DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Head Start Approval Items
SUMMARY:
This item provides a briefing on the Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership programs including:
1. 2017-2018 DHS Head Start Program Annual Report for Approval
2. 2018-2023 DHS Head Start Program 5-Year Strategic Plan for Approval
3. 2018-2019 DHS Head Start Program Approach to School Readiness and Plan of Action for Approval
4. Briefing on the 2017-2018 DHS Head Start Program Information Report (PIR)
5. Briefing on the Program and Fiscal items for the months of September 2018 to October 2018
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requires recipients of Head Start grants to provide regular briefings on program and fiscal activities and ongoing training throughout the program year to their governing body. The City’s Community Health and Equity Committee and the Head Start Policy Council provide shared governance oversight of the Department of Human Services (DHS) Head Start grants.
The Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant programs are federally-funded programs that 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 Grant serves children at or below the federal poverty line and prioritizes the most vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, experiencing homelessness, and children in the foster care system. The program mission is to prepare children and engage families for school readiness and lifelong success. The City of San Antonio 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, DHS Head Start provides direct program management, oversight, training and technical assistance, governance, family support and mental wellness services. The comprehensive services approach positively impacts families and holistically addresses the needs of the children. DHS Head Start also contracts with the school districts for the provision of educational and disability services, the Metropolitan Health District for dental services, and University of the Incarnate Word 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). Early Head Start 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:
The rules and regulations for the Head Start and Early Start-Child Care Partnership Grant as set forth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services require the Governing Body, through the Community Health and Equity Committee, to review the following items:
1. 2017-2018 DHS Head Start Program Annual Report (Attachment A) - The Head Start Act requires the Head Start Program to make available to the public a report published at least once in each fiscal year that discloses information from the most recently concluded fiscal year. The information on the report includes all the required elements by the Act which include: number of children and families served, average monthly enrollment, percentage of eligible children served, fiscal items, budget expenditures, financial audit, percentage of children that received medical and dental exams, parent involvement activities, and the agency’s efforts to prepare children for kindergarten. The 2017-2018 DHS Head Start Annual Report was approved by the Head Start Policy Council on October 23, 2018.
2. 2018-2023 DHS Head Start Program 5-Year Strategic Plan (Attachment B) - The Head Start Act and Head Start Program Performance Standards require the program to establish a 5-Year Strategic Plan with annual review and approval by the Governing Body. This plan is composed of goals in the areas of Education, Family Support, Health, Environmental Health and Safety, and Highly Qualified Staff. The DHS Head Start Program 5-Year Strategic Plan was approved by the Head Start Policy Council on November 27, 2018.
3. 2018-2019 DHS Head Start Program Approach to School Readiness and Plan of Action (Attachment C) - The Head Start Program Performance Standards require the Governing Body to approve annually the Head Start Approach to School Readiness and Plan of Action. The plan of action was developed in collaboration with EISD, SAISD, and Early Head Start center directors to guide the School Year 2018-2019 programming and ensure children are ready for school, families are ready to support their children’s learning, and schools are ready for children. The Head Start Policy Council approved the 2018-2019 DHS Head Start Approach to School Readiness and Plan of Action on November 27, 2018.
4. Briefing on the 2017-2018 DHS Head Start Program Information Report (Attachment D) - The Head Start Act requires the program to submit an annual Program Information Report (PIR) annually to the Office of Head Start and ensure the accurate and regular information is shared with the Governing Body. The PIR is an important source of descriptive program and service data and is available to the general public, the Head Start community, and Congress.
5. Program and Fiscal Briefing for September 2018 to October 2018 (Attachment E) - The Head Start Act requires the program to share accurate and regular information to the Governing Body. This item provides a monthly program and fiscal briefing for the months of September and October 2018. The report includes a status of the monthly financial statements, monthly program information, enrollment, attendance reports, meals and snacks provided, family and community support, health and education indicators.
ALTERNATIVES:
The review and approval of the items included in this memorandum are required for program compliance with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rules and regulations for Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership programs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact as a result of these actions.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends review and approval of the items included in this memorandum.