The Head Start Improvement Act would transform the existing Head Start program by converting it from a federally managed system into state and tribal block grants for prekindergarten education. Under this legislation, the Department of Health and Human Services would distribute approximately 10.6 billion dollars annually through 2034 to states and Indian tribes based on the number of low-income children in their populations, with states required to provide matching funds equal to 20 percent of the grant. States and tribes would have flexibility in how they use these funds, including options to establish voucher systems or education savings accounts that allow parents to choose private prekindergarten programs, though they must maintain oversight of providers and limit administrative costs to 15 percent of funding. The bill would require grant recipients to conduct annual self-assessments, publish online reports on program outcomes and finances, and ensure nondiscrimination in all programs, with the Government Accountability Office directed to study state approaches and report to Congress within four years of implementation.
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