DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Head Start Briefing and Approval Items
SUMMARY:
This item provides a briefing and requests approval of the following Head Start Grant items:
1. Approach to School Readiness Plan of Action
2. Corrective Action Plan
3. 2015 - 2016 Governing Body and Policy Council Roles and Responsibilities; Grant Refunding; Single Audit and Fiscal Requirements
At this meeting, a briefing will also be provided on Head Start Grant program and fiscal activities for the months of October and November 2015. Staff will also provide required training to the Economic and Human Development Committee (EHDC) on Grant Refunding, Single Audit and Fiscal Requirements.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requires that recipients of Head Start Grants provide monthly briefings on program and fiscal activities and ongoing training throughout the program year.to their governing bodies The City’s EHDC and the Head Start Policy Council provide governance oversight of City’s Program.
BACKGROUND:
The City’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs are federal funded programs administered by HHS. The programs provide early education, family support, and support services to eligible children between the ages of six weeks and five years, and their families.
The Head Start Program serves children at or below the Federal Poverty Line and prioritizes the most vulnerable, including those with disabilities, homeless, and children in the foster care system. The Program serves a total of 3,020 children; 777 children in the Edgewood Independent School District (EISD) and 2,243 children in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). As the program grantee, the City’s Department of Human Services (DHS) provides direct program management, oversight, technical assistance, 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.
The Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership grant provides early childhood education and development program for low-income families with infants and toddlers (ages 6 weeks to 35 months). DHS partners with five non-profit child care centers to expand access to high-quality comprehensive services for 216 low-income infants and toddlers and their families.
ISSUE:
This item requests approval from the Economic and Human Development Committee of the following items:
1. Approach to School Readiness Plan of Action. This action plan will guide the program to ensure children are ready for school, families are ready to support their children’s learning, and schools are ready for children during the 2015 - 2016 school year. The Head Start Policy Council approved this Plan on October 27, 2015.
2. Corrective Action Plan. This plan addresses three areas of non-compliance and six areas of concern identified by HHS and reported to the City on October, 2015. The plan details upgrades to the City’s monitoring system of the two contracted service providers: SAISD and EISD. The areas of non-compliance and areas of concern were corrected within 45 days of receipt of compliance report.
3. 2015 - 2016 Governing Body and Policy Council Roles and Responsibilities; This document provides a summary of the roles and responsibilities for City’s Head Start Program Governing Body, Policy Council, Program Director and Agency Director. This document was approved by the Head Start Policy Council on December 15, 2015.
Additionally, a monthly program and fiscal briefing for the months of October and November 2015 and required Head Start training on Grant Refunding, Single Audit and Fiscal Requirements will be presented to the EHDC. This report provides a status of enrollment, meals, family and community support, health, education, and fiscal indicators for the months of October and November 2015.
ALTERNATIVES:
The review and approval of the items included in this memorandum are program compliance requirements by Department of Health and Human Services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the items included in this memorandum.