Sept. 25, 2025 11:20 a.m.

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have joined their Senate colleagues to introduce the Head Start for America’s Children Act, the senators announced in a press release Thursday.

They say the legislation would expand Head Start to ensure that more than 11 million young children from working-class families can access high-quality early education and comprehensive services, while also ensuring Head Start educators earn the wages they deserve.

According to the release, The Head Start for America’s Children Act would:

• Fully fund Head Start to serve 11 million eligible young children and simplify enrollment;
• Align program hours with working families’ schedules so parents do not need additional child care;
• Raise Head Start educator pay to at least $60,000 a year and establish salary scales and competitive benefits;
• Provide recruitment and retention incentives grants for up to 12,500 educators;
• Expand co-location of Head Start programs on college campuses and partnerships with child care providers;
• Strengthen and diversify the early educator pipeline to prepare at least 3,000 teachers over five years;
• Improve mental health services for Head Start staff, families and children; and
• And invest in facility upgrades, including removing lead contamination in paint and water.

Read the full summary of the Head Start for America’s Children Act HERE.