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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11081994 - 1.91 9( TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra J!/ FROM: JOAN V. SPARKS, DIRECTOR Co S+a COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT a`. ;s :z �- ;�o= County DATE: OCTOBER 27, 1994 °?:r�.._...��i'�ty co U. SUBJECT:APPROVAL OF THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HEAD START I-30/70.2 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)A BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I . RECOMMENDED ACTION APPROVE and ADOPT the Head Start I-30/70 .2 Implementation Plan for the Contra Costa County Head Start program, and AUTHORIZE the Community Services Department Director to execute plan documents on behalf of the Board. II . FINANCIAL IMPACT N/A. No County funds are involved with this request. III . CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION Formal adoption of a Head Start I-30/70 .2 Implementation Plan is a requirement of the Head Start Regulations . Failure to adopt this plan could result in the County Head Start Program be ruled out of compliance by the Administration for Children and Families, the Head Start funding source. IV. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDED ACTION Head Start regulations require that each grantee develop and adopt a Head Start I-30/70 .2 Implementation Plan that clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the Head Start Policy Council, its Council committees, the Grantee Operated Program parent group and its parent group committees in the Head Start shared decision making process . This plan was reviewed and approved by the Head Start Policy Council on August 25, 1994 . CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOA D OMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): 8 1991t ACTION OF BOARD ON Nov . APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED . OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: Joan Sparks 313-7350 NOV8 1994 CC: CAO ATTESTED CSD PHIL BATCHELOR.CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382 (10/88) BY DEPUTY I-30/70.2 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 1304.5-2(a): Written procedures for Contra Costa Community Services Head Start Program implementation of the 1-30170.2 APPROVED BY THE POLICY COUNCIL: August 25, 1994 Contra Costa Community Services Head Start Program will implement The 1-30/70.2 in the following manner: THE ROLE OF THE PARENT: The major role of the parent is to get involved with the Head Start Program. There are four major ways that a parent and/or family member can get involved in the Head Start program. They are: I: Participation in the Process of Making Decisions About the Nature and Operation of the Program; II: Participation in the Classroom, in their home or in the Family Child Care Project as Paid Employees, Volunteers or Observers; III: Activities for the Parents That They Have Helped to Develop; IV: Working with Their Children in Cooperation with the Staff in the classroom, family child care provider or center The first of the four major ways is: I. Participation in the process of making decisions about the nature and operation of the program. Decision making in Contra Cost County Community Services Department Grantee Operated Program and Policy Council level occurs on four levels. The levels for Contra Costa Community Services Head Start are: 1. The Classroom Committee composed of 100% of the parents at each classroom site 2. A Parent committee for the Family Child Care provider home parents 3. The Center Committee which is composed of a congregate of class room committees . The center committee is determined by the number of classrooms at a facility, the location of the facility and the residence of the parents 4. The Parent Committee which is composed of representatives from each of the center committees 5. The Policy Council which is composed of representatives from the parent Committee of the Grantee Operated Program, from the Family Child Care Project parent committee and from the delegate agencies as well as community representatives. Level one: Classroom Committee Level 1. Level one of the Decision Making process for Contra Costa Community Services Head Start Grantee Operated Program is the Classroom Committee . A classroom committee is composed of 100% of parents whose children currently attend and are currently enrolled in that classroom. Decisions at the Classroom Committee level deal with the nature and operation of the program at that classroom. A. Nature of the program at the classroom level means the following: 1. assure that the experiences of the child in the Classroom are creative and multicultural 2. assure that the experiences for parents are designed for parents and will enhance parental skills 3. assure that the interests of the parents are expressed in activities designed for the enhancement of skills for parents and classroom staff B. Operation of the program at the Classroom Committee level means the following: 1. Assist teachers, director, component coordinators/managers in ways that enhance program services 2. Work closely as volunteers with classroom teachers and all other component staff to carry out the daily activities in the classroom 2 3. Plan, conduct and participate in the informal (social, or other) as well as formal programs (training, meetings, etc.) for classroom parents. 4. elect representatives to the Grantee Operated Center Committees 5. Provide Input into field trips and graduation ceremonies 6. Participate with staff in raising funds for activities which parents chose to occur and are not included in either the grant or the parent activity funds during the year Level Two: Center Committee Level 2. Level Two of Decision Making Process occurs at the Center Committee Level which consists of representatives from each classroom. Decisions at the Center Committee Level deal with the operation of each classroom. Operation at the Center Committee Level means the following: 1. Participate in the recruiting and screening of all Grantee Operated program employees 2. Assure that parents of children currently enrolled in each classroom will be given preference for positions for which they qualify. All guidelines for the recruiting/selecting/screening of future employees established by the 1-30/70.2 as well as by the Grantee, BOS, Policy Council will be followed. 