According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in a July 23, 2025 statement, the Trump administration violated the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 by withholding funds meant for early childhood education Head Start programs.
GAO cited several actions taken by the Trump administration from January through April that strained the Head Start system, including delays in expected federal funding and reduced funding levels intended by Congress as compared to the year before. Data shows that the federal government gave about $825 million less to Head Start grant recipients between January 20, 2025 and April 15, 2025 — a 34% dip compared to the same period the year before.
The Head Start program has also been challenged this year with other federal policy changes not mentioned in the GAO report. Those include widespread layoffs that reduced the number of regional Head Start offices from 10 to five and a policy requiring immigration status verification for Head Start participation.
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