HEAD START & EARLY HEAD START 2015-16 Annua… · HIGHLIGHTS & CHANGES. The Head Start/Early Head...

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HEAD START & EARLY HEAD START 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDING AUGUST 31, 2016

Transcript of HEAD START & EARLY HEAD START 2015-16 Annua… · HIGHLIGHTS & CHANGES. The Head Start/Early Head...

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HEAD START & EARLY HEAD START

2015-16 ANNUAL REPORTY E A R E N D I N G A U G U S T 31 , 2 0 1 6

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TABLE OF CONTENTSProgram Description, HighlightsEnrollmentCharacteristics of Children and Families, Service Opportunities for Families, Parental Engagement Health ServicesMental Health Services, Services for Children with Disabilities, Family Services and Dental ServicesResults of Monitoring Visits Financial Aspects, Budgetary Expenditures and Proposed Budget, Federal Results Review Preparing Children for KindergartenDocumentation of Children’s ProgressProgram Impact - One Parent’s StoryCommunity Assessment Summary A Look to the Future

2-3 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |

8-9 |10-11 |

11 |12 |

13-15 |16 |

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HIGHLIGHTS & CHANGESThe Head Start/Early Head Start program continued to provide excellent services for children and families during the 2015-2016 school year.

• The program had two additional monitoring visits during the 2015-2016 year completing the review cycle that began during the 2014-2015year.Theprogramhadonlyfiveareasofnon-compliance and developed plans for improvement, which were approved by the OfficeofHeadStart.

• Due to continued issues with enrollment, the class at Gunter ISD was discontinued.

• Because of increased community need, Crandall ISD added a new Head Start class during the 2015-2016 school year, and the program continued to maintain its funded enrollment.

• The blended model for CPR instruction, piloted during the 2014- 2015 school year, continued to be successful as more of these sessions were offered during the 2015-2016 year.

• The Head Start and Early Head Start program continued to use Teaching Strategies GOLD to determine children’s progress on the mandated Child Outcomes.

• The results from the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) for Head Start, along with the analysis of the results of student performance on GOLD, the assessment tool, helped to guide the individual training, support, and mentoring of the teachers.

• The Head Start Education team successfully adopted and piloted the Practice-based Coaching Model in various formats, such as:

• Teachers Learning and Collaborating (TLC), was facilitated by Head Start Education Consultant, Ginger Williford, from January to May with 6 teachers and 6 instructional assistants. In this pilot, the teachers and instructional assistants varied in their years of experience and the types of credentials they held. They set goals for themselves, based on the results and feedback from the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) conducted in their classrooms. They videotaped themselves using the strategies that they were striving to implement. As a group, theparticipantsviewedthevideoclips,offeringreflective feedback and suggestions for continuous improvement. The outcome for the participants was very positive and showed growth in awareness and teaching skills.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONRegion 10 Education Service Center

(ESC) was the grantee for Head Start

and Early Head Start services and

partnered with eighteen (18) school

districts in Collin, Ellis, Grayson,

Kaufman and Rockwall counties

to provide services to a funded

enrollment of 1,120.

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HIGHLIGHTS & CHANGES• One-on-one coaching, involving the coach/consultant visiting regularly with the teacher or instructional assistant, was another coaching model. The teacher or instructional assistant set a goal or goals, based on CLASS data, and recorded video clips of themselves, demonstrating their use ofteachingstrategiesrelatedtotheirgoals.Usingreflective feedback, the coach/consultant and the teacher or instructional assistant jointly viewed the clips and discussed the challenges and successes of the implementation.

• Teaching teams, which involved the coach/consultant visiting regularly with the teacher and instructional assistant together, was yet another coaching method. The participants set individual goals, based on CLASS data, recorded video clips of themselves in those particular teaching scenarios according to the goals they had set, and the coach and the teaching team viewed and critiqued them togetherthroughreflectivefeedback.

• The Early Head Start home-based program achieved compliance with the 17 Essential Requirements for the nationally acclaimed Parents as Teachers program. These requirements are earmarks of quality in a home-based early childhood education program.

• The Early Head Start program also successfully implemented the Frog Street Infant/Toddler Curriculum.

ENROLLMENTThe Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start program served a total of one thousand two hundred forty-three (1,243) children in partnership with Allen ISD, Crandall ISD, Denison ISD, Ennis ISD, Farmersville ISD, Forney ISD, Frisco ISD, Kemp ISD, Mabank ISD, McKinney ISD, Midlothian ISD, Palmer ISD, Pottsboro ISD, Rockwall ISD, Royse City ISD, Sherman ISD, Waxahachie ISD and Whitesboro ISD. One thousand twenty-nine (1,029) three and four-year-old children were served in Head Start/Pre-Kindergarten wrap-around classes in these school districts. Two hundred fourteen (214) infants, toddlers, and pregnant women were served in Early Head Start at three sites – McKinney, Rockwall and Sherman. Along with serving families from the community, the Early Head Start program was in partnership with the local school districts’ pregnant and parenting teen programs.

Head Start maintained full enrollment throughout the year and had a waiting list at each site. The size of the waiting list varied based on the population of each community, and the combined waiting list total was one thousand three hundred sixty-three (1,363). Head Start served 43% of the children eligible for the program.

Early Head Start experienced a similar situation, maintaining full enrollment throughout the year with a waiting list at all three sites. The combined waitinglistwasthreehundredfifty-seven(357),and Early Head Start served 37% of the eligible infants, toddlers and pregnant women.

