Washington, D.C. — A new analysis from the Center for American Progress (CAP) outlines the potential impact of Project 2025's policy agenda on child care access in the United States. The report indicates that if implemented, Project 2025 would eliminate Head Start, a federally funded child care program that has served nearly 40 million children and supports families experiencing poverty.
The elimination of Head Start is projected to significantly increase child care costs for many Americans. According to CAP, this change would disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including Latino and rural communities.
Key findings from CAP’s analysis include:
- More than 833,000 children and families currently enrolled in Head Start would lose access to child care.
- Low-income families reliant on Head Start's free services would struggle to afford child care without the program. The average cost of child care is nearly $12,000 annually, which represents 38.6 percent of income for families at the poverty level.
- The number of Americans living in child care deserts would rise sharply, particularly in rural areas.
- Tribal communities, children in foster care, and people experiencing homelessness would be disproportionately harmed.
- The broader U.S. economy would experience ripple effects from the elimination of Head Start.
“Project 2025’s plan to eliminate Head Start pulls the rug out from under families living in poverty and would have a devastating impact on children’s development, parents’ ability to seek employment, and our economy,” said Casey Peeks, senior director for Early Childhood Policy at CAP and author of the column. “A majority of Americans already live in child care deserts, but this plan would increase costs for families, set our country’s early learning system back decades, and fall hardest on the backs of rural communities and Latino Americans.”
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Mishka Espey at [email protected].
