DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Head Start Briefing and Approval Items
SUMMARY:
This item presents the following from the Department of Human Services (DHS) Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership programs for action by the Community Health and Equity Committee:
1. 2017-2018 DHS, Head Start Program Self-Assessment Report
2. 2019-2020 DHS, Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) Program Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (ERSEA) Selection Point Criteria Matrix and Related Policy Changes
3. 2019-2020 DHS, Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS_CCP) ERSEA Policy Updates;
In addition, the following will be presented for briefing without action required:
4. Training on DHS, Head Start Program Governance and Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA)
5. Briefing on the DHS, 2017-2018 Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) and 2016-2018 Head Start Student Outcome Data
6. Briefing on the November 2018 Program and Fiscal Report
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 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 (EHS-CCP) grant programs are federally-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 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, 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. Head Start also contracts with EISD and SAISD 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:
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 (HHS), require the Governing Body, through the Community Health and Equity Committee, to review the following items, taking action on the first three:
1. 2017-2018 DHS Head Start Program Self-Assessment Report (Attachment A) - The Head Start Act 642(d)(2)(F) requires programs conduct a self-assessment that uses program data to evaluate the program’s progress towards meeting established goals and requires annual approval by the Governing Body of the DHS Head Start Program Self-Assessment Report. Results from the 2017-2018 Self-Assessment report reflect the strengths of established program systems and staff commitment to serving Head Start children and their families. The 2017-2018 Self-Assessment report was reviewed and approved by the Head Start Policy Council on November 27, 2018.
2. 2019-2020 DHS, Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (ERSEA) Selection Point Matrix (Attachment B) - The ERSEA Selection Point Matrix is reviewed annually to incorporate information from the community assessment to prioritize enrollment of children and their families with the greatest need for program services. No revisions were needed for the Head Start Selection Point Matrix. Revisions to the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Matrix include: adding access for residents living in Zip Codes 78210, 78219, 78223. The Head Start Policy Council reviewed and approved the Selection Point Criteria Matrix on December 11, 2018.
3. 2019-2020 DHS, Head Start Program ERSEA Policy Updates (Attachment C) - The Head Start Act 642(d)(2)(F) requires the Governing Body’s approval of ERSEA policy updates. This item requests approval of four policy updates for Head Start (ERSEA Policies 4,5,9 and 11) and four policy updates for the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (ERSEA 3,4,9, and 11). The 2019-2020 ERSEA Policy Updates were reviewed and approved for both Head Start and Early Head Start by the Head Start Policy Council on December 11, 2018.
4. Training on DHS, Head Start Program Governance (Attachment D) and Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (ERSEA) - Section 642 (c) of the Head Start Act requires establishment of a formal structure for program governance and related decision making. The Head Start Act requires that the Head Start Governing Board and Head Start Policy Council receive training regarding their responsibilities. The 2018-2019 Head Start Policy Council members received Governance Training on November 6, 2018. Additionally, Head Start Performance Standards require annual training for the Governing Body on ERSEA requirements and the process implemented by the program. ERSEA is a five step process that displays how Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Programs establish eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance for eligible children and their families. The Community Health and Equity Committee as the Governing Body, partners with the Head Start Policy Council and key management staff to review the Head Start Program ERSEA eligibility determination. The Head Start Policy Council was trained on the ERSEA process on December 11, 2018.
5. Briefing on the DHS, 2017-2018 Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) and 2016-2018 Head Start Outcome Data (Attachment E) - The Office of Head Start requires programs to conduct standardized and structured assessments for each child that provide ongoing information to evaluate the child’s developmental level and progress in outcomes. The DHS Head Start Program utilizes the Early Learning Accomplishments Profile (E-LAP) for children birth - 35 months old and the Learning Accomplishments Profile - 3rd Edition (LAP-3) for children 36-72 months old. The results of the E-LAP and LAP-3 are used to generate a detailed picture of a child’s developmental progress so that individualized, developmentally appropriate activities can be planned and implemented. Head Start Program Performance Standards 1301.2 (b)(2) require the program to share ongoing monitoring results, data on school readiness goals and related information with the Governing Body and Policy Council. The Head Start Policy Council reviewed the EHS- CCP 2017-2018 and Head Start 2016-2018 Student Outcome Data on December 11, 2018.
6. November Program and Fiscal Report (Attachment F) - The Head Start Act 642(d)(2)(A-E) require the program to share accurate and regular information to the Governing Body. This item provides a monthly program and fiscal briefing for the month of November 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 anticipated impact to the general fund as a result of these actions.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends review and approval of the items included in this memorandum.