(This story was updated to add more information.)
SHEBOYGAN COUNTY – Sheboygan County’s Head Start is among nine other programs across the state set to temporarily close in November if the federal government shutdown continues, according to Gov. Tony Evers,making it the latest blow to a federally funded program.
172 children could be left without care and 48 staff could go without pay across the county if classrooms close Nov. 14, Evers said an Oct. 30 announcement.
Head Start provides free school readiness services to income-eligible 3K and 4K students who may fall below poverty levels, receive public assistance, are homeless or in foster care.
“At a time when working families are already struggling to make ends meet and access basic food necessities, we should be focused on keeping Head Start and child care center doors open and making sure child care is affordable so parents and loved ones can stay in our workforce,” Evers said in a news release.
Head Start classroom closures also will impact Iowa, Lafayette, Grant, Green and Richland counties earlier in the month. The Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program will close classrooms across those counties Nov. 3, impacting 114 children and 34 staff members.
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Evers said the Sheboygan Human Rights Association, which administers Head Start programs, will close classrooms in Sheboygan County.
This is the latest impact from the federal government shutdown, which has caused funding lapses for various programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which are set to run out of federal funds Nov. 1.
More than 700,000 federal workers are furloughed and many are working without pay. The effect is impacting national parks, airports and small businesses, with many services and programs being reduced or paused.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin called on Republicans to work with Democrats to reopen the government and ensure Head Start programs are funded.
“No one wins in a shutdown, which is why I’ve been at the table every day waiting for my Republican colleagues to help me keep Head Start programs open for families who rely upon these services and also protect 275,000 Wisconsinites from skyrocketing health care costs,” Baldwin said in a statement. “The Trump administration has shown repeatedly they do not care about Head Start — they created chaos in the program by freezing funding, tried to eliminate the program entirely, and then illegally withheld funding from Head Start programs across the country.”
Nearly 16,200 Head Start and Early Head Start slots were funded last year, according to Wisconsin Head Start Association data.
The SHRA and SWCAP programs are among roughly 140 Head Start programs across the country that are set to lose funding, according to the National Head Start Association. That could affect 65,000 young children and force parents with no other child care options not to work.
Sheboygan County Head Start has called on supporters to reach out to congressional representatives and urge them to end the government shutdown since the beginning of the month, when Evers declared October 2025 “Head Start Awareness Month.”
Sheboygan County Head Start could not be immediately reached for further comment.
What is Head Start in Sheboygan County?
Locally, Head Start has classrooms at First Presbyterian Church, the former St. Andrew Lutheran Church and Sheboygan Area School District schools.
Head Start has had a local presence for more than 50 years. It added Early Head Start, a home-based program that connects pregnant women and children up to 3 years old with community and family development resources, in 2016.
In addition to academic preparation like learning the alphabet and how to count, Head Start helps young students develop motor skills, self-help, social skills and emotional regulation.
Brenda Zastrow, operations director with Sheboygan County Head Start and Early Head Start, previously told the Sheboygan Press this can look like a student zipping up their own jacket, serving themselves from a family-styled meal or practicing breathing techniques.
The program also engages parents and families in their child’s education and fosters their own development, attending Head Start progress meetings, participating at parent cafés and joining the Policy Council.
A view of the playground at the Sheboygan County Head Start building, in the former St. Andrew Lutheran Church, as seen, Tuesday, November 12, in Sheboygan, Wis.
Where does the government shutdown stand?
The federal government has been shut down for 31 days, spurred by senate Democrats and Republicans failing to reach an agreement on Affordable Care Act tax credits and health care spending.
Several lawmakers have introduced individual bills to support groups and programs impacted during the shutdown, like extending SNAP funds and paying active-duty members.
Baldwin recently co-sponsored the Democratic Caucus-sponsored version of the “Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025,” directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture release funds to support SNAP and WIC for the remainder of the fiscal year and reimburse states that covered SNAP benefits during the shutdown.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson previously introduced the Fairness Shutdown Act to pay federal workers, military members and contractors working during the government shutdown, but it failed Oct. 23.
Where can Head Start families seek support?
Head Start families can contact several organizations to help find temporary child care in Sheboygan County:
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Lakeshore Community Action Program: 920-682-3737
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Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County: 920-892-6706
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Family Connections: 920-457-1999
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Child Care Resource & Referral: 920-886-1211
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A Million Dreamz: 920-287-3092
Evers also encouraged families to apply for child care assistance through the Wisconsin Share subsidy program. Learn more at dcf.wisconsin.gov/wishares/parents.
Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan County Head Start could close amid government shutdown
