HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03202001 - C.85 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS '� =;? _L Contra
FROM: Tony Colon, Director
Costa
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Community Services Department � � ��,- ,;�
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DATE: March 20, 2001 County
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO SUBMIT GRANT APPLICATION FOR HEAD
START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Community Services Director or designee to
submit a grant application to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Administration for Children and Families in the amount of $1,355,232 for Head
Start Program supplemental funding and $175,721 for Early Head Start Program
supplemental funding for a total amount of$1,530,953 for the period from January
1, 2001 through December 31, 2001. Supplemental funds are in the following
three categories stipulated by the funding source: Cost of Living Adjustments,
Quality Improvement, and Training and Technical Assistance.
II . FINANCIAL IMPACT:
If this grant application is approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the funding will be
added via appropriation adjustment to the current Head Start/Early Head Start
Budget. County, as Grantee, will be required to generate a 20% local, in-kind,
non-cash match in the amount of $558,459.
III. CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
The Community Services Department Head Start Program supports two of Contra
Costa County's community outcomes: "Children Ready for and Succeeding in
School" and "Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing." These outcomes are
achieved by offering comprehensive services, including high quality early
childhood education, nutrition, health, and social services, along with a strong
parent involvement focus, to low-income children throughout Contra Costa
County. The overall goal of the program is to bring about a greater degree of
social competence in preschool children from low-income families.
iv. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS/BACKGROUND:
Please see attached. This application will be reviewed and approved by the Head
Start Local Policy Council atitsMarch 15, 2001 meeting.
TTACHMENT: '-'YES SIGNATURE:
OMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATfdN OPIOARD COMMITTEE
__&t-OPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
----------------------------- ---------------- -- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACTION OF BOA aU 7GA!/ APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED X QZ149 —
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT�/7//Y!J?� ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
AYES: NOES: SHOWN.
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: /
ATTESTED L• 2�Cl�I.��/ ��QC�f
CONTACT: Tony Colon,646-5910 'JOHN SWEETEN,
CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY
ADMINISTRATOR
CC: CAO
CSD (4 orig.sig.Sealed copies)
BY PUTY
Contra Costa County Community Services Department
Head Start and Early Head Start Programs:
? Cost of Living Allowances, Quality Improvonent, Teacher Quality, and
Training/Technical Assistance
Application for Program Year 2001
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INCOMING FUNDS NARRATIVE STATEMENT
1. PROJECT/PROGRAM TITLE.
(a) Contra Costa County Head Start Program
(b) Contra Costa County Early Head Start Program
2. FUNDING AGENCY. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration
for Children and Families (ACF).
3. SUBMITTAL STATUS. Request for supplemental funding for continuing programs.
4. PROPOSED TERM. Funding is requested for the period from January 1, 2001 through
December 31, 2001.
5. CURRENT FUNDING. Funding is provided by federal dollars and local in-kind.
County, as Grantee, is required to generate a 20% in-kind match of the total project
budget.
(a) Head Start (b) Early Head Start Program
Program
Approved Federal $14,565,385 $1,825,148
2000 Basic funding:
Grant Local Share: $3,641,346 $456,287
Funding
6. FUTURE FUNDING. If received, funds will be incorporated into the 2002 Head Start
and Early Head Start Basic Grants. Applications for the Head Start Basic Grant have
been awarded for the last 35 years and for Early Head Start Basic grant for the last three
years. Future funding through federal dollars is expected to be available.
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7. BUDGET SUMMARY.
A. Head Start Program
(i) Cost of Living Adjustment $459,009
(ii) Quality Improvement $870,190
(iii) Training& Technical Assistance $26,033
TOTAL $1,355,232
Federal funds totaling $1,355,232 are budgeted for the following categories:
(i) Cost of Living Adjustment
(ii) Quality Improvement
Personnel: $628,043 for wage parity increase for teacher, clerical,
accounting and management staff. This is a baseline amount
as current labor negotiations in several classifications limit
us from being specific to the total dollars.