3. The role of the Center Committee Representative is to represent the common concerns, needs, issues of all the parents from their classrooms. 4. Oversee that the experience of all of the children at all classrooms are creative and multicultural 5. Assure that the center level representative leadership skills are being enhanced 6. Assure that the common interests of all the parents are expressed in activities designed for the enhancement of skills for parents and all appropriate staff 3 • LEVEL THREE: GRANTEE OPERATED PROGRAM PARENT COMMITTEE 3. Level Three of Decision Making Process for Contra Costa County Community Services Department Head Start Grantee Operated Program consists of the Parent Committee: The Parent Committee is set up by the Grantee Operated Program parents and is composed of representatives from each center and if decided by a majority vote of the current Parent Committee, community representatives who are past parents of children who were enrolled in that program. All representatives serving on the Parent Committee must be duly elected.. No voting member can hold a voting seat on the Classroom Committee, Center Committee and/or Parent Committee longer than 3 years. If an alternate serves in a voting capacity for at least 1/2 of the meetings, then that time is considered a full year. The responsibility of the GOP Parent Committee is within the nature and operation of the program. A. Nature of the program at the GOP Parent Committee Level means the following: 1. assure that the experiences of all children enrolled in the program are creative and multicultural 2. assure that the experiences for all parents are designed for all parents and will enhance parental skills 3. assure that the common interests of the all parents are expressed in activities designed for the enhancement of skills for parents and all staff 4. assure that the evaluation of the components and program goals and objectives, technical assistance and training plans, recruitment, enrollment, attendance plans is carried out at all classrooms 5. to understand their role: role of Parent Committee Representative is to represent the common concerns, needs, issues of all the parents from their centers and respective classrooms. The role of the community representative is to represent the community in respect to institutional change in order to provide resources to the Head Start program 4 6. To select options based on Community Needs Assessment Data (CNA) and have options selection recorded in minutes of the Parent Committee. B. Operation of the program at the Parent Committee Level means: 1. to provide the common concerns, issues, needs of the parents to the Parent Council, Head Start Director or designee 2. to work closely with Head Start Director or designee in the planning, conducting and participating in the informal (social, or other) as well as formal programs (training, meetings, etc.) for all parents and staff 3. to serve as a link between public and private organizations, the grantee Policy Council, and the community it serves. 4. have the opportunity to initiate suggestions and ideas for program improvements and to receive a report on action taken by the Head Start Director or designee with regard to its recommendations for improvement. 5. Assist Head Start Director or designee plan, coordinate and organize agency-wide parent activities. 6. Assist Head Start Director or designee in communicating with parents and encourage their participation in the program. 7. Aid Head Start Director or designee recruit volunteer services from parents, community residents and community organizations and assist in the mobilization of community resources to meet identified needs. 8. to supervise the execution of the parent activity funds by developing a parent activity fund plan which is annually updated. The plan will be used in the supervision of the allocating and spending of the parent activity funds. The Head Start Director or designee will assist the Parent Committee in the development and updating of the parent activity fund plan. The Parent activity fund plan must be approved by the majority vote of the Parent Committee and Policy Council. 9. Elect representatives to the Policy Council. These representatives will represent the issues , concerns and needs of the Grantee Operated Parent Committee to the Policy Council 5 DECISION MAKING FUNCTIONS at PARENT COMMITTEE LEVEL 10. (E) MAY BE CONSULTED OR CALLED UPON before any decision is made or approval granted to give advice or information BUT NOT TO MAKE DECISION OR GRANT APPROVAL in the day to day operation of the program. This input is to be negotiates Head Start Director and Parent Committee Chair person. The negotiated level of involvement in the day to day operation must be clearly described in the Parent Committee minutes at the beginning of the program year no later than the third meeting of each program year. 11. (D) MUST BE CONSULTED OR CALLED UPON before any decision is made or approval is granted to give advice or information BUT NOT TO MAKE THE DECISION OR GRANT APPROVAL in the identification of child development needs in the area to be served, ensure that standards for acquiring space, equipment and supplies are met Standards will be set via the plans, regulations, Performance Standards and applicable laws. Ensuring that standards will be met will be accomplished through written reports to the Parent Committee. 