DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Head Start Program and Fiscal Update
SUMMARY:
This item provides a briefing of the following Head Start Grant items:
1. 2015-2016 Head Start Program Year carry forward funding
2. Program and Fiscal Briefing for May 2016
The U.S. 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 Neighborhoods and Livability Committee (NLC) and the Head Start Policy Council provide governance oversight of City’s Head Start grants.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City’s Head Start and Early Head Start grant programs are federal funded programs administered by HHS. The programs provide early childhood education, family support, and comprehensive 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 EISD and SAISD 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 for low-income families with infants and toddlers (ages 6 weeks to 35 months). DHS partners with six 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 provides a briefing to the NLC of the following items:
1. 2015-2016 Head Start Program Year carry forward funding. On May 6, 2016, the City of San Antonio requested authorization from HHS to carry forward $68,217.00 in unspent 2015-2016 Head Start Program Year funding to purchase a cargo van to transport materials for training, technical assistance, recruitment, community events, equipment and supplies to the 26 Head Start sites and a small minivan for Head Start administrative staff to travel to sites, districts, and City offices. On May 19, 2016, City Council authorized the vehicle purchase. In accordance with Head Start regulations, DHS will provide a briefing to the Head Start Policy Council on June 28, 2016.
2. Program and Fiscal Briefing for May 2016. Additionally, this item provides a monthly program and fiscal briefing for the month of May 2016. The report includes a status of enrollment, meals served, family and community support, health, education, and fiscal indicators.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only. Provided is a monthly program and fiscal update for May 2016, which includes a status of enrollment, meals served, family and community support, health, education, and fiscal indicators.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for briefing purposes only.