Fringe: $142,053 fringe is calculated at 37.34% in the Basic 2000
Head Start Grant. The variable portion of the fringe
amount included in this application is 22.69%
Delegate Agencies: $163,401 for Delegate Agencies, which administer the Head
Start program in part of the county, are allotted a portion of
the funding to make quality improvements to their
programs.
Other: $ 89,370 is an estimated amount which will be used for
enhancing state funded Child Development slots and
bringing them up to Head Start standards. This amount will
be adjusted upon completion of labor negotiations and wage
parity.
Indirect Cost: $ 34,543
(iii) Training and Technical Assistance
Funds will be used for a Summer Institute to provide teacher training with college
course credits. Of the increase, $14,839 will be used for salaries for teachers who
would normally be on summer vacation, $3,384 for fringe, $2,603 for training
materials, and $5,206 for a contractor's tuition fees.
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Subtotal federal dollars: $1,355,232
In-kind contributions (local share)*: $338.808
TOTAL: $1,694,040
B. Early Head Start Program
(i) Cost of Living Adjustment $57,730
(ii) Quality Improvement $101,497
(iii) Training and Technical Assistance $16,494
TOTAL $175,721
Federal funds totaling $175,721 are budgeted for the following categories..
(i) Cost of Living Adjustment
(ii) Quality Improvement
Personnel: $101,008 for wage parity increase for teacher, clerical, accounting
and management staff. This is a baseline amount as current labor
negotiations in several classifications limit us from being specific to
the total dollars.
Fringe: $22,919 fringe is calculated at 37.34% in the Basic 2000 Early
Head Start Grant. The variable portion of the fringe amount
included in this application is 22.69%
Indirect Cost: $ 5,970
(iii) Training and Technical Assistance
Funds will be used for a Summer Institute to provide teacher training with college
course credits.
Subtotal federal dollars: $175,721
In-kind contributions (local share)*: $43,930
TOTAL: $219,651
*In-kind services provided by parent volunteers in the classroom, in committees and at the
Policy council, by CHDP forms processing, training and direct services to Head Start
children, speech therapy, consultants to advisory boards, and parents' provision of child
transportation to the classes.
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8. STAFFING REQUIREMENTS. As Grantee, Contra Costa County operates the Head
Start and Early Head Start Programs, which are administered by the Community Services
Department. Personnel requirements and payments are outlined in the budget summary.
Current staff positions were previously approved by the Board of Supervisors. Eight
additional Family Advocate positions and five Early Head Start Homebase Worker
positions will be created as a result of these applications.
9. PROGRAM NEED. Several wage comparability studies indicate that Contra Costa
County's Head Start has two personnel classifications (Teacher I and Teacher II)
compensated which continue to be significantly below similar classifications in the
surrounding area. This disparity has made it very difficult to fill vacancies as they occur.
Furthermore, a community needs assessment conducted by the department and the United
Way shows that lack of full-day, full-year child care services is a primary obstacle facing
families making the transition from welfare to work. This proposal will ensure that Head
Start provides quality services by attaining wage parity and by providing child care
required to help families make the move from welfare to work. In addition, funds are
being made available to all Head Start programs to improve training and qualifications of
classroom teachers. These funds will help implement the mandate of the Head Start Act
which requires that, by September 30, 2003, at least half of all Head Start teachers in
center based programs must have at least an associate degree in early Childhood
Education or a related field, with pre-school teaching experience.
10. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PROGRAMS.
A. The program interfaces with the county's CalWORKS program providing much-
needed child care.
B. The program coordinates with the Health Services Department Child Health and
Disabilities Prevention Program for early identification and prevention of child illnesses
and disabilities.
C. In 2001, the County's Head Start Program will continue to coordinate services with
the County's Work Force Development Board by providing access to enrollment in
child care as well as other programs administered by the Community Services
Department, including energy assistance and weatherization, at the One-Stop Career
Centers.
