Preserving Access and Opportunity in Head Start for Dual Language Learners: A Review of the Science, Legislative Mandates, and Regulatory Requirements
August 2026
Authors: Dr. Xigrid Soto-Boykin, Dr. Shantel Meek, Mario Cardona (JD), & Dr. Conor Williams
This policy brief reviews the latest research and data on teaching and learning for young dual language learners (DLLs)
For over 60 years, Head Start has provided comprehensive, high-quality early childhood services to more than 40 million children and families, including millions of DLLs
Combined, the IHSSRA and the HSPPS have long served as the gold standard for serving DLLs across the early care and learning ecosystem, reflecting best practice and research far more effectively than state child care licensing or state pre-K systems
Undoing the HSPPS and shifting away from home-language supports toward English-only models or state licensing standards breaks with decades of precedent, puts Head Start out of step with developmental research, and places an ideological burden on tax-paying dollars while disproportionately undermining the learning, family engagement, and civil rights of DLLs
Suggested Citation:
Soto-Boykin, X., Meek, S., Cardona, M., & Williams, C. (August, 2026). Preserving Access and Opportunity in Head Start for Dual Language Learners: A Review of the Science, Legislative Mandates, and Regulatory Requirements. The Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University. https://cep.asu.edu/resources/dual-language-learners-head-start.
Additional Content:
Blog 1 | Blog 2 | Blog 3 | Blog 4| Blog 5| Blog 6
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dual Language Learners and Head Start
Dual language learners (DLLs) are young children who are developing more than one language. The report notes that approximately 7.1 million children ages 0–5 in the United States are DLLs, representing about 33% of children in this age group. In the 2024–2025 program year, almost 40% of children enrolled in Head Start were DLLs.
DLLs make up a substantial share of Head Start enrollment. The report states that almost 40% of children enrolled in Head Start were DLLs in 2024–2025. In several states, DLLs represented an even larger share of Head Start enrollment in 2025, including 66% in California, 65% in New Jersey, 56% in New York, 53% in Arizona, 45% in Florida, and 41% in Texas.
No. The report reviews findings from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concluding that there is no evidence that learning two languages at the same time confuses young children. Research instead indicates that children benefit from continued development of their home language alongside systematic exposure to English.
Research reviewed in the report indicates that supporting a child's home language does not delay English development. In fact, strong home language support can strengthen English development, particularly literacy. The report also cites research showing that DLL children receiving dual language education can develop stronger skills in both languages while making progress in English.
Dual language education is an approach in which children receive instruction and meaningful exposure in both their home language and English. The report identifies dual language education as a research-supported approach for promoting bilingualism, English development, and children's broader learning and development.
The report finds that DLLs who receive high-quality dual language education can experience faster English acquisition, stronger skills in both languages, higher reading and math scores, and faster exit from English learner programs. Research also links bilingualism with cognitive benefits and, later in life, employment and earnings benefits.
Research reviewed in the report indicates that it can. DLL children who receive instruction in both their home language and English demonstrate better English-language acquisition trajectories than peers in English-only models. One Head Start study found that preschool DLLs who received home language support had higher language skills than children who received instruction only in English.
Bilingual staff can help children access instruction, communicate their needs, and participate in rich language interactions in a language they understand. Bilingual staff also help families access information, participate in decision-making, and build relationships with teachers and administrators. The report notes that Head Start's bilingual-staff provision dates back to the first federal regulatory standards established in 1975.
The Head Start Act includes language-access requirements for families who do not speak English fluently. These include providing information about the instruction and services children will receive and helping parents support their children's language and literacy development. The HSPPS further require family engagement services to be provided in families' preferred language or with an interpreter, to the extent possible.
Yes. The report's review of research supports families talking, playing, and reading with children in the language or languages in which they are most comfortable and proficient. Rich home-language experiences can help children develop vocabulary, background knowledge, literacy, and other language skills that can support learning as they develop English.
The report explains that Head Start standards require screenings and assessments for DLLs to be culturally and linguistically appropriate. When possible, assessments should consider children's skills in both English and their home language and be conducted in the child's most fluent language. Qualified bilingual staff, consultants, contractors, or interpreters can be used when available.
Yes. The report specifically addresses DLLs with disabilities and notes that children can become bilingual without causing additional delay or confusion. Research reviewed in the report indicates that children with disabilities benefit from interactions in their home language and that exposure to the home language can support their communication and social development.
Assessing DLLs only in English can fail to accurately capture what children know and can do. The report notes that DLLs are frequently misrepresented in special education and identifies limited assessment standards, inadequate training, and a lack of valid bilingual assessments as contributing factors. The HSPPS provide specific guidance intended to help programs accurately screen and assess children who are not yet fluent in English.
The report finds that state child care licensing standards rarely include provisions specific to DLLs that ensure meaningful access to participation. While some states address DLLs in their Child Care and Development Fund plans, these provisions are generally limited, and many professional development opportunities are optional rather than required. The report concludes that relying solely on state child care licensing standards would leave Head Start programming out of step with best practices and the requirements established in the Head Start Act.
The report concludes that shifting away from dual language approaches could reduce access to instruction for DLLs, weaken family engagement, and move Head Start away from research-supported approaches to bilingual development. It also estimates that transitioning to English-only programming could cost between $72.8 million and $124.5 million in taxpayer dollars for materials, retraining, and hiring.
Protecting children's home language helps ensure that DLLs can meaningfully access instruction, develop strong relationships with educators, and continue building language and literacy skills while learning English. The report concludes that Head Start's approach to DLLs should remain aligned with research, federal law, and the needs of the families and children it serves.