WASHINGTON (AP) — Head Start programs that serve more than 58,000 of the nation’s neediest preschoolers are facing a cutoff of federal funding at the end of the month because of the government shutdown, leaving many scrambling to figure out how to keep their doors open.
The early education initiative is funded almost entirely by the federal government, making it particularly vulnerable to funding disruptions. The programs — which are run by schools, local governments and nonprofits — receive new grants annually and are not allowed to carry over unspent money.
With new grants on hold, a half dozen Head Start programs already missed federal disbursements they were expecting on Oct. 1 and are staying open with fast-dwindling reserves or help from local governments. Another 134 programs will not receive federal money that is due Nov. 1 if the government does not reopen, according to the National Head Start Association. All told, centers serving more than 65,000 children could be affected.
In Tallahassee, Florida, a Head Start program run by Capital Area Community Action Agency, Inc. has been running on “fumes” since it stopped receiving federal money at the start of the month, interim CEO Nina Singleton Self said. It is drawing down reserves, getting an advance on a city grant and taking out a line of credit, but those funds will run dry this week.
To stay open beyond that, Self is asking how many staff members would work without pay. She’s also steeling them for financial uncertainty, advising them on how to take loans out from their retirement accounts or apply to programs that would help them pay utility bills. She’s also asked other nonprofits and philanthropies for help.