HEAD START LTE TEMPLATES 2025

Guidelines:

• 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 

• Make clear that there’s broad (bipartisan) support for Head Start 

• Include a clear statement on the problem at hand, and a call to action 

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

• Include your name, city and daytime phone number 

• Contact Louisa Spofford at lspofford@savechildren.org if you have questions 

1. For a Head Start parent (in a rural community) 

As a parent in a rural town, I can tell you: Head Start is more than a preschool, it’s a lifeline. In places like mine, it’s often the only early education program for miles. Without it, my child wouldn’t have access to early learning, nutritious meals or developmental checkups. 

Head Start doesn’t just benefit kids, it helps parents work, train for jobs and build stable futures. In 2024 alone, the program helped over 750,000 children and their families, conducted nearly 4 million home visits, and ensured more than 685,000 kids received preventive dental care. 

Congress is negotiating the 2026 budget right now, and the future of Head Start is on the line. I urge my representative to sign the letter in support of Head Start that is making the rounds in Congress right now. It’s not about party lines; it’s about protecting what works. 

2. For working moms (of kids attending a Head Start program)

When my child started Head Start, I could finally take a job that matched my skills – and their learning took off. 

Head Start gave us stability. It gave my child early reading skills, nutritious meals, and even a dental screening. It gave me peace of mind and a pathway to independence. 

I’m one of thousands of working parents who rely on Head Start. It’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity. And with the program’s 60th anniversary this month, it deserves more than praise. It deserves protection. 

I’m urging my representative to sign the letter circulating in Congress right now to keep Head Start strong. I want to know: Are you standing with families like mine? 

Congress needs to know this isn’t abstract. These are real families, real futures. Don’t let budget cuts take that away. 

2. For a Head Start alumnus 

I’m living proof that Head Start works. 

I started in Head Start at [age]. Today, I [am a college graduate, a parent, and a homeowner]. Research shows Head Start alumni are more likely to graduate, less likely to rely on public assistance, and more likely to break the cycle of poverty. My life is proof of that. 

Head Start is turning 60 this year. In that time, it has changed the lives of over 37 million children. This is one of America’s greatest success stories. But unless Congress protects its funding, we risk closing doors on future generations. 

I’m asking my representative: Have you signed the letter to protect Head Start that is circulating in Congress? If not, please do. If yes, thank you; now, please be vocal about your support for Head Start. Your leadership matters. 

Head Start gave me a chance. Let’s make sure it keeps doing the same for every child who needs it. 

3. For a Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) volunteer 

I’m proud to volunteer with Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) because I believe every child deserves a fair shot. Head Start delivers just that. 

It helps working parents stay employed, while kids get critical early education and health care. In 2024 alone, Head Start supported over 750,000 children and families nationwide, many in places where no other early learning option exists, including in the area where I live. 

Here’s the thing: Lawmakers are deciding right now how much funding to give programs like Head Start in next year’s budget. A bipartisan letter is circulating in Congress to show support. 

I’m calling on my representative to sign on, and show they stand with families. And I challenge other constituents to ask your member of Congress: Have you signed yet? 

This is about building momentum. When enough lawmakers step up, it sends a powerful message: Head Start matters. Kids matter. Our future matters. 

4. For an educator or former Head Start teacher 

As a former Head Start teacher, I’ve seen how this program transforms lives, especially in rural and low-income communities. And as we mark Head Start’s 60th anniversary this May, I’m proud to have been part of a program that has served more than 38 million children and families since 1965. 

Head Start gives kids a strong foundation with early learning, nutritious meals and vital health screenings. It also supports parents, helping them stay employed, pursue education and build better lives. 

But I’m worried. Congress is starting to work on the fiscal year 2026 budget, and Head Start is said to be facing catastrophic cuts. That would mean fewer classrooms, fewer teachers and fewer children reached. 

We already know Head Start works. Research shows that children who attend are more likely to succeed in school, earn more as adults and stay out of poverty. And it’s cost-effective: Every dollar invested brings back up to $9 in long-term benefits. 

As a teacher, I urge Congress: Don’t let Head Start’s 60th year be marked by disinvestment. Let it be remembered as the moment we stood up for America’s children and recommitted to their futures. 

5. For a grandparent and former caregiver 

I raised my grandchildren, and I can say without hesitation: Head Start was a blessing for our family. 

As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Head Start this May, I think about how this program helped my grandkids – and millions of others – get a strong start. Since 1965, Head Start has supported over 38 million children and families, helping them grow, learn and thrive. 

My grandkids got high-quality early education, healthy meals and the social-emotional skills they needed to succeed in school. For me, it meant knowing they were safe and supported while I worked. It gave us stability when we needed it most. 

Now, that legacy is in danger. Congress is working on the fiscal year 2026 budget, and funding for Head Start is at risk. Cuts would mean fewer kids served and fewer families supported, especially in rural and low-income areas. 

Head Start works. It’s changed lives for 60 years. Let’s not turn our backs on it now. I urge Congress to protect and strengthen Head Start so future generations of children – and grandparents like me – have the support they need. 

6. For a community member or local business owner 

I don’t work in early childhood education, but as a local business owner, I can tell you: Head Start is vital to our community’s economy and well-being. 

Since 1965, Head Start has served more than 38 million children and families. In our area, it’s the backbone for working families who rely on safe, reliable early learning so they can hold down jobs, including in small businesses like mine. 

This May marks Head Start’s 60th anniversary, and while we should be celebrating, we also face a moment of real concern. Congress is negotiating the fiscal year 2026 budget, and funding for Head Start is on the chopping block. 

We need more programs like Head Start, not fewer. It creates a ripple effect supporting families, keeping parents in the workforce and building a stronger future workforce by giving kids the best possible start. Plus, it’s a smart investment: Every $1 invested in Head Start brings back up to $9 in returns. 

I urge Congress to take a stand for working families and rural communities. Protect and expand Head Start – for our kids, for our economy and for the next 60 years of success. 

7. For faith leaders and believers 

In my years as a church member, I’ve witnessed the quiet struggles of families who work hard but still can’t afford child care. Head Start has been the answer for many of them. 

In one year, Head Start helps over 570,000 children get needed health screenings and connects more than 200,000 fathers to their child’s learning. These are not small things. These are investments in dignity, community and opportunity. 

We’re called to love our neighbors, and to stand with those working to build a better future for their children. Head Start does that, every single day. 

With budget decisions looming, I call on my representative to sign onto legislation to protect Head Start, and to sign the letter in support of Head Start that is circulating in Congress. Not next week – now. 

Faith without works is dead. Leadership without action is empty. Join us in defending a program that lifts children and families, especially those who need it most.