A Distressing Record for the Longest Shutdown in History
As posturing continues on Capitol Hill, the consequences of the record-length government shutdown will soon become more than mere abstractions. If Congress fails to act, here’s what will happen–by the numbers:
65,000
Head Start students across 40+ states and Puerto Rico affected by halted November 1 grants. (First Five Years Fund)
30 million
Students relying on free or reduced-price lunch face interruptions during a prolonged shutdown after state and local emergency reserves run dry. (FRAC)
7 million
Women, infants, and young children at risk when WIC contingency funds run out later this month. (USA Today)
42 million
People lose SNAP benefits by mid-November when USDA’s court-ordered temporary funding is exhausted. (Politico; NPR)
4-5 million
Americans projected to lose health coverage if Congress fails to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits expiring at year’s end. (Urban Institute), along with premiums rising an average of $1000 annually. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
These are not abstractions. For a four-year-old in Head Start, a shutdown means a closed classroom, a missed speech session, or a hot meal not served. For families with infants and toddlers, WIC and SNAP aren’t line items–they’re lifelines to nutrition and stability. When those supports stall, parents miss work, older siblings miss school, and entire classrooms feel the strain.
Nearly 90 percent of EPA staff are already furloughed, meaning fewer environmental inspections. Two-thirds of CDC staff are on furlough, delaying outbreak responses and public health surveillance–directly affecting schools and childcare centers.
The health and well-being of America’s children are the first casualties of this shutdown. Each day it continues, the youngest learners and their families bear the greatest cost. Congress and the administration must act immediately–to restore funding, reopen agencies, and reaffirm that safeguarding children’s health, nutrition, and learning is not negotiable.
New State Profiles for Children’s Environmental Health
We’re pleased to highlight the release of state-by-state data on environmental hazards, environmental exposures, and relevant children’s health outcomes by our friends at the Children’s Environmental Health Network. CEHN’s factsheets help provide an understanding of children’s environmental health at the state level. You may access the profiles at CEHN State Profiles.
HS Network at the NY State Environmental Health Conference
Healthy Schools Network Board member Tracy Washington-Enger will deliver a keynote address at the NY State School Environmental Health Conference, to be held November 6, 2025 in Kingston, NY. The conference theme is “Indoor Air Quality Matters: Engaging Schools in a Dynamic Landscape.” Tracy’s address is titled The Air We Share:The Invisible Thread that Binds Us. NewsSlice will carry highlights of her speech and the conference in our next edition.
Check out HS Network’s Calendar of Events
Don’t miss out on upcoming events, or an opportunity to publicize your own event. Healthy Schools Network’s Calendar of Events, is a one-stop hub for upcoming webinars, national observances, and key dates that spotlight children’s environmental health and school wellness. Whether it’s National Healthy Schools Day, a state or national conference, or an upcoming partner event, you can now find it all in one place at HealthySchools.org/events. You can add your own featured events at ADD EVENTS.
