The Community Action of Central Texas’ Head Start program will close its centers on Oct. 31.

AUSTIN, Texas — The government shutdown is in its 29th day, and while Congress remains at an impasse, hundreds of federally-funded Head Start early learning programs that help low-income families in Central Texas face closure.

Community Action of Central Texas’s Head Start Program has six licensed centers in Hays and Caldwell counties and one partnership site at San Marcos CISD. On Thursday, parents received a letter that come Oct. 31, all of those centers will close until the shutdown lifts.

The last day for children to come in is Oct. 30.

Head Start Program Director Danielle Engelke said the program was supposed to receive its grant money for the 2026 fiscal year on Nov. 1. It costs $600,000 a month to operate, and Engelke said it’s not feasible to remain open until their Notice of Award (NOA) comes in. 

Going forward, 390 families will be impacted and 126 employees – including Engelke – will be laid off.

Engelke added that even once the shutdown lifts, they will still have to wait 10 to 14 days to receive the grant and reopen. 

“If the government does not open, the impact is truly going to be catastrophic for these families and my staff,” Engelke said.

Engelke pointed to parents who will have to sacrifice their jobs if they’re unable to send their children to the program and the children who will also be impacted.

“I’ve provided resources – everything from food banks or private organizations that help with things like rental assistance, food diaper, diaper banks. I listed them out, trying to prepare the best we can to help the families when we can’t or we’re not here,” Engelke said.

Michell Martinez has five kids. Her youngest is three years old and started the Head Start program this year. 

Martinez said having accessible child care not only allows her to not have to pay out of pocket, but also allows her to go to work.

She said while Head Start is closed, she will send her youngest to her grandparents’ place in South Texas.

“It’s going to be impactful for her, mostly because she’s not going to be with her siblings and she’s been used to the routine that she has,” Martinez said. “But sometimes, we do have to make these sacrifices for the things that are happening around us.”

Martinez said she hopes Congress takes a good look at the impacts each day the shutdown continues.

“For people that are just being stubborn and not kind of giving in to what they need to do to get things done is very disheartening because, again, it affects not only the children, but also all of those that are employed,” Martinez said.