The Department of Government Efficiency has made serious funding cuts to programs and services affecting the state.

DOGE terminated and rescinded all funding to Michigan Humanities, one of the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as the Head Start regional office in Chicago which oversees Head Start in Michigan and five other states.

“The federal employees that were terminated today by the administration’s DOGE are essential partners to the operations of Head Start providing services and guidance needed to efficiently run our programs,” said Executive Director of the Michigan Head Start Association Robin Bozek.

“Head Start is an essential resource for over 10,000 vulnerable children and families in Michigan,” said Bozek. “For 60 years, Head Start has provided the highest quality early education and comprehensive child and family support to children and families across the country here in michigan.”

While efforts to streamline government spending can be a force for good, eliminating funding and support for Head Start programs in the area should be of concern to everyone.

Head Start programs play a vital role in ensuring positive education outcomes for kids throughout their school journey.

Time and time again, studies have shown the massive impact that these early childhood education programs play for kids in communites around the United States, regardless of race, location and financial status.

Social skills, cognitive development, language skills and even physical fitness levels are all improved when kids attend Head Start programs.

A 2012 study of Baltimore City schools found that students who attended Head Start versus kids who had no early childhood education programs had higher attendance levels than their peers and maintained those levels through third grade.

While no program is perfect, its clear that Head Start programs are a great and cost-effective way to keep kids in school and help them to perform better while in school.

While it is understandable that saving money should be a goal for our federal and state governments, pinching pennies at the cost of our children’s education is a bad idea and we should do everything in our power to ensure that all kids have access to the best education possible and one of the ways to do that is through Head Start programs.