Head Start

Court filings on Dec. 5 in a lawsuit by Head Start programs in PA, WA, WI and IL reveal emails from HHS directing at least one grantee on Nov. 19 to remove nearly 200 words and phrases — including 'disability,' 'women,' 'accessible,' and 'Black' — from a funding renewal application or risk denial. Plaintiffs argue the Trump administration’s DEI ban conflicts with the Head Start Act’s mandates for inclusive, culturally and linguistically appropriate services; HHS did not comment, and it’s unclear how widely this guidance was applied.