Seven Ohio Head Start Association, Inc. (OHSAI) providers have exhausted their federal funds, forcing some to close and others to scramble to stay open, said OHSAI in a news release Monday.

Programs in Highland and Scioto counties have already closed, affecting 600 children and 150 staff. The remaining five providers are operating off donations, community support and organizational reserves, the release said further.

Head Start agencies in Coshocton and Allen counties are scheduled to temporarily close in two weeks. Without congressional action to pass a full FY26 budget or a short-term continuing resolution, all seven providers face eventual closure. These closures will affect 3,693 children and 940 staff and leave working parents without child care, according to OHSAI.

“Every day the shutdown continues, Ohio children and families are paying the price. Head Start isn’t a political issue, it’s a lifeline for working families. When classrooms close, parents lose child care, teachers lose paychecks and children lose the consistent care and learning that set them up for success,” the release points out.

“This shutdown is pulling the rug out from under working families,” said OHSAI Executive Director Julie Stone. “Parents are losing child care, teachers are losing paychecks and children are losing the stable, nurturing environments that help them thrive. These are real people with real consequences -- and Ohio’s youngest citizens deserve better.”

OHSAI is calling on Congress “to act immediately to reopen the government, restore Head Start funding and keep classrooms open for children,” stressing that “when programs close, families lose access not only to education and care but also to essential meals, health services and stability.”