DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-wide
SUBJECT:
Head Start Briefing and Approval Items
SUMMARY:
This item requests approval of the 2015-2016 Head Start Service Plans, Head Start Center Enrollment Plans, and a revised Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) Selection Criteria Point Matrix. This item also provides information on Head Start program updates, and fiscal expenditures for the month of July and August 2015. This item further provides training on shared program governance requirements.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Head Start program, federally funded and administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides early education, family support, and support services to eligible children, between the ages of three and five, and their families. Head Start specifically serves children at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Level and prioritizes the most vulnerable, including those with disabilities, homeless, and children in the foster care system.
The City of San Antonio has served as a Head Start grantee for over 30 years. Grant funds awarded for the February 1, 2015- January 31, 2016 Program Year include a total Head Start program budget of $27,612,689.00 which includes an in-kind match of $5,522,538.00 provided by the City and contracted Service Providers. Grant funding currently supports a personnel complement of 91 positions for the Head Start program, and serves 777 children in the Edgewood Independent School District (EISD) and 2,243 children in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). The Department of Human Services (DHS) provides direct program management, oversight, governance, family support and mental wellness services and contracts with SAISD and EISD for the provision of educational services; the Metropolitan Health District for dental services; and University Health System for health services.
Early Head Start is an HHS funded early childhood education and development program for low-income families with infants and toddlers (ages 6 weeks to 35 months). In 2015, DHS established an Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) program.
Grant funds awarded for the February 1, 2015 to July 31, 2016 Program Year include a total EHS-CCP program budget of $7,310,264.00, which includes an in-kind match of $1,462,053.00 provided by the City and contracted Service Providers. Grant funding currently supports a personnel complement of 19 positions for the Early Head Start program. DHS partners with five non-profit child care service providers to expand access to high-quality comprehensive services for 216 low-income infants and toddlers and their families.
The Economic and Human Development Committee (EHDC) in conjunction with the Head Start Policy Council (parent led board), provides governance oversight of the program.
ISSUE:
As the designated governing body for Head Start and Early Head Start, EHDC approval of the 2015-2016 Head Start Service Provider and City of San Antonio Service Plans, Head Start Center Enrollment Plans, and revised ERSEA Selection Criteria Point Matrix is required by Head Start Standards. These documents will guide program operations during the 2015 - 2016 school year.
Head Start Performance Standards require annual development of Service Plans which are used to guide program operations throughout the school year. The 2015-2016 Service Plans are in compliance with Head Start grant regulations and School Districts and City of San Antonio policies and procedures.
The 2015-2016 Center Enrollment Plans reflect a total of 26 Head Start centers, 24 in SAISD and two in EISD. Through collaboration with local school districts, the Head Start program provides a full day of program instruction to enrolled children. The Head Start Program is currently at 100% enrollment, with 3,020 children enrolled.
The Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) Matrix guides the assessment of the Head Start program’s practices for verifying the eligibility status of children and families receiving the program’s services, and for ensuring the appropriate enrollment of children into the program. Head Start Performance Standards requires that programs implement practices to assess the communities, recruit, and enroll the children and families most in need. These include families at or below the poverty line, children with disabilities, families that are homeless, and pregnant women. In 2015, the ERSEA matrix was revised to include new criteria for Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership enrollment and to prioritize enrollment for children of teen parents.
In accordance with Head Start regulations, DHS is also providing a briefing on program and fiscal activities.
The Head Start Policy Council reviewed and approved these items at meetings which occurred on June 23, 2015, July 28, 2015 and August 25, 2015.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Committee not approve the requested items the program would be non-compliant with Head Start requirements related to ongoing program planning.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Items are for briefing purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff is recommending approval of the 2015-2016 Head Start Service Plans, Head Start Center Enrollment Plans, and a revised Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) Selection Criteria Point Matrix.