In March, we commissioned a national poll to figure out how voters from every party feel about Head Start. The result? There is overwhelming support for the early childhood education and care program across the country.
The four key findings from the survey include:
- Voters like Head Start a lot. Before being given any details about Head Start, 63% of voters had a favorable opinion of the program. After learning that Head Start serves low-income families with comprehensive education and social services for children under five to better prepare them for life, 86% of voters had a favorable opinion toward the program.
- Voters want to preserve funding for Head Start. 43% of participants want to increase funding for Head Start, and another 39% want to continue the current level of funding. Only 8% want significant cuts to funding.
- The more voters learn about Head Start, the more supportive they are. Support for funding increased as the following points are outlined: the need for Head Start to keep American children from falling behind in math and science, to assist families in tough times and to reduce negative outcomes like grade repetition. After receiving these key messages, 88% want to preserve funding for Head Start
- Cutting Head Start funding could have negative consequences for elected officials. 66% of voters think it’s a bad idea to cut Head Start in order to fund other agenda items. 68% of voters are less likely to vote for a member of Congress who votes to eliminate federal funding for Head Start.
