Stein challenges proposed Head Start language requirement

English has been NC’s official language since 1987

Gov. Josh Stein is challenging a proposed English-language instruction requirement as part of a broader federal Head Start overhaul that the Trump administration says would expand access, improve nutrition and give parents and local providers greater control.

In an Oct. 5 letter, Stein asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to withdraw or substantially revise provisions affecting classroom staffing, preschool schedules, administrative costs and comprehensive services.

The proposal, “Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs,” was announced Aug. 6 and published in the Federal Register Aug. 7. HHS projects savings of $2.2 billion and says the changes could preserve or expand as many as 236,000 Head Start slots nationwide.

“We are removing unnecessary bureaucracy, strengthening nutrition and physical health, trusting parents and local communities, and opening Head Start to hundreds of thousands more children,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said.

Head Start provides federally funded preschool and comprehensive services for children ages 3 to 5 and their families. Early Head Start, established in 1994, serves children from birth to age 3, pregnant women and their families.

Both programs combine early learning with services addressing health, nutrition, social and emotional development and family needs, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Together, the programs serve more than 17,600 North Carolina children, bring more than $290 million in federal funding into the state and support more than 5,600 jobs, according to the governor’s office.

The proposed language requirement is one point of disagreement.

Stein said requiring English-language instruction without a federal waiver could discourage programs from incorporating children’s home languages and limit families’ participation. He asked HHS to preserve approaches supporting both English acquisition and children’s home languages.

English has been North Carolina’s official language since 1987 under N.C. General Statute 145-12. The law also states that its purpose is to preserve and strengthen English without superseding rights guaranteed by the federal or state constitution.

President Donald Trump designated English as the official language of the United States in his March 1, 2025, executive order, “Designating English as the Official Language of the United States.”

It also expressly states that agencies are not required to stop providing documents or services in other languages and directs implementation consistent with applicable law.

Beyond language instruction, HHS says its proposal recognizes parents as children’s primary teachers and preserves requirements for family participation. Parent committees would advise on program structure and curriculum.

Programs would be required to provide nutrient-dense whole foods consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, structure mealtimes to support learning and meet minimum physical activity requirements, according to HHS.

The proposal would shift authority over classroom group sizes, staffing ratios, education requirements, background checks and transportation practices to states. HHS says providers would not be required to change existing practices that work for their communities.

“Head Start’s greatest strength is the people who make the program work, and we seek to empower them to work directly with parents to best meet the needs of their local communities,” said Alex Adams, assistant secretary for children and families.

Stein warned that varying state licensing requirements could allow larger classes and fewer staff members than current federal standards permit.

“Flexibility should help programs respond to local conditions; it should not result in larger classes, fewer qualified staff, shorter program days, diminished health and family supports, or widely different levels of service based solely on where a child lives,” he wrote.

He also said changes to operating-hour requirements could allow preschool schedules as short as three hours a day over 32 weeks, potentially forcing working parents to arrange additional care or miss work.

Another dispute involves reducing the administrative-cost ceiling from 15% to 5% of approved program costs. HHS says lower overhead could free resources for enrollment. Stein argues that a uniform 5% cap conflicts with the Head Start Act and could constrain staffing and program improvements.

The governor also called for preserving health, disability and family-support services, employee qualifications, compensation, benefits and professional development.

North Carolina already coordinates Head Start with state early childhood initiatives through its Head Start-State Collaboration Office. Housed in DPI’s Office of Early Learning, it operates through a federal grant from the Office of Head Start.

Its six federal priorities cover child care partnerships, early childhood data, workforce development, state quality-rating systems, kindergarten transitions and regional needs such as health, disability services and support for families experiencing homelessness.

Historical federal data provide additional workforce context. North Carolina’s 2022 program report, the last one posted publicly on the state website, listed 19,889 children and 116 pregnant women enrolled across the Head Start categories covered. It reported an average annual classroom teacher salary of $32,594. Those figures describe 2022 enrollment and pay, rather than current conditions.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green supported Stein’s request, saying Head Start helps prepare children and families for kindergarten.

HHS says its proposal would eliminate regulations duplicating federal law while leaving statutory obligations binding. Stein said he supports targeted reductions in duplication but requested an assessment of effects on staffing, enrollment, family costs and service quality before a final rule.

Public comments are due Oct. 6 through regulations.gov or Deregulation@acf.hhs.gov, identifying docket ACF-2026-0595 or RIN 0970-AD30, according to federalregister.gov.

Families can find nearby providers through the Head Start Center Locator.