Kearney senator preparing legislation to bring state into regulations for Head Start programs

LINCOLN — State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney said he is hoping to bring legislation next year that would officially bring Nebraska’s Head Start programs into state statute amid growing uncertainty about long-term federal support.

Clouse introduced Legislative Resolution 472 earlier this year to examine the state’s existing programs and lay the groundwork for future legislation. The resolution was discussed at a public hearing Wednesday before the Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee.

Head Start is a federal program for children in low-income families that began in 1965. It currently serves about 5,500 Nebraska children across 37 programs statewide, according to Clouse and other testifiers.

The program serves expectant mothers and children through age 5.

Multiple testifiers spoke to the range of benefits offered by the program, including family support, developmental screenings and access to medical and dental services.

Currently, Head Start is not referenced in Nebraska statutes, Clouse said. The program is funded 80% by the federal government, with local governments contributing the remaining 20%.

Jill Bomberger, Head Start director for Lancaster and Saunders counties, said local partnerships are a critical component of the program, as individual programs adjust their services based on consultations with parent leaders on present needs.

However, Bomberger said, there would be some benefit to defining the program in state law as concerns grow about the continuation of federal aid. In recent years, the Trump administration has expressed interest in eliminating all federal funding for the program, but those proposals have not been approved by Congress. Multiple testifiers said establishing the program in statute would ease some concerns and provide stability for participating families and staff.

“This is to try and provide some of that stability, get it defined,” said Mitchell Clark, policy adviser for First Five Nebraska. “And then going forward in future years, if the state Legislature would consider anything else to support Head Start, it’ll make it a little easier, because state statute recognizes it and knows what it is.”

Clouse said his office first learned about the issues with Head Start after concerns were raised about fingerprinting requirements for new hires.

Under federal law, new Head Start employees are required to complete a fingerprint-based background check. In Nebraska, that is done through the state Department of Health and Human Services, but Bomberger said some programs don’t have the necessary childcare licensing to access that resource. Clark said this leaves those programs in “limbo” when bringing in new staff, as they lack the authority to request a fingerprint check.

He said he will likely introduce a bill to address these concerns, but is considering other areas that may need addressing.

Bomberger said there are other opportunities for the state to support Head Start by helping the program retain its educators. She said working for Head Start alone is not enough to maintain a teaching certificate in Nebraska, which forces certified teachers to choose among taking graduate classes, leaving their job for a position in a school system or giving up their certificate.

“Allowing that teaching practice within Head Start to fulfill those requirements would help keep those key professionals in our programs,” Bomberger said.