Early Education and Head Start LTE Templates

Instructions for LTE writers 

• Review the below letter to the editor (LTE) templates; feel free to browse for inspiration. 

• Craft your own LTE for a leading news outlet in your community. 

• Limit your LTE to 150-250 words or check the news outlet’s LTE guidelines online for an exact word limit and the best way to submit the LTE. 

• Include a clear statement on the problem at hand, and a call to action: to keep Head Start and Early Head Start funding flowing and classrooms open. 

• Feel free to incorporate national or state-specific facts on Head Start, such as enrollment data from the National Head Start Association (see 2025 State & National Fact Sheets). 

• Include your personal story and why it has made you a strong advocate. 

• Include your name, city and daytime phone number. 

• Contact Rolf Rosenkranz at rrosenkranz@savechildren.org if you have questions. 

Template 1: Head Start Day of Action

Subject: Our children can’t wait; keep Head Start funded 

To the editor: 

This week, I joined others across the country in the National Day of Action for Head Start, calling on political leaders to protect critical early learning programs. If our government does not act, 140 Head Start programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico, serving more than 65,000 young children, could lose their federal funding. 

I participated because I’ve seen what Head Start and Early Head Start do for families in my own community. They provide children with a safe place to learn and grow, nutritious meals, health screenings and stability that working parents rely on. [Add a brief personal note here, for example: “My child’s teacher has been a lifeline for us since day one” or “I volunteer at a local center and see the difference it makes.”] 

We can’t let politics close classroom doors. Congress must act immediately to keep Head Start programs open and ensure every child, no matter their ZIP code, has the strong start they deserve. 

Template 2: for parents and caregivers 

Subject: Families like mine can’t wait for Congress to act 

To the editor: 

As a [mom/dad/grandparent], I know how vital early childhood programs are. Head Start and Early Head Start provided our family with the foundation we needed to move forward. 

[Add a personal anecdote on how Head Start has helped your children and family, how you have seen Head Start make a difference, how it has helped you stay employed etc.] 

The ongoing federal shutdown, now in its [fifth week], puts that foundation at risk. If it lasts through November 1, 140 Head Start programs across 41 states could lose their funding. That means classrooms could close, teachers could lose jobs, children could lose the safe spaces they depend on and hardworking parents could struggle to stay employed. 

[Consider adding a personal anecdote on how Head Start has helped your children and family, how you have seen Head Start make a difference etc.]

Political leaders must keep Head Start and Early Head Start open and running, for the sake of hardworking parents across [State] and every child who deserves a fair start in life. 

Template 3: for educators 

Subject: Head Start gives [State] kids a chance, keep it open 

To the editor: 

I’ve spent much of my life in classrooms, and for the past [x] years I’ve been advocating for early-childhood education here in [State]. Head Start has always stood out to me as a program that truly works. It helps children from every background build the skills and confidence they need to thrive. 

In [State], more than [#] children benefit from Head Start each year. But with the federal shutdown now in its [fifth week], that progress is at risk. If the shutdown continues through November 1, 140 programs across the country could lose their federal funds, disrupting education for more than 65,000 kids. 

I’ve seen firsthand how early education changes lives and keeps our communities moving forward. The thought of closing doors, even temporarily, breaks my heart. 

As an educator, I’ve seen what happens when we invest early – and when we don’t. Political leaders must keep Head Start open and running, for the sake of hardworking parents across [State] and every child who deserves a fair start in life. 

Template 4: for Head Start staff 

Subject: Head Start is a lifeline for [State/City/Town] families 

To the editor: 

Every day at the [Name of Head Start Center], I see the difference early education makes. We serve families from all over [City/Town], parents who are working hard, sometimes struggling, but determined to give their children a better future. 

Now, with the federal shutdown entering its [fifth week], I fear for those families. If it continues through November 1, 140 Head Start programs across the country will miss their funding, and some could be forced to close. In [State], where tens of thousands of children rely on Head Start, that would be devastating. 

These programs do more than teach ABCs. They make sure children have healthy meals, medical screenings and the social skills to start school ready to learn. Losing that stability would hurt children and hardworking parents alike. 

[Consider adding a personal anecdote on how you have seen Head Start make a difference, how it has helped hardworking parents stay employed etc.] 

Political leaders must keep Head Start open and running, for the sake of hardworking parents across [State] and every child who deserves a fair start in life.