By Anna Bryson

Richmond Public Schools stands to lose more than $10 million in early childhood education funding under a proposal from the Trump administration to eliminate Head Start, a federal program that serves low-income families.

The move would defund care and education for more than 12,000 young children — ages 3 to 5 — across Virginia.

The proposal is in the Trump administration’s draft federal budget, but Congress will write and pass its own version. It is not clear if lawmakers will accept the proposed cut. RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras declined comment on the proposal.

Allison Gilbreath, the senior policy and programs director at Voices for Virginia’s Children, a Richmond-based nonprofit that advocates for equitable outcomes for youth, said eliminating Head Start would “devastate families already struggling to access affordable care and disrupt the lives of thousands of children during their most formative years.”

“At a time when we’re facing a worsening child care crisis, dismantling Head Start would push more families into instability and widen opportunity gaps,” Gillbreath said. “We should be strengthening these programs, not stripping them away.”

Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood program that provides early education as well as meals, health screenings and family support to low-income families with young children. The program aims to ensure kids are ready for kindergarten,

especially those who might otherwise start school at a disadvantage, including children experiencing homelessness or living in foster care.

RPS is set to receive $10.3 million for Head Start in the 2026 fiscal year to serve 806 children. Of the 806 slots, Petersburg receives 135 slots and Richmond receives the rest, split between school and community providers, the preponderance being RPS preschools.

Asked about the federal proposal, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, did not specifically say whether he supports the administration’s idea to eliminate Head Start funding, but emphasized that the decision is up to Congress.

“This was a proposal put forth by the administration. The legislative branch has the power of the purse, so Congress will be doing its own work to develop a budget that meets our young children’s needs,” said Wittman, whose sprawling district includes parts of Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover counties.

“My mother was a teacher in Hanover, and my wife Kathryn was a Title 1 elementary school teacher for over 40 years, so I understand how critical early childhood education is for our kids. As Congress enters the funding cycle for Fiscal Year 2026, I will be working with my colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee to ensure our children receive the education and support they need to thrive inside and outside the classroom.”

His district receives about $8.3 million annually for Head Start, which provides services to more than 500 children.

Hanover County Public Schools, which is partially represented by Wittman, is set to receive $1.2 million in Head Start funding in the 2026 fiscal year for about 100 children.

The office of Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-2nd, whose district, based in Virginia Beach, is one of Virginia’s most competitive, did not respond to requests for comment.

The 4th Congressional District, which Democratic Rep. Jennifer McClellan represents, is based in Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico counties and includes a dozen other cities and counties extending to the North Carolina line.

The district receives $16.5 million to serve roughly 1,400 children. The biggest single grant goes to RPS.

Henrico County Public Schools does not use the Head Start program. Chesterfield County Public Schools this school year no longer sought funding through Head Start and the roughly 200 children who were served through the program were transferred into the Virginia Preschool Initiative, a state-run program that provides preschool programs for at-risk 3 and 4-year-olds.

Candidates for governor

Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee, called the proposed elimination “a direct threat” to young Virginians, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

“Virginia’s parents deserve the strongest support possible when it comes to their children’s education, not fewer or zero options,” Spanberger said in a statement. “Eliminating Head Start funding would not only jeopardize the future success of so many of Virginia’s students — it would force parents to pay more for child care at a time when families are already struggling with high costs.”

Spanberger vowed to oppose the cuts if elected governor.

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican nominee for governor, framed the issue as a matter of parental control.

“Education starts at home, not in Washington,” Earle-Sears said in a statement. “Governor Youngkin and I have made historic investments in child care that meet the needs of Virginia parents. This is about empowering parents, not D.C. bureaucrats, and giving every child in the Commonwealth the strong start they deserve.”