DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Head Start Division personnel complement increase using Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) funds and a professional services contract with Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC).
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes an increase of the Head Start personnel complement from 98 to 100 positions through COLA funds and approves the execution of a professional services contract with Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC) to implement the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H.) Early Childhood Texas Scholarship Program. The contract will commence August 1, 2021 and extend through July 31, 2025 for a total contract value not to exceed $120,000.00, at a rate of up to $2,500.00 each month.
Furthermore, this ordinance authorizes the Director of Human Services to initiate, negotiate, and execute any and all necessary documents including a grant contract, and contract amendments accepting, when approved by HHS: a) carryover funds; b) line item budget revisions; c) modifications to the performance measures so long as the terms of the amendment stay within the general parameters of the intent of the grant; d) no cost extensions; e) supplemental grant funds in an amount up to 20% of the total amount initially awarded; f) reimbursement increases of administrative funds for each participant served; g) one-time equipment purchases or defined program services; and h) changes in regulations mandated.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
DHS currently manages the Head Start program (DHS Head Start) that services the San Antonio ISD (SAISD) and Edgewood ISD (EISD) communities. This is a federally funded program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The program focuses on the organization and development of the next generation of leaders in our inner-city communities and it encourages our future leaders to advance throughout their educational careers. The program provides early childhood education, family support, and comprehensive support services to eligible children between the ages of three to five years and their families.
DHS Head Start provides high quality educational, disability, health, and family services to 3,020 three- to five-year-old children. The DHS Head Start division contracts with SAISD and EISD (777 children in EISD and 2,243 children in SAISD) to provide the Head Start preschool program. Additionally, the program contract with the Metropolitan Health District for dental services and the University of the Incarnate Word for health services.
ISSUE:
DHS Head Start program submitted the 2021 COLA funds grant application on April 15, 2021 as authorized by ordinance 2020-10-29-0765 and is requesting COLA funds to add an additional permanent Fiscal Analyst position and an additional permanent Senior Family Support Worker (SFSW) position. DHS Head Start program is requesting an additional Fiscal Analyst position to ensure full expenditure of all Head Start funds. The Fiscal Analyst will work closely with contractors to understand federal guidelines and timelines to ensure grant compliance. The Senior Family Support Worker will develop and implement wellness support services that improves outcomes for Head Start staff, children, and families. This includes providing case management and intensive family wellness support, as well as decreasing caseload sizes. Wellness support is a critical need for both the families served and Head Start staff.
The addition of the Fiscal Analyst and Senior Family Support Worker positions will increase the Head Start Personnel Complement from 98 to 100 staff, providing additional onsite support and resources for the DHS Head Start program.
DHS Head Start Program also requests authorization to enter into a professional services contract with TXAEYC to implement T.E.A.C.H. to support Head Start instructional assistants employed with EISD and SAISD to obtain an early childhood education certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree in child development, early childhood education or related field. T.E.A.C.H. is a research based comprehensive strategy to educate and retain early childhood practitioners, positively impacting outcomes for the children in their care. T.E.A.C.H. increases the availability of accessible, affordable college education, provided workforce supports, raised compensation and increased retention for those working with vulnerable children in early childhood education settings. DHS Head Start has partnered with TXAEYC since August 2019 to implement the T.E.A.C.H. Program. Through a collaboration with TXAEYC, UTSA, Alamo Colleges and Texas A&M San Antonio, ten instructional assistants have participated in the program. Currently three participants are working towards earning an early childhood education certificate, one is pursuing an associate degree, and one is working towards earning a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, two instructional assistants have earned an early childhood education certificate through the TXAEYC collaboration.
This contract will provide for the provision of professional services for a total estimated amount not to exceed $120,000.00 total, at a rate of up to $2,500.00 each month, for a period beginning August 1, 2021 and ending July 31, 2025. Funding for this agreement has been budgeted under the Head Start federally funded grant.
Services provided in this agreement include implementation of the T.E.A.C.H. Program. TXAEYC will provide up to 90% of the cost, up to 18 College hours of in-district tuition at any campus within the Alamo College District, Texas A&M San Antonio, and UTSA, up to 90% of the cost of all required course textbooks, and a travel stipend and completion bonus to participants. Success of the program is based on the number of participants that earn a certificate or degree, our Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) scores and student outcomes on standardized assessments.
ALTERNATIVES:
If this ordinance is not approved, DHS Head Start will have to identify other funding sources to support the Family Wellness Specialist and Fiscal Analyst positions, which would impact services provided to eligible Head Start and EHS children and families.
TXAEYC is the only organization licensed to manage and implement the T.E.A.C.H. program in the State of Texas. If this contract is not approved, not only will the Head Start instructional assistants currently participating in the T.E.A.C.H. program be unable to continue coursework towards earning a degree or certificate, but DHS Head Start will be unable to expand efforts to support the growth and development of our instructional assistants.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes an increase of the Head Start personnel complement from 98 to 100 positions. Funding for the additional two position is available through COLA Funds Grant. It also approves the execution of a professional services contract with Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC) to implement the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H.) Early Childhood Texas Scholarship Program. The contract will commence August 1, 2021 and extend through July 31, 2025 for a total contract value not to exceed $120,000.00, at a rate of up to $2,500.00 each month. Funding for this contract is available from the Head Start Federal Grant.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the authorization of an increase of the Head Start personnel complement from 98 to 100 positions and the authorization of the execution of a professional services contract with TXAEYC, for the implementation of the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Texas Scholarship Program.