12. (C) MUST APPROVE AND DISAPPROVE before the decision is finalized or the action taken. This group must have been consulted in the decision making process prior to the point of seeking approval in the following: a. Establishing goals of Head Start program and develop ways to meet them within the Performance Standards and/or regulations. b. Determine location of centers and classes, C. Develop plans to use all available community resources d. Develop plan for recruitment of children, 6 e. Determining the composition of the appropriate 12olicy grou, and the method for setting it up within Performance Standards and/or regulations, f. Head Start personnelolp icies, g. Selection of Head Start Director and staff for the purpose of hiring and terminating, h. Prepare request for funds and proposed work program prior to sending to Policy Council, i. Make major changes in the budget and in the work program while .program is in operation, Major changes in budget is defined as any amount over $2,500 total GOP budget and major changes in work program is defined as any hange which would eliminate or add more than $2,500 cost The Head Start program management at the Grantee Operated Program does not have to address the Parent Committee for any program or budget changes which are less than $2,500 or have an impact that is less than $2,500 each program year. j. Provide information needed for pre-review to Policy Council, The Head Start Director or designee provide the Parent Committee with information and use the minutes the meeting for provision of approval. 13. (B) IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARRYING OUT OR PERFORMING THE FUNCTION BY PARENTS consistent with the general guidance and direction of the BOS in the conduct of self- evaluation of agency's Head Start program goals and objectives, component planned services. The Head Start Director is responsible for assuring that the self-evaluation is conducted or performed by staff. The Parent Committee is responsible to assign group members to develop procedures for self- assessment and evaluation. They will work in cooperation with staff to develop procedures. Parent Committee will be part of a sub-group to perform the self-assessment and evaluation. 7 14. (A) IS GENERALLY RESPONSIBLE AND HAS THE LEGAL AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY for guiding and directing the carrying out of the establishment of a method of hearing and resolvingg community co Dlaints about the Head Start rn o rg a . The Head Start staff will establish the standardized method, give these to the Head Start Director for approval and disapproval and provide written procedures to Parent Committee for approval/disapproval prior to implementation. Once the method has been placed in writing and approved by the Parent Committee, Head Start Director, the performance of the procedure will be directed by the Head Start Director. Level Four: Policy Council Level of Decision Making 4. Level Four of the Decision Making Process is the Policy Council. The Policy Council operates by virtue of the Delegate Agency Policy Committees and the Grantee Operated Program Parent Committee and is composed of at least 50% parents of currently enrolled Head Start children and representatives of the community. All members serving on the Policy Council must be elected. A Policy Council member can has a voting seat and that seat counts toward the three year allowable total. If an alternate serves in a voting capacity for at least 1/2 of the meetings, then that time is considered a full year. If the Grantee BOS and Policy Council Chair agree, then community representatives and representatives of the BOS may serve in a voting capacity. A Policy Council member represents their agency or the community at large. Therefore, all council members must be in touch with their constituents. A Community Representative is defined as someone representing a major public or private agency, major community civic or professional organization which HAVE CONCERN FOR CHILDREN OF LOW- INCOME FAMILIES AND CAN CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO THE PROGRAM. Parents of former Head Start children may serve as community representatives. At no time can any member of the Policy Council, either current parent or community representative serve more than a total of three years in a decision making level. If a parent is serving 3 years on the Council, then after that third term that person can not serve in a voting capacity throughout the program. 8 Responsibility of the Policy Council Membership A. The Policy Council member carries a great deal of responsibility. The major areas of responsibility are listed as follows: 1. Serve as a link between public and private organizations, the Delegate Agency Policy Committees, The Grantee Operated Program Parent Committee, The Grantee BOS and the community it serves. In this linking capacity, the Policy Council will seek information from Delegate Agencies Policy Committees and Grantee Operated Parent Committee through reports, engage in periodic parent surveys and community surveys to continuously assess the needs of the community. In addition, Policy Council members should attend community organization meetings to update themselves. 2. Have the opportunity to initiate suggestions and ideas for program improvements and to receive a report on action taken with regard to its recommendations. Once the Policy Council has served as a link and continuously links itself with its constituents and public and private organizations, suggestions for program improvement will be based on constituent and community needs. 3. Plan, coordinate and organize in conjunction with the Head Start Program Manager or designee agency-wide activities for parents. 4. Approve the selection of Delegate Agencies 5. Recruit volunteer services from parents, community residents and community organizations, and mobilize community resources to meet identified needs of the program, children and parents. 6. Distribute Parent Activity funds to Grantee Operated Parent Committee 9 DECISION MAKING FUNCTIONS at POLICY COUNCIL LEVEL 1. (E) MAY BE CONSULTED OR CALLED UPON before any decision is made or approval granted to give advice or information BUT NOT TO MAKE DECISION OR GRANT APPROVAL in the day to day operation of the program. This input is to be negotiated by Head Start Program Manager and Policy Council Chair person annually. The amount of Policy Council involvement in the day to day operation must be clearly defined in the minutes of a Policy Council meeting. 