Head Start quality suffered under Obama rules, HHS report finds

Published October 6, 2026 11:24am ET | Updated October 6, 2026 11:29am ET



EXCLUSIVE — Obama administration regulations for the antipoverty program Head Start dramatically increase costs without improving education quality, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

A report from the assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at HHS obtained by the Washington Examiner found that a 2016 rule standardizing performance quality did not improve outcomes for Head Start early childhood education programs, rapidly decreased enrollment, and increased costs per child by 50%.

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