose new administrative cost caps on programs already stretched by years of inadequate funding. For a program serving approximately 12,000 children across New Jersey, the stakes could not be higher.
The Hill Visits put that urgency directly in front of lawmakers. Armed with stories, data, and clear policy asks, the LCDP team met with members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation, calling on them to reject the proposed rule and preserve the standards that have made Head Start work for generations.
“Head Start standards exist to protect children, and that is exactly what they do,” said Tanya, a member of the LCDP Head Start team. “They are not red tape. They are the reason families can trust that their child is safe, seen, and supported. We went to Capitol Hill because those protections are worth fighting for.”
The team returned home with new connections, sharper strategies, and a clear message for the community: Head Start works because it is comprehensive, and LCDP will keep showing up to protect it.