2. (D) MUST BE CONSULTED OR CALLED UPON before any decision is made or approval is granted to give advice or information BUT NOT TO MAKE THE DECISION OR GRANT APPROVAL in the identification of child development needs in the area to be served, ensure that standards for acquiring space, equipment and supplies are mtt . Advise is defined as information or recommendations. Standards will be set via the plans, regulations, Performance Standards and applicable laws. 3. (C) MUST APPROVE AND DISAPPROVE before the decision is finalized or the action taken. The Policy Council must have been consulted in the decision making process prior to the point of seeking approval for actions and decisions in the following: a. establishing goals of Head Start program and develop ways to meet them within the Performance Standards and/or regulations, b. Determine Delegate Agencies, C. Develop plans to use all available community resources in Head Start, d. Establish criteria for selection of children and families, e. Determining the composition of the appropriate policy group and the method for setting it up within Performance Standards and/or regulations. f. services to be provided to Head Start from the Grantee if there is more than one program within the agency and what services grantee is to offer to Head Start program, 10 g. Head Start personnel policies. h. Participate in the selection of and termination of (hire and fire )Head Start Program Manager and Grantee staff. i. Prepare request for funds and proposed work program prior to sending to Regional Office. j. Make major changes in budget and work program while program is in operation, Major changes in budget is defined as any amount over $50,000 total budget and major changes in work program is defined as any change which would eliminate or add more than $50,000 cost. The major changes are deemed appropriate if the County procedures are followed for approvals k. provide information needed for pre-review to Regional Office through the Head Start Program Manger or designee when applicable. 4. (B) IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARRYING OUT OR PERFORMING THE FUNCTION BY PARENTS consistent with the general guidance and direction of the BOS in the conduct of self-evaluation of Grantee's Head Start program goals and objectives, component planned services. The Head Start Program Manager is responsible for assuring that the self-evaluation is conducted or performed by staff. 5. (A) IS GENERALLY RESPONSIBLE AND HAS THE LEGAL AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY for guiding and directing the carrying out of the establishment of a method of hearing and resolving community,complaints about the Head Start program. The Head Start staff will establish the standardized method, give these to the Head Start Program Manager for approval and disapproval and provide written procedures to Policy Council for approval/disapproval prior to implementation. Once the method has been placed in writing and approved by the Policy Council, Head Start Program Manager, the performance of the procedure will be directed by the Head Start Program Manager or designee. 11 H. PARTICIPATION IN THE CLASSROOM AS PAID EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS OR OBSERVERS The second of the four major ways that a parent and/or family member can get involved in the Head Start Program is Participation in the Classroom a Paid Employees, Volunteers or Observers. A. Paid Employees: Parents who qualify are encouraged to apply for Teaching Aides, Special Needs Aides positions. Preference will be given to parents of children currently enrolled in Head Start. In addition, parents of children currently enrolled in Head Start are encourage to apply for all positions for which they qualify. B. Volunteers: Parents, as well as other qualified persons, can volunteer in the classroom. To be considered for volunteering a parent must partake in an orientation. If a parent would like to be considered for a long term (more than once a month) volunteering in the classroom, than that volunteer must be willing to partake in a training for volunteers. C. Observers: Parents can observe in their child's classroom at any time that class is in operation. When observing in the classroom, the parent should tell the teacher how long they will be observing. III. ACTIVITIES FOR THE PARENTS THAT THEY HAVE HELPED TO DEVELOP The third major way parents and/or family members can get involved in the Head Start Program is in Activities for the Parents that they have helped to develop. 12 Parents at the classroom and center levels will develop activities for themselves which meet their needs. Parents at the center level and Parent Committee level will take a survey of interests and needs either through the Family Needs Assessments or an actual survey to the parents. This survey will determine the next program years training needs for parents as well as serve as the bases for some activities for the current year. Parents at the center level and Parent Committee Level will provide survey outcome information to their representative on the Parent Committee who will use this information in determining agency wide activities for parents. The Parent Committee will provide information through elected representatives to the Policy Committee about the agency parent interests/activities. The Policy Council will use the information in determining what activities the Policy Council will center on for that program year. The Policy Council takes into account all Delegate Agency as well as Grantee Operated Program parent activities. The fourth major way to become involved is through Working with Their Children in Cooperation with the Staff of the classroom. IV: Working With Their Children in Cooperation with the Staff of the Classroom. Parents and/or family members are encouraged to be in contact with the classroom personnel. Contact can be through casual meetings, formal meetings, social events. Parents and/or family members are asked to become involved in what is going on at the classroom so that they can be come involved either at home with their child or in the classroom as a volunteer (See II). Parents can meet with their child's teachers, talk with any other staff of the classroom or agency, make contact with other parents or become involved in the decision making process (See I). 13