Head Start and Community Action: Expanding Parent Choice in Early Education

As the national conversation around educational freedom evolves, Head Start programs and Community Action Programs (CAPs) find themselves at the heart of the solution — trusted, embedded in community networks, and uniquely positioned to support families in navigating a wide range of early care and education choices.

The Office of Child Care’s IM-25-04: Educational Freedom and Opportunities for Families urges states and agencies to remove barriers and empower families to choose the child care and early education options that best align with their values, needs, and work schedules — including faith-based, culturally specific, and license-exempt care.

And as emphasized during the June 18, 2025, Office of Early Childhood Development webinar, the goal is clear: make these choices accessible to every family.

The Landscape: Families Want More Flexibility

Many trusted providers — especially faith-based or culturally aligned — hesitate to participate in subsidy systems due to licensing hurdles, complex paperwork, or perceptions of red tape.

“The aim of the President’s Executive Order is simple: to ensure that all families — including low-income and working families — have the option to choose educational alternatives.” — Andrew Gradison, Acting Assistant Secretary ACF

It’s not just about adding more providers — it’s about recognizing and validating the ones families already trust.

“Seventeen states have already embraced universal school choice… allowing families, not the government, to choose the right educational setting. The evidence is clear: when you give families more options, you promote competition — and competition raises standards.” — Andrew Gradison, Acting Assistant Secretary ACF

Why Head Start and Community Action Agencies Are Essential

Community Action and Head Start programs already serve as navigators, advocates, and trusted messengers for families who may otherwise struggle to access early education supports.

“The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) supports community-based efforts to reduce poverty and improve self-sufficiency. While CSBG can’t be used for K–12 services, it can support early education and wraparound care, like child care and before- and after-school programs.” — J. Janelle George, Office of Community Services (OCS)

“In response to the Executive Order, the Office of Head Start released an Information Memorandum highlighting Head Start’s critical role in promoting parent choice. Head Start helps families select early care providers that meet their needs, prepares children for academic and social success, and serves as a resource for navigating local school options.” — CAPT Tala Hooban, Acting Director, Office of Head Start

That makes them ideal partners in the push for educational freedom.

✅ 1. Help Families Understand Their Full Range of Options

Train Family Advocates and ERSEA Staff on Parent Choice Rights: Parent engagement teams should understand how subsidy programs work and what educational freedom means in practice.

The more informed your team is, the better they can:

• Explain the full range of options to families, such as the difference between Head Start, CCDF-subsidized care, and license-exempt arrangements

• Empower families to make informed choices — including those based on faith, culture, or location

• Advocate for continuity of care across settings

• Incorporate preferences and choice documentation into the intake process

“Head Start programs are encouraged to work closely with families to determine their program model and consider how their offerings respond to family needs. Programs can re-examine and develop community partnerships to expand in ways that support family choices — for example, through connections with faith-based and home-based settings for families who want those options.

Head Start programs can play an important role in supporting parent choice during transitions — whether there’s a new baby in the family or infants, toddlers, and preschoolers preparing to enter or graduate from Early Head Start or Head Start. Knowledgeable staff can help families explore the best early care and school options for their children. Transitions are important moments for children and families and are great times for conversations about what’s best for the child and the family in their next step forward.

We know that many factors influence these decisions for parents — including work schedules, safety, trust, word of mouth, input from other parents, family values, culture, religion, and convenience. Head Start programs should help families understand all of the early childhood and elementary school options in their local community, and conduct outreach with families during transitions along their child’s educational journey.” — CAPT Tala Hooban, Acting Director, Office of Head Start

✅ 2. Strengthen Cross-System Collaboration

Head Start and CAP leaders should be active participants in state and local planning discussions around:

• Removing unnecessary licensing or participation barriers

• Supporting hybrid and nontraditional-hour care

• Ensuring consumer education materials include Head Start as an option

• Advocating for culturally responsive pathways to join subsidy networks

“SSBG funds can support vouchers for activities like enrichment, life skills, and SEL. Both CSBG and SSBG give states flexibility to help families choose programs that align with their children’s needs while increasing access to quality enrichment.” — J. Janelle George, Office of Community Services (OCS)

✅ 3. Use Data to Track and Respond to Family Choice

Programs can leverage platforms like GoEngage to:

• Document family reasons for choosing or declining care options

• Identify gaps in availability (e.g., nontraditional hours, language-specific care)

• Monitor how referral practices impact equitable access

Key Stats from the Webinar

Over 90% of CSBG Funds Must Be Passed Through to Local Agencies

“States are required to pass through 90% of their CSBG allocation to eligible entities, which are mostly Community Action Agencies.” — J. Janelle George, Office of Community Services (OCS)

SSBG and CSBG Can Fund Education-Related Services

Including school enrichment, before- and after-school care, life skills training, and more — which can be leveraged to support expanded parent choice.

Reframing Head Start’s Role

This shift isn’t about promoting Head Start instead of other options. It’s about leading with respect and partnership:

• Help families find the right fit — even if it’s not your program

• Incorporate culturally responsive practices in your own services

• Celebrate diverse values and traditions during intake and transitions

• Be a leader in defining family-driven quality

Supporting families means meeting their needs — even when they choose a different program. Head Start and CAP agencies play a vital role in empowering families with information, resources, and respect for their choices.

Tools to Support This Work: How GoEngage Helps

GoEngage empowers Head Start and Community Action programs to:

• Track family preferences, faith-based or cultural considerations

• Monitor transitions (e.g., Early Head Start to Head Start, Pre-K, or faith-based options)

• Coordinate across subsidy providers and systems

• Document conversations that center family voice

Final Takeaway

Supporting educational freedom doesn’t mean stepping back — it means stepping up in a new way.

By helping families understand their rights, lifting up multiple provider options, and ensuring systems work together rather than in silos, Head Start and Community Action Agencies can turn the vision of parent choice into reality.

👉 Want to see how GoEngage supports cross-agency collaboration and family-centered data tracking?

Schedule a demo today.