D. The program is partnering with the Contra Costa Community College District
(CCCCD) to implement a replicable model which will support and sustain adult
learning in the transition from welfare to work. In addition to preparing and securing
academic enhancements for Head Start teachers, we will cooperate in the CCCCD
program to recruit, train, and secure employment for CalWorks recipients in early
childhood education careers as childcare professionals. The endeavor will strengthen
partnerships and collaborative relationships between the Head Start program, CCCCD,
the Department of Social Services, the Contra Costa Child Care Council, and the
greater child care community by preparing participants for academic study, the world
of work and economic self-sufficiency.
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E. A consortium with Santa Clara County has been developed in an effort to leverage the
impact of the funds being made available to enhance teacher's academic credentials and
to ensure transferable credits between various Bay Area community colleges. The
consortium has contracted with WestEd, a non-profit research and development
agency in San Francisco, to spearhead this collaborative effort. San Francisco and
Alameda counties have also expressed interest but are not yet a part of the consortium.
F. Duplication of efforts is eliminated through monthly communication between the
programs and staff coordination on advisory boards/committees. Head Start has
numerous interagency agreements with community-based organizations to avoid
duplication of effort.
11. PROJECT GOALS.
A. Improve teaching quality in Head Start classrooms.
B. By September 30, 2003, at least half of all Head Start teachers in center based
program will have at least an associate degree in early Childhood Education or a
degree in a related field, with pre-school teaching experience.
C. Recruit and retain good teachers by achieving wage parity for teaching staff.
D. Improve the quality of advocacy and case management services available to parents
and families of children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.
12. STATED OBJECTIVES.
A. Recruit and retain good teachers by achieving wage parity for teaching staff.
B. The objective of the program will be to provide staff members the opportunity to
obtain a minimum of an AA degree in order to ensure that at least 50% of teaching
staff obtain their degree by September 30, 2003.
C. Recruit and retain eight additional Family Advocates to provide more intensive and
individualized family advocacy and case management services.
13. ACTIVITY SUMMARY.
A. Wage parity will be achieved by adjusting the Head Start salary schedule. Funds will
be used to increase all department staff salaries. Due to current labor negotiations still
in progress, specific percentage increases are yet to be determined.
B. Eight Family Advocates will be hired.
C. Five Early Head Start Homebase Workers will be hired.
D. Individual training plans will be developed and coordinated with the Contra Costa
Community Colleges and the Bay Area Head Start Consortium. One-on-one academic
planning and support will be provided, and teachers will be matched with mentors and
peer coaches.
E. Completion of academic activities will be tracked individually through ChildPlus, a
comprehensive Windows based management software program.
F. A common database and Management Information System will be established between
Bay Area community colleges to ensure transferability of course credits.
G. A teacher training resource library will be established.
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H. A summer institute will be conducted to provide training in child development, and
course credit will be arranged with CCCCD.
14. EVALUATION METHOD(S).
A. Head Start and Early Head Start enrollment, provision of services, the child's
educational progress, and the family's progress to self-sufficiency are tracked in the
Child Plus database.
B. Interim program information reports are generated as needed to assess service delivery
and impact, and an annual program information report is performed.
C. The Parent Policy Council conducts an annual on-site program review and
participating families respond to annual interest/needs survey and an annual client
satisfaction survey.
D. The success of the teacher quality improvement program will be measured by increases
in the level of academic credentials of all Head Start teachers and in the accumulation
of appropriately based child development credit hours and number of Associate of Arts
or higher Child Development based degrees obtained. The Family and Children's
Services Associate Director will be specifically responsible for compiling and
providing the data necessary to evaluate the success of the program.
15. CHANGES COMPARED TO PRIOR YEAR (if any). There are no significant
changes from the prior year. These activities continue to be funded under the Head Start
and Early Head Start Basic Grant.
16. POTENTIAL CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. Head Start has continued to realize an
enhanced reputation, building upon the positive outcomes of the past several years.
Service expansion and increasing community partnerships have greatly enhanced the status
of the Head Start/Early Head Start Programs throughout the community. Through
continued expansion and collaboration with community partners, Head Start and Early
Head Start received recognition as a quality program during the Federal Review
conducted in February 2001.
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