Oregon’s Head Start programs serving nearly 12,000 children are set to avoid an anticipated nationwide trend of facility closures caused by the ongoing government shutdown until at least the end of the year.

The government shutdown that began Oct. 1 has put the early childhood education and readiness program at risk of closures across the nation, adding more uncertainty to ongoing legal disputes with the Trump administration over the program’s future and whether it should serve immigrants without permanent legal status. But Oregon families who rely on Head Start can count on state funding to fill the gap, at least for the time being.

A Wednesday statement signed by more than 125 groups supporting families nationwide, including the Oregon Head Start Association, Southern Oregon Head S

See Full Page