Possible Federal Cuts to Head Start Spark Concern Among Northwest Ohio Families
Families and early childhood educators in northwest Ohio are sounding the alarm as a proposed federal budget threatens to eliminate all funding for the Head Start program, a vital service for low-income families in the region. In Defiance alone, the program currently serves 100 families, providing early education, meals, housing assistance, and family support to children from birth to age five.
The potential funding cut, expected to be part of the White House’s 2026 budget proposal, has sparked deep concern among parents and community leaders who say the loss would be devastating. For many, Head Start is not just a preschool, it’s a critical lifeline.
Rebecca Thieme, a mother whose three children have gone through the program, described Head Start as transformative for her family. “This program is a blessing,” she said. “Financially and emotionally, a lot of us wouldn’t know what to do without it.” She credits the program with helping her son make remarkable progress in his development.
Amber Simmons, director of child development at the Northwest Ohio Community Action Commission, emphasized that the impact of losing Head Start would reach beyond education. “Eliminating this free program would have a huge impact on employment rates,” she said. “Parents rely on Head Start to be able to work or attend school. Without it, I don’t know what they’d do.”
The program currently serves about 350 children across Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, and Williams counties, many of which are rural areas where early childhood services are already scarce. Jamie Huber, director of community services for the commission, stressed that in these communities, there are few, if any, alternatives. “These programs are a safety net,” Huber said. “We need this funding. Eliminating the funding doesn’t eliminate the need.”
As the budget debate unfolds in Washington, families like the Thiemes are left hoping their voices will be heard. “It’s amazing, it’s a blessing, and a lot of us wouldn’t know what to do without it,” Thieme said.
The message from northwest Ohio is clear: cutting Head Start funding may save money on paper, but it would come at an immeasurable cost to families, children, and communities.
