Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford joined a multistate coalition in opposing a proposed federal rule that would weaken Head Start programs and potentially threaten access to early childhood education and support services for children and families.
In a comment letter, the coalition urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to withdraw its proposed rule, "Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs," arguing the changes violate federal law. Ford said: "Head Start provides Nevada families with critical education, health care and support services that help children build a strong foundation for their future."
The Head Start program serves more than 750,000 children nationwide, providing early childhood education, health screenings, nutrition assistance and family support services to children from low-income households. According to the National Head Start Association's 2026 Nevada State Profile, Nevada has 58 Head Start centers with 2,708 federally funded enrollment slots and more than 1,000 employees. In fiscal year 2025, Nevada received approximately $28.6 million in federal Head Start funding.
In Nevada, Head Start programs conducted more than 14,600 home visits, provided preventive dental care to nearly 3,000 children and served 451 families experiencing homelessness, according to the coalition.
The proposed federal changes would significantly weaken longstanding standards, the coalition argued. Among other changes, the rule would increase class sizes and reduce staffing, reduce access to health services by removing requirements for medical, dental, mental health and developmental screenings, impose English-only instruction requirements, and reduce the allowable administrative and development cost cap from 15 percent to 5 percent.
The coalition includes the attorneys general of New Mexico, California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, along with the governor of Kentucky.