September | 2026

You may have heard about recently proposed changes to the Head Start Program that could affect health and vision screening requirements. These changes are only proposed and have not taken effect.

At this time, Head Start programs should continue following current requirements and conducting vision and other health screenings as they normally would. Head Start programs should not change their current screening practices in response to this proposal. Unless and until new requirements are finalized and take effect, the current requirements remain in place.

For more information about the proposed changes, including public statements from both Prevent Blindness and the National Head Start Association, along with an opportunity for anyone to submit public comments on the proposal, please see the “Advocate to Support Health Screenings in Head Start” item further down this newsletter.

Become a Certified Vision Screener

Every child deserves the chance to see clearly and succeed in the classroom, and the revised Prevent Blindness Children's Vision Screening Certification Course helps make that possible. The course includes the 2025 NCCVEH preschool vision screening guidelines, new guidance on screening infants and toddlers, and videos demonstrating screening with a variety of tools.

Certified screeners also receive practical resources – such as a conversation guide for addressing families' barriers to completing eye exams, tips for helping children adjust to wearing prescribed glasses, and guidance on evaluating a screening program's effectiveness.  With 4 to 6 Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) contact hours available, becoming certified is not only a chance to strengthen your skills but also to play a critical role in closing the gap between vision screening referrals and the confirmatory eye exams children need to succeed in the classroom.

We're Hiring!

Please help us find our new Associate Director of Programs. In this role, the Associate Director will create partnerships and relationships, provide technical assistance, and coordinate educational activities. The position can be remote, but candidates based in the Chicago area are strongly preferred to support in-person meetings, events, and collaboration with team members. Applications are due September 18.

A recording of our August 6 webinar, Collaborative Solutions for Expanding Eye Care Access in Special Populations, is available on YouTube and on our website.

Watch the fascinating roundtable discussion, which shared practical strategies and actionable ideas for building and strengthening partnerships to advance eye care access for foster youth, immigrant and refugee populations, and Tribal communities.

Our new template for state legislation includes these sections:

• Establishment of a School-Based Vision Screening System
• Vision Screening Tools and Procedures
• Referral for Comprehensive Eye Examination
• Follow-Up Procedures
• Criteria Following a Referral from a Vision Screening

Could a Child’s Teacher Be the First to Notice

a Vision Problem?

Teachers spend hours with students every day, giving them a front-row seat to notice small changes in behavior and habits over time. A child who struggles to pay attention, loses their place while reading, squints frequently, or avoids close-up work like reading or writing may have an undiagnosed vision problem rather than a behavioral or learning issue.

By sharing the Signs of Possible Vision Problems in Children with teachers and staff, including coaches, you can help staff recognize these red flags early and connect children to vision screening and eye examinations, if needed, to help children succeed both in and out of the classroom.

“A little girl was vision screened in the classroom as a toddler. Our family advocate recommended a professional exam since our screening showed she had [possible] astigmatism for both eyes. Mom took her and she was given glasses. Now she is in preschool and continues wearing her glasses and likes to get her eyes checked when we screen in the classroom.”

--Head Start Health Manager

Prevent Blindness is profoundly concerned about a proposed rule from the Trump Administration that would fundamentally change the Head Start Program. While Prevent Blindness is reviewing the proposed rule and is working to better understand how its changes could affect the program and its beneficiaries, we are alarmed about proposed changes to the comprehensive health screenings provided to children and support provided to families to receive needed care. 

For More Information

• Read our statement
• National Head Start Association Statement
• Read the rule as published in the Federal Register and submit a comment

Every child deserves clear vision to learn, play, and thrive. Your support will make an immediate difference, especially as children are headed back to school. Please give today to help a child succeed in the classroom and beyond!

PreventBlindness.org | nationalcenter.preventblindness.org