Dozens of Head Start programs throughout the country, including at least six in California, have experienced delays in government money for payroll and expenses during the week since the Trump administration announced a freezing about federal funds.
The centers, which depend completely on federal funds to provide child care to low -income children, were thrown at a panic last week, when the Office of Administration and Budget announced a radical freezing in federal aid. The White House then clarified that Head Start would not be affected by freezing, and OBB rescinded the memorandum after a federal judge blocked temporarily.
However, a growing number of Head Start subsidies, which operate in thin margins of Razor, have reported delays in access to the financing of approved subsidies, according to National Head Start Assn. While most Head Start programs have not experienced important interruptions, some have had no choice but to close services, while others are struggling to find other sources of financing to keep their doors open, the association said.
Until Thursday, 10 days after the federal freezing was announced, the association said that at least 52 programs in 22 states, DC and Puerto Rico are still experiencing delays in funds. The programs, which serve almost 20,000 children from birth to 5 years, report that they receive “pending” or “in process” messages when they request to extract funds from their subsidy from an online payment system.
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“Without the ability to pay for rent, buy the necessary food to feed children and fulfill the payroll, our entire operation is in danger. And those who suffer the most are children in our care, “said Yasmina Vinci, executive director of National Head Start Assn.” We urge President Donald Trump and interim leadership in the Department of Health and Human Services to immediately address the problems they conduct to unnecessary delays in financing. “
Until Tuesday, Melanee Cottrill, executive director of Head Start California, said at least six Head Starts based in California were experiencing delays in funds. Accumulatively, these programs use 884 people and serve 3,856 children. At least one program in Los Angeles County, with 250 employees and 1,400 children, was “on the edge of the closure”, since even a small delay can be “a serious problem,” he said.
That program, together with another, has received payments since then.
Head Start programs are required to spend funds within three days after reception, so they tend to gather their invoices and then, once or twice a week, request money to pay them. Usually, money lands in your bank account a day later. But since the federal freezing was announced, the programs wait 5 to 7 days for money.
“Our programs have invoices and do not have the money to pay them,” Cottrill said. Smaller programs in particular tend not to have a financial mattress and are incurring late rates and interests, which are not allowed to use Head Start funds to pay, which puts them in financial danger. Head Start programs in California serve about 90,000 children and employ 25,000 workers.
Several programs in other states closed temporarily due to delays in funds. In an additional complication, the Federal Office of Head Start is within the Department of Health and Human Services, which the Trump administration prohibited communicating with the public, said Cottrill. “We are not obtaining the guide that we will normally do, and we stay out of the wind trying to discover what is happening.”
The Los Angeles County Education Office is the largest Head Start dealership in the region and contracts with school districts and non -profit organizations to serve 8,000 children and families. Recently, a $ 10 million payment request was delayed a week, said Luis Bautista, executive director of the head and the agency's early learning division.
The county office had enough reservations to maintain its programs in operation, but that is not the case for most Head Start beneficiaries, who tend to be small agencies, he said.
“At the time you tell them, 'there is no money', even if it is for a few days or a few weeks, they probably need to think about their doors temporarily and license employees.”
Jocelyn Tucker, deputy director of the Foundation for Early Childhood Education Inc. in Pasadena, who serves 500 children, said she has not yet experienced a financing delay, but says that there is still a feeling of “generalized uncertainty” in his program.
“Everyone is nervous and everyone is at the limit wondering what will happen. Parents too. Head Start serves the lowest income families. What else? Tucker said. “Parents must leave their children to go to work. If there is no place for children to leave, they cannot go to work or pay their invoices. It is just a snowball effect. “
This article is part of the Times early childhood education initiative, focusing on the learning and development of California children from birth to 5 years. For more information about the initiative and their philanthropic financiers, go to latimes.com/earlyed.
