U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden joined Southern Oregon educators, parents and local officials Saturday morning to celebrate the preservation of federal funding for Head Start.
He called the moment a "major victory" but warned that the fight to protect early education is far from over.
Speaking alongside Southern Oregon Head Start leadership, Wyden said the threat of funding cuts, which he called “a head spinner,” was averted thanks to grassroots pressure and outreach to federal agencies.
“We have won a major victory,” Wyden said. “But let’s not forget it after we celebrate today. We’ve got a lot of battles ahead.”
Southern Oregon Head Start currently serves 939 children and families in the region. In addition to early education, the program offers family support services, transportation assistance and resources for working parents.
“Head Start’s helped me a lot,” said Fallon Linde, a local parent who spoke at the event. “Being a single mom, it’s been really hard … they help with more than just schooling.”
Wyden, the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said his office pushed back against a potential shutdown of funds by directly contacting the Administration for Children and Families, which oversees Head Start at the federal level.
The senator also voiced concern about a draft federal budget from the White House that proposes eliminating the program entirely. He said such a move would directly harm vulnerable children and families, both in Oregon and nationwide.
“We’re going up against a White House budget — a draft that turns the lights out on this — and all these people, and all these kids, deserve better,” he said.
Wyden called on the public to stay engaged, encouraging families and educators to reach out to friends in other states and build a national coalition supporting the program.
“We’re going to stay at this until we win it,” he said. “Because budgets are not just facts and figures — they’re about priorities.”
Southern Oregon Head Start officials stressed that while local support is strong, the program depends on sustained federal investment.
“If we eliminate Head Start funding, it would be catastrophic,” said Executive Director Catherine Clayton. “It would be a direct attack on our communities’ most at-risk children, their well-being and their families.”
