The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) told the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 5 that a new federal rule reclassifying Head Start as a “federal public benefit” under the 1996 welfare‑reform law (PRWORA) has immediate implications for enrollment and outreach to families. LACOE and delegate agencies said they will keep enrolling children while legal challenges and public comment proceed, and they urged coordinated messaging to parents to avoid confusion and fear.

What changed: On July 10, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a notice stating Head Start should be treated as a federal public benefit — a procedural shift that effectively requires programs to verify U.S. citizenship or “qualified immigration status” for children in Head Start. The change was published in the Federal Register on July 14 and became effective immediately; a 30‑day public comment period is open through Aug. 13. Multiple states and associations filed litigation arguing the rulemaking was improper.

County briefing: LACOE Deputy and Head Start staff summarized Head Start’s scale and outcomes and said that for over 60 years Head Start enrollment did not require immigration‑status documentation. The county serves roughly 7,000 children through LACOE programs and county grantees serve about 21,000 children annually; statewide Head Start enrollment is roughly 80,000 children and nationally about 750,000. LACOE said the new verification requirement raises administrative burdens and risks deterring eligible families, including U.S. citizens in mixed‑status households, from enrolling.

Immediate actions and guidance: LACOE and staff said:
- They are coordinating with delegate agencies, Head Start California and the National Head Start Association; national and state associations have recommended grantees continue normal enrollment while litigation and guidance evolve;
- The public comment window is open through Aug. 13, and LACOE is preparing formal public comment emphasizing the rule’s potential harm and administrative burdens;
- County offices and legal partners are coordinating “know your rights” outreach and preparing workshops to help families create contingency plans (guardian designations, emergency contacts) and to explain program rights and procedures.

Why it matters: County officials warned the rule could reduce participation by vulnerable families — children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care and those in immigrant families — undermining Head Start’s mission of school readiness and early medical and developmental screening. Staff highlighted Head Start outcomes (higher kindergarten readiness, improved early literacy, broad family support and health screenings) and noted the program’s role in workforce development, family economic mobility and public‑savings over time.

Board response: Supervisors asked whether the county is tracking early signs of disenrollment (staff reported some family confusion and fear), how the county will coordinate legal and community messaging, and how county agencies (including the Office of Immigrant Affairs and legal aid partners) can help. LACOE said it will continue enrollment for now and convene partners for a coordinated public‑information campaign and legal/advocacy strategy. The board received and filed the report.