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(Photos by WSB’s Torin Record-Sand, Educare Seattle Head Start site)
By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
As the federal-government shutdown enters its second month – now the second longest in U.S. history – it’s not just food programs that are running out of money. Head Start early-childhood programs in our state are among the services facing the mounting pressure of losing federal funding too.
Head Start programs serve children between the ages of 3 and 5, providing resources and child care, primarily to families whose income is below the poverty line. Without the reimbursement of federal funding as of today, families across the state are at risk of losing the early learning services Head Start programs provide, including literacy and math programs, nutritional and health services, and special support for students with disabilities.
For Seattle families – as shown on this map – these cuts will affect more than 350 students at Seattle Public Schools sites, including three local elementary schools – Roxhill at E.C. Hughes, West Seattle, and Concord International elementaries. For now, Seattle Public Schools‘ Head Start sites are expected to stay open using district contingency funds.
Facing even more of an impact in this area is Educare Seattle, a key Head Start program site in White Center that serves more than 150 kids from birth to age 5 and their families. Educare and other Head Start programs like it are supported by the Puget Sound Educational Services District, or PSESD, which supports early learning services to 35 school districts across King and Pierce counties, and Bainbridge island, as well as supporting other levels of education.
Without the renewal of vital grants, PSESD will be forced to fall back on an emergency loan to keep the doors open this month for more than 1,100 children and families for whom they provide services.
“We’re still under a lot of pressure, but it’s not an immediate shutdown,” said Lori Pittman, the PSESD’s Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations lead. The loan, which was taken out of an emergency fund, will be enough to keep the program open through the next month, but Pittman says this won’t come without challenges.
“We’ll put off non-essential things,” she said. “If a dishwasher breaks at a center, we won’t be focused on that; we’ll be focused on supporting families at a time when we are their safety net, and keeping our staff employed.”
Currently, PSESD says they’re not in a position where they can continue to borrow money past November, Pittman said, which could lead to staff cuts, and/or closure of their programs, leaving families without the safety net Head Start provides.
So as the shutdown continues, Pittman and the rest of the PSESD staff are doing everything they can to keep the doors open, including reaching out to the community for support. This includes partnering with nonprofits such as WestSide Baby to get formula and working with food banks to keep kids fed.
To anyone able, Pittman stresses the value of donating during this crucial time, especially donations through local food banks and churches, and reaching out to local legislators and representatives, to emphasize the benefits of the Head Start program.
“We are caught up in a place where we shouldn’t be,” Pittman said. “This is about children receiving quality education, and families receiving services that help them move into self-sufficiency and off government services. This really hurts the folks who are enrolled in our programs, and our staff who come into work every day. We love these children, we love these families, and we want them to succeed. Head Start is worth the investment.”
As the shutdown continues, more programs that families, especially those at or near the poverty line, may depend on, such as SNAP benefits, are also becoming increasingly tenuous. To help support families, the Learning Communities Foundation, an organization partnered with PSESD, has started a fundraiser to support families impacted by the lack of federal support. For more information and to donate, follow the link here.
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