H.R. 9958
Head Start Expansion and Improvement Act of 2026
Sponsor: Jahana Hayes
22 cosponsors
- Mark Pocan
- Shontel M. Brown
- Adelita S. Grijalva
- Christopher R. Deluzio
- Cleo Fields
- Doris O. Matsui
- Eleanor Holmes Norton
- Frederica S. Wilson
- Greg Landsman
- Gwen Moore
- Jesús G. "Chuy" García
- Jonathan L. Jackson
- Kevin Mullin
- Lateefah Simon
- Nikki Budzinski
- Pablo José Hernández
- Raja Krishnamoorthi
- Seth Moulton
- Shri Thanedar
- Yvette D. Clarke
- Zoe Lofgren
- Emily Randall
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Head Start Expansion and Improvement Act of 2026
This bill reauthorizes through FY2032 and otherwise revises Head Start programs.
Specifically, the bill expands eligibility for Head Start programs to include families with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level. The bill also adds a definition for public assistance under the Head Start Act to include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Supplemental Security Income (SSI); the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program to make grants to Head Start agencies (including Early Head Start agencies) to construct or improve facilities. HHS must also establish and carry out a program to make grants to Head Start agencies for increasing the compensation paid to employees.
The bill also provides student loan forgiveness for certain Head Start and Early Head Start child care workers. In particular, the Department of Education must cancel the outstanding balance of principal, interest, and fees due on Federal Direct Loans for a borrower who (1) has been employed full-time by a Head Start or Early Head Start program for three years, and (2) has provided care or instruction to children enrolled in such a program.
Text of the bill
(a) In general. Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish and carry out a program to make grants for the purpose of supplementing, not supplanting, the compensation paid by Head Start agencies to the employees of such agencies.
(b) Allocation of funds. The Secretary shall develop a formula to determine grant amounts, taking into consideration—
(1) the gaps between the compensation paid by the respective Head Start agency to its employees and the employee compensation paid by other early childhood education employers in the relevant geographical area,
(2) the cost of living in the geographical area in which such agency is located, including median income and housing costs, and
(3) the number of employee vacancies of such agency.
(c) Use of funds. A Head Start agency that receives a grant shall use grant funds to supplement, and not to supplant, the compensation paid to the employees of such agency.
(d) Appropriations. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $6,800,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2027 through 2032.