Heartland Institute Reacts to Head Start Executive Order

Published November 9, 2011

President Barack Obama Tuesday directed the Department of Health and Human Services to implement changes to the Head Start program – changes that have not been approved by Congress. The administration said the changes will “ensure Head Start programs provide the best available early education services to children in every community.”

The following statement from Joy Pullmann, a research fellow for The Heartland Institute and managing editor of School Reform News, may be used for attribution. For further comment, refer to the contact information below. To book a Heartland guest on your program, please contact Tammy Nash at [email protected] and 312/377-4000. After regular business hours, contact Jim Lakely at [email protected] and 312/731-9364.


“Head Start should be dismantled, not merely rearranged. Every study of it, including the federal government’s own reviews, has concluded the $7 billion-a-year program contributes nothing to children’s academics or well-being.

“President Obama’s penchant, and now campaign, to govern by waiver and executive order rather than work with Congress indicates his disregard for bipartisanship and dangerous interest in amassing power.”

Joy Pullmann
Research Fellow, The Heartland Institute
Managing Editor, School Reform News
[email protected]
312/377-4000


The Heartland Institute is a 27-year-old national nonprofit organization with offices in Chicago, Illinois; Washington, DC; Austin, Texas; Tallahassee, Florida; and Columbus, Ohio. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit its Web site or call 312/377-4000.