The Trump administration recently announced a proposal to overhaul Head Start, an early childcare education program that aims to serve children below the federal poverty level — including those who are experiencing homelessness or are in foster care.

Head Start began in the 1960s as part of former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. The federal early childcare and education program aims to support the poorest and most vulnerable children — including those who are homeless, in foster care or have disabilities.

President Donald Trump’s administration is looking to block undocumented children from Head Start as part of ongoing efforts to limit access to federal benefits for immigrants without legal status.

People in the country illegally are largely ineligible for federal public benefits such as food stamps, student loans and financial aid for higher education. But for decades they have been able to access some community-level programs such as Head Start and community health centers.

Parents who otherwise would not be able to afford child care rely on Head Start when they work or go to school. The program operates across all 50 states and supports more than 600 child care centers and 28,000 children across Illinois.

The Head Start programs from Illinois and a handful of other states are suing the Trump administration after officials proposed slashing federal funding for early childcare and education programs across the country.

Asked by reporters how soon he would like the department closed, President Donald Trump responded: “Oh, I’d like it to be closed immediately. The Department of Education is a big con-job.”

Chicago Public Schools says the move is not due to spending cuts, but because it is transitioning to a new "universal preschool model."

A teaching method that started in Italy, and isn’t often seen in low-income communities, is helping pint-sized students in the Back of the Yards neighborhood learn from their environment—despite their environment’s penchant for violence. Read an article and watch a web extra video.