Reach Dane

08/18/2026

Happy National Nonprofit Day! 💛 At Reach Dane, every day is about giving our youngest learners a strong foundation and giving families real opportunities — through Head Start, Early Head Start, child care, and family support services. Thank you to our incredible staff, partners, and families who make this mission possible, 365 days a year.

08/13/2026

Call Congress today.

A proposed federal rule threatens to weaken the standards that keep Head Start classrooms safe — including the ratios that ensure every child gets the attention they need.

Tell them: don't weaken the standards that keep Head Start classrooms safe. Ask them to oppose the proposed rule change.

It takes five minutes to make a call that matters for the children and families we serve.

Call now. Your voice matters.

Text HEADSTART to 855-714-1332 to be connected with your Member of Congress, or click the link to call: https://actionnetwork.org/call_campaigns/tell-congress-to-stop-rfks-attack-on-head-start/?source=headstarttoolkit

Your voice can help protect Head Start.

08/13/2026

Tomorrow, our community has a chance to show up for the children and families we love.

For over 60 years, Head Start has given children the strong start they deserve — safe classrooms, caring teachers, and support that reaches whole families, not just kids. That’s true for the 40 million children it’s served nationally, and it’s true for the families right here in Dane and Green County who walk through our doors every day.

A newly proposed federal rule threatens to change that. If enacted, it could mean larger classrooms, fewer protections for children with disabilities, and lower standards for the teachers our children rely on.

We don’t want that for our kids. And we don’t think you do either.

Tomorrow, Thursday, August 13, is a national call-in day. It takes less than five minutes to call your Member of Congress and ask them to stand up for Head Start.

To call, visit: https://actionnetwork.org/call_campaigns/tell-congress-to-stop-rfks-attack-on-head-start/?source=headstarttoolkit

Or text HEADSTART to 855-714-1332

Your voice matters here. Our children’s story matters. Will you take five minutes for them tomorrow?

TOMORROW: Make your voice heard for Head Start

Head Start has served over 40 million children over the past 60 years, providing critical child care and comprehensive services to families across the nation.

A newly proposed federal rule would roll back many of the standards that keep Head Start programs safe, high-quality, and accessible. If enacted, these changes could:

❌ Reduce child care access
❌ Increase classroom sizes
❌ Lower protections for children with disabilities
❌ Diminish teacher qualification standards

Tomorrow, Thursday, August 13, join a national call-in day to ask your Member of Congress to call on the Department of Health and Human Services to stop these proposed rule changes.

To call, visit: https://actionnetwork.org/call_campaigns/tell-congress-to-stop-rfks-attack-on-head-start/?source=headstarttoolkit
Or text HEADSTART to 855-714-1332

It takes less than five minutes to make a call that matters.

08/11/2026

Let's talk about what's actually in the proposed Head Start rule change.

The proposal wouldn't just trim red tape. It would eliminate the federal staff-to-child ratio requirement entirely, replacing it with whatever each state's basic childcare licensing allows. State licensing standards vary widely; in some states, one adult can be responsible for 11 or 12 toddlers at once. Head Start's current standard is one adult for every four.

That's not a paperwork difference. That's the difference between a child getting individualized attention during a critical stage of brain development and a classroom that's harder to keep safe.

We support paying early childhood staff a living wage — full stop. But that's a funding conversation, not a ratio conversation. Weakening safety standards doesn't fund better pay; it just makes classrooms less safe while the underlying funding problem goes unaddressed.

08/10/2026

Our Executive Director, Jen Bailey, was featured in The Hechinger Report (also in The Washington Post) speaking out on proposed federal changes to Head Start standards.

The proposal would eliminate national staff-to-child ratio requirements, leaving them up to individual states. Jen put it plainly: without national standards, Head Start risks becoming a "shell of a program."

We will continue operating under our current standards, and one thing won't change: our commitment to safe, high-quality care for every child we serve.

A 60-day public comment period is opening soon. Read the full article and stay tuned for ways to make your voice heard.

Read the full story: https://hechingerreport.org/it-wouldnt-be-head-start-anymore-providers-blast-federal-proposal-to-alter-preschool-program/

08/08/2026

The federal government has proposed changes to Head Start Program Performance Standards, and we want our community to be informed.

Reach Dane will continue operating under our current standards, and one thing won't change: our commitment to safe, high-quality care for every child we serve.

Among the proposed changes is the elimination of required staff-to-child ratios, replacing them with basic state licensing rules. We want to be clear — we will not implement reduced ratios at Reach Dane. The safety of the children and staff in our care is not up for negotiation.

A 60-day public comment period is opening soon, and any final changes are still months away. Now is the time to learn what's being proposed and understand what it could mean for programs like ours.

Right now, we're encouraging our community to read the proposed rule and follow the coverage. We'll share more soon, including how you can make your voice heard.

https://whsaonline.org/2026/08/whsa-condemns-federal-proposal-to-cut-head-start-standards/

08/06/2026

07/31/2026

Big learning, right at home.

Reach Dane's Home-Based Option brings a Home Visitation Teacher to your door weekly — building school-readiness skills through activities designed around your child and your routine.

07/30/2026

📣 Enrollment is open! Reach Dane has Early Head Start and Head Start spots for children from 6 weeks to 5 years old, across multiple locations in Dane and Green counties.

Whether you need full-day child care, home-based visits, or just aren't sure where to start — we'll help you figure out what fits your family.

👉 Apply today: www.reachdane.org/enroll/index.cfm
📞 Questions? Call 608-275-6740