School Board of Brevard County Head Start Pre-Kindergarten Program

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Head Start 101

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Purpose of Head Start

Promote the school readiness of low-income children by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development— (1) in a learning environment that supports children’s growth in language, literacy, mathematics, science, social and emotional functioning, creative arts, physical skills, and approaches to learning; and Head Start Act (Sec 636) Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International 3

Purpose of Head Start

Promote the school readiness of low-income children by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development— (2) through the provision to low-income children and their families of health, educational, nutritional, social, and other services that are determined, based on family needs assessments, to be necessary.

Head Start Act (Sec 636) Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International 4

Goals of Head Start

Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International Parent, Family and Community Engagement 5

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Eligibility Process

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Eligibility

• Parent completes Head Start application which is forwarded to district office. Completing an application does guarantee eligibility or enrollment. • District staff will contact the parent to set up a face to face interview. This is required for every family who is interested in being made eligible for the program. • There are 2 requirement which determine eligibility: – Age (3 or 4 on or before Sept 1) – Income Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International

Eligibility

Income eligibility

– Income based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines – Categorical Eligibility •SSI •Public Assistance—TANF – Foster Care – Homeless--McKinney-Vento Act Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International

Priority Lists

Other factors used to determine priority:

• Previously enrolled in Early Head Start (EHS) • Student with a disability • English as a second language • Parent in military currently deployed • Single parent household • Teenage parent • Incarcerated parent Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International

Parent, Family and Community Engagement (PFCE)

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Family and Community Engagement

Family and Community Engagement  Referral services for a range of individual child and family needs  An opportunity for parents to participate in school decision-making- PARENT POLICY COUNCIL  Collaboration agreements with community agencies Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International

Brevard C.A.R.E.S.

Family Strengthening  Home Visits   Goal Setting Family Engagement   Community Resources Linkages Access to Family Resource Center   Family - Centered Planning Family Empowerment and Advocacy Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International

Shared Governance

Head Start grantees must establish and maintain a formal structure of shared governance through which parents can participate in policy making or in other decisions about the program. This structure must consist of the following groups: • Governing body (School Board of Brevard County) • Policy Council which is established at the grantee level • Parent Committee which is established at the center level Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International 15

Role of Parent Committees

Parent Committees must be established at the center level. The Parent Committee must carry out at least the following minimum responsibilities: • Advise staff in developing and implementing local program policies, activities, and services; • Plan, conduct, and participate in informal as well as formal programs and activities for parents and staff. • Parent committees will receive training from District staff to carry out these responsibilities. Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International 16

Policy Council Composition

• The Policy Council must be comprised of two types of representatives: – parents of currently enrolled children – community representatives • At least 51 percent of the members of must be the parents of currently enrolled • All parent members of Policy Councils must stand for election or re-election annually. All community representatives also must be selected annually.

• No grantee staff (or members of their immediate families) may serve on Policy Councils. Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International 17

Role of the Policy Council

Shared Governance

Policy Council School Board Program Planning Specified Policies and Procedures Personnel Agreements and Contracts Grant Applications Fiscal Oversight Prepared for the Office of Head Start by ICF International

Questions?

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