Federal Register #2026-09383

Proposed Removal of Wage and Benefit Requirements for Head Start Programs

The Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is proposing a regulatory change affecting Head Start and Early Head Start programs nationwide. - Government Buyer: - Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Administration for Children and Families (ACF) - Office of Head Start (OHS) - No Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or commercial vendors are involved, as this is a regulatory action, not a procurement. - Products/Services Requested: - No products or commercial services are being procured. - The rule proposes to rescind requirements related to: - Staff wage comparability and pay scales - Health care coverage for staff - Paid leave and behavioral health services for staff - Administrative policies tied to these benefits - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Removes federal wage and benefit standards for Head Start staff, restoring local flexibility in compensation and benefits - Aims to reduce regulatory burden and prevent the loss of approximately 106,000 Head Start slots - Estimated to save over $2 billion in future costs for Head Start programs - Impacts staff compensation policies and program access for low-income children and families - Places of Performance and Key Locations: - Office of Head Start, 330 C Street SW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20201 (federal office) - Head Start and Early Head Start programs nationwide - James River Safety Zone, Richmond, VA (federal facility, referenced in documentation)

Description

This notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) proposes to remove certain wage and benefit requirements from the Head Start Program Performance Standards to restore local flexibility to Head Start programs and improve access to quality services. The proposed changes aim to reduce regulatory burden and are estimated to result in over $2 billion in future cost savings for Head Start programs. The rescissions would impact the costliest parts of the 2024 final rule published by the Office of Head Start, which focused on supporting the Head Start workforce and consistent quality programming. Comments on the proposal are accepted until June 11, 2026.

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