Right now, thousands of families across Texas are scrambling to find child care because their Head Start programs shut down during the government shutdown. These are not just programs. They are lifelines for low-income families, single moms, and children with special needs. When they close, the ripple effect is immediate and devastating.

Even though the federal shutdown has ended, there is still a dangerous gap in child care access—and the crisis exposed just how fragile Head Start funding really is. Programs cannot simply flip a switch and reopen. They need staff, reprocessed applications, and stability. Families need help now, not weeks from now.

Michelle Martinez, a mom from San Marcos, had to send her 3-year-old daughter three hours away to live with relatives just so she could keep working. Another mom, Kelley Pomeroy, is terrified she will lose her job if her son’s Head Start program closes. She works from home in health care and cannot have a toddler in the room due to privacy laws. For families like theirs, this is not a political debate. This is survival.

The federal government failed to pass a budget. That is not new. But what is new, and unacceptable, is the lack of any back-up plan for critical services that working families rely on. Texas has the power to step in. Governor Abbott and the Texas Workforce Commission can provide emergency funds to keep these programs running and help them reopen faster.

We are calling on Governor Abbott to act now. Don’t let bureaucratic gridlock in Washington punish Texas families. Use the state’s emergency resources to support our Head Start programs and ensure children are not left behind simply because their parents cannot afford private care.

Governor Abbott, the solution is in your hands. Step in. Fund Head Start now. Keep our kids learning, our parents working, and our communities strong.

Photo: Texas Tribune