HHS report says Obama-era Head Start rules raised costs without boosting quality
A Department of Health and Human Services analysis found that the 2016 Obama administration rule for Head Start increased per-child costs by 50% while failing to improve educational outcomes or enrollment.
The HHS assistant secretary for planning and evaluation released a study showing that the 2016 regulation intended to standardize Head Start performance did not raise program quality. Instead, the rule coincided with a sharp drop in enrollment and a 50% rise in the cost per child. The findings suggest the policy added financial strain without delivering the expected educational benefits.
Why it matters
It shows that a major federal policy may have increased costs for a key early-education program without improving outcomes.
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