By Edward Condon, executive director, Head Start WEST

Head Start WEST is pleased to welcome Lizbeth Casco White as the new Director of the Office of Head Start. Director White assumes leadership at a pivotal moment for the Head Start community and the millions of children and families it serves each year. As she begins this important work within the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we look forward to partnering with her and the Office of Head Start to strengthen one of the nation’s most effective early childhood investments.

The earliest years of a child’s life shape their future health, learning, and economic stability. Head Start was created with a bold vision—to ensure that children facing the greatest barriers have access to comprehensive services that prepare them to succeed in school and life. Today, that mission remains as vital as ever.

To ensure Head Start continues delivering strong outcomes for children, families, and communities, we encourage Director White to launch a Shared Call to Action that brings together federal leadership, local programs, families, national partners, and state and regional associations. By working collaboratively and strategically, we can strengthen program performance, maximize the impact of taxpayer investment, and ensure that Head Start remains a cornerstone of our nation’s early childhood system.

Although Head Start operates through a diverse network of local programs, we are united by a common mission—and by a shared responsibility to ensure this federal investment delivers meaningful results for children and families.

Advancing Shared National Priorities

Clear, consistent leadership from the Office of Head Start can help unify the field around priorities that strengthen both program quality and accountability. Policymakers, communities, and families benefit when the system operates with transparency and alignment.

Key priorities include:

• Centering families in all decisions, recognizing that strong families are the foundation of healthy child development.

• Achieving and sustaining full enrollment, ensuring that eligible children and families in every community can access Head Start services.

• Protecting the health, safety, and well-being of children, and ensuring that Head Start facilities remain safe, trusted spaces for families.

• Strengthening governance oversight and fiscal integrity, safeguarding taxpayer investment and ensuring responsible stewardship of federal funds.

• Expanding data-driven decision making and continuous program improvement, using evidence and outcomes to guide innovation and strengthen program impact.

• Stabilizing and strengthening the Head Start workforce, including competitive compensation and wage comparability that recognize the critical role early childhood educators play in children’s development.

Alignment around these priorities will reinforce accountability while empowering local programs to innovate and respond to the unique needs of their communities. At a time when families, providers, and policymakers are seeking clarity about the future of early childhood programs, strong leadership and clear expectations can help ensure Head Start continues to deliver measurable results.

Elevating Local Leadership and Community Innovation

One of Head Start’s greatest strengths is its locally driven model. Community-based programs translate federal standards into responsive services that meet the needs of children and families where they live.

Across the country, local programs are navigating significant workforce shortages while continuing to innovate in service delivery and family engagement. Stronger collaboration between federal leadership and the field will help surface solutions that can strengthen the entire system.

Engagement with local leaders can help:

• Identify promising practices in workforce development and professional learning

• Highlight successful partnerships with schools, community colleges, and workforce agencies

• Strengthen career pathways that support early childhood professionals from entry-level roles to leadership positions

• Learn from the diversity of service models, including center-based, home-based, and family child care options

When the experiences and innovations of local programs are elevated nationally, the entire Head Start system benefits—and policymakers gain valuable insight into the real-world impact of federal early childhood investments.

Strengthening Federal and Regional Partnerships

Strong partnerships between federal leadership and local grant recipients have always been central to Head Start’s success. Reinvigorating these relationships will help ensure policies are informed by on-the-ground realities and that programs have the guidance they need to succeed.

The field welcomes renewed engagement from the Office of Head Start through:

•Program site visits and direct engagement with local communities

•Participation in state and regional association conferences and national convenings

•Regional listening sessions and dialogues with program leaders

•Opportunities to hear directly from teachers, staff, and families

These connections build trust, improve policy alignment, and strengthen the effectiveness of federal guidance.

Moving Forward Together

Head Start has long represented a bipartisan commitment to expanding opportunity for children and strengthening families. As Director White begins her tenure, there is a meaningful opportunity to reaffirm that commitment and ensure the program continues delivering results for the children and communities who rely on it.

Head Start serves children and families in every state and congressional district, making it one of the nation’s most locally rooted and broadly supported federal programs.

By advancing a shared call to action, strengthening collaboration across the system, and reinforcing clear national priorities, we can ensure that Head Start continues to be a powerful driver of educational opportunity, family stability, and community prosperity.

Together—with federal leadership, local innovation, and sustained public investment—we can build an even stronger future for Head Start and the children it serves.

This letter was created in collaboration with Rise Partners LLC