During Head Start Advocacy Day at the State Capitol, Assemblymembers Heather Hadwick and Patrick Ahrens were honored with the Head Start Hero Award in recognition of their bipartisan leadership to help protect and preserve Head Start funding last year.
At a time of deep political division, the two lawmakers found common ground rooted in shared experience. Both Assemblymembers are graduates of Head Start and worked together — alongside a broad bipartisan coalition — to push back against threats to the program and ensure it continued serving children and families across California.
Head Start is a federally funded early childhood education program that provides comprehensive services — including education, health care, nutrition, and family support — to low-income children ages 0 to 5 and their families. Over the past six decades, the program has served nearly 40 million children nationwide, including more than 80,000 children annually in California.
Following intense advocacy efforts last year, Head Start avoided elimination in the initial 2025 Trump budget proposal, with federal officials ultimately confirming “no changes” to the approximately $12 billion program.
However, the program still faced significant threats, including funding delays tied to regional office closures and ongoing calls from some groups to eliminate the program altogether.
Hadwick emphasized the importance of protecting the program, especially for rural communities
“As a former Head Start student, this work is deeply personal to me,” Hadwick said. “I grew up in rural California, raised by a single mother who worked two jobs just to keep food on the table and the lights on. Head Start was a lifeline for my family — it gave me a safe place to learn and grow and gave my mom the peace of mind that we were cared for. I know firsthand what Head Start means to families. It was a steppingstone to a better life — and we need those steppingstones for our working families.
“That experience is why I’ve fought so hard to protect and strengthen Head Start. In many of the rural communities I represent, it’s not just an option — it’s often the only option for early education, childcare, and essential services. I’m incredibly grateful for this recognition—but more importantly, I remain committed to ensuring every child and every working family has access to the same opportunities that helped shape my life.”
Ahrens shared
“As former Head Start kids and now public servants, working alongside Assemblymember Hadwick last year to successfully defend the lifeline that is Head Start from devastating federal cuts is one of my proudest achievements,” Ahrens said. “I am honored to receive this recognition with Heather and will continue to work with her and our colleagues to make sure California families get the needed support to have an opportunity to live up to their highest potential. We cannot balance our budgets on the backs of our poorest and most vulnerable children and families.”
Last year, Hadwick and Ahrens joined nearly 100 of their legislative colleagues — Democrats and Republicans alike — to urge Congress to protect federal investments in Head Start. Their efforts helped maintain funding for a program that serves as a critical lifeline for working families.
However, both lawmakers emphasized that the fight is not over. Current federal budget proposals would effectively amount to a funding cut when adjusted for inflation, threatening access to services for vulnerable children and families.
“Head Start is more than early education — it is workforce infrastructure,” said Hadwick. “When parents have access to reliable childcare and early learning, they can work, support their families, and contribute to their communities.”
The legislators also raised concerns about recent federal workforce reductions and administrative disruptions that have already created uncertainty for Head Start providers in California.
As families continue to face rising costs and limited access to childcare, Hadwick and Ahrens reaffirmed their commitment to working across party lines to ensure Head Start remains strong for future generations.
