Learning & Development
Policy Brief/Analysis
An English-Only Mandate for Head Start Will Harm Children
Date
August 20, 2026
On August 6th, 2026, the Trump administration introduced proposed rule changes for Head Start that include a new requirement to deliver all instruction in English only. This would shift the program away from current regulations that have required supports for bilingualism since 2016. Yet, the current Program Performance Standards are the most evidence-based, comprehensive standards for education of young dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States (US).
Nationally, one-third of children under the age of 5 are DLLs, and DLLs account for an even higher percentage of Head Start (36%) and Early Head Start (40%) enrollment. If Head Start mandates English-only instruction and removes other supports for bilingual learners, Head Start will become less effective with a population for which it has produced especially strong results in the past.
Emergent bilingual children served in programs that use the home language for instruction grow in their academic skills and learning outcomes faster and better than those that are served in English-only settings. Further, research suggests that 4-year-old children with stronger proficiency in their home language are more quickly able to learn English language skills. The faster children acquire English, the better their outcomes for later academic achievement.
Our new brief summarizes what policy makers should know about the research examining best practices for supporting DLLs in preschool.
The Authors
Alexandra Figueras-Daniel is a Research Assistant Professor and Bilingual ECE Senior Policy Specialist at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at the Rutgers School of Education. Dr. Figureras-Daniel was awarded a Young Scholars Program grant from the Foundation for Child Development to investigate coaching and professional development of Latina preschool teachers working with DLLs. At NIEER, she leads this study as well as project to develop a bilingual leadership pipeline in ECE.
Christina Stephens, Ph.D. is an Assistant Research Professor at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. Her research investigates early care and education (ECE) impacts on families and children among historically marginalized populations, including dual language learners. These interests are focused on (1) policies and factors that shape families’ equitable ECE access, and (2) elements of programs and classrooms that promote early development. Dr. Stephens’s work aims to translate into applied decision-making, policies, and practices across multiple levels of ECE systems that benefit children and families.
About NIEER
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at the Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, conducts and disseminates independent research and analysis to inform early childhood education policy.
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