Iowa (RI) — Directors of the Head Start preschool program for low-income families in Iowa are waiting for more guidance before moving forward, as new federal policies will require proof of legal status for kids to enroll.
Lisa Proctor, the Head Start director at Drake University in Des Moines, says she’s not sure how verification will affect the community, as the program never demanded proof of citizenship before.
Proctor says asking families to verify citizenship might push them away from registering for the program, and Head Start programs are funded by the number of kids expected to enroll. If families stop enrolling their kids, Proctor says the program might shrink.
The program is focused on lowering barriers for high-need families caring for their kids. Proctor says adding citizenship requirements goes against what Head Start has been for 60 years.
(Lucia Cheng, Iowa Public Radio)
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