Each participant was determined eligible based oncriteriaestablishedby the federalOfficeofHead Start. Data related to children’s eligibility was reported as follows:

Type of Eligibility Head Start

EarlyHead Start

Income below 100% of poverty line 731 101

Recipient of public assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income, etc.) 113 19

Status as foster child 49 17

Status as homeless 66 73

Over income 54 4

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION & HIGHLIGHTS REGION 10 ESC HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START 2015-2016

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SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIESHead Start and Early Head Start provided a wide array of services for children and their families. The Performance Standards stated the type of services that must be made available for families, and families chose their level of participation from the many opportunities provided. Services were available to families in the areas of health, mental health, nutrition, parental involvement, social services and education.

PARENTAL ENGAGEMENTParents of all ages - including teen parents, foster parents, and grandparents raising grandchildren - were encouraged to participate in special activities. These opportunities included volunteering in a class or the Head Start/Early Head Start office, participating in special campusevents,attending a variety of campus Parent Committee meetings and activities, participating in training opportunities, being involved in home visits and parent/teacher conferences and serving on Policy Council, the Education Advisory Committee or the Health Services Advisory Committee. Head Start/Early Head Start campuses also provided some special programs directed toward the father or themalefigureinthechild’slife;morethan109fathers participated in at least one event during the school year. School-readiness activities were also shared with families to provide ideas for parents to continue the child’s learning in the home environment.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES Language

InHeadStart,69.6%ofthefamiliesidentifiedthemselvesasmonolingualEnglishspeakers,and27.7%identifiedthemselvesaspredominantlySpanishspeakers.Smallpercentages(lessthan1%)offamiliesidentifiedthemselves as speakers of Middle Eastern, South Asian, East Asian, European,SlavicandAfricanlanguages;onefamilydeclinedtospecifya primary language, and four did not specify. The percentage of English and Spanish speaking families was similar to that of the 2014-2015 year.

In Early Head Start, 67% of the families identified themselves as monolingual English speakers, and 33% identified themselves as predominantly Spanish speakers, which is consistent with the percentagesidentifiedinthe2014-2015year.

Ethnicity and Race

The information below indicates the race and ethnicity of the children involved in Head Start and Early Head Start.

Head StartRace and Ethnicity Hispanic or

Latino OriginNon-Hispanic or

Latino Origin

Asian 3 12

Black or African American 15 154

NativeHawaiianorotherPacificIslander 1 0

White 78 310

Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial 35 53

Other(noracespecified) 333 3

Unspecified(noraceorethnicityspecified) 3 2

Early Head Start (includes children and pregnant women)

Race

American Indian or Alaska Native 1

Asian 2

Black or African American 38

NativeHawaiianorotherPacificIslander 0

White 130

Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial 36

Other 0

Unspecified 7

In Early Head Start, 125 (58%) indicated that they were of Hispanic or Latino origin, and 89 (42%) were not of Hispanic or Latino origin.

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HEALTH SERVICESOne area addressed in Health Program Services was the domain of physical development and health. Because much of a child’s success in school is dependent on the condition of his or her health, accessing ongoing services for physical and mental health is always of critical importance. For children to gain access to services, funds must be available. The table below shows information about the availability of insurance for the children.

BecauseEarlyHeadStartalsoservedpregnantwomen,theprogramhadtwenty-five(25)womenwhohadinsurance;eighteen(18)receivedMedicaid,five(5)receivedprivateinsuranceandone(1)wasnotinsured.

The program also tracked the children who had received all possible immunizations at that time but were still lacking some of the age-appropriate immunizations as determined by a health professional. For Head Start, three hundred ninety-four (394) children were in this category at the time of their enrollment and three hundred eighty-seven (387) at the end of the year. For Early Head Start,nineteen(19)wereinthiscategoryatthetimeofenrollmentwitheighteen(18)attheendoftheyear.InHeadStart,five(5)children met the state guidelines for exemption from immunizations.

In the area of children’s health, the program continued to provide support to families whose children had been determined to be overweight or obese. In Head Start, one hundred thirty-seven (137) children were considered to be overweight based on body mass index;onehundredseventeen(117)wereconsideredtobeobese.Familiesweregivenadditionalinformationonhealthynutritionand had the opportunity to visit with the program dietician for guidance.

Because children must be immunized to stay healthy, Head Start and Early Head Start emphasized the importance of children receiving the age-appropriate immunizations. The table below indicates the status of immunizations in the program.

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Insurance Data Start of year End of Year

Head Start children with health insurance 980 991

Early Head Start children with health insurance 184 185

Head Start children whose insurance was Medicaid/CHIP 897 902

Early Head Start children whose insurance was Medicaid or CHIP 172 175

Head Start children with private insurance 78 83

Early Head Start children with private insurance 12 10

Head Start children with no insurance 49 38

Early Head Start children with no insurance 4 3

Head Start with military insurance (CHAMPUS or Tri-Care) 5 6

Health Condition Number of children

Anemia 59

Asthma 93

Hearing 3

Overweight/Obese 254

Vision Problems 10

High Lead Levels 1

Diabetes 1

Health Condition Number of children

Asthma 2

HearingDifficulties 2

Vision problems 2

Immunizations Up-to-date beginning of year Up-to-date end of year

Head Start 630 637

Early Head Start 169 170

For children in Head Start, eight hundred eighty-eight (888) children were up-to-date on a schedule of age-appropriate primaryandpreventivehealthcare;twohundredsixty(260)were diagnosed with a chronic condition requiring medical attention and two hundred twenty-six (226) received treatment. Head Start children received assistance for health conditions as indicated on the adjacent table.

For children in Early Head Start, one hundred eighty-two (182) were up-to-date on a schedule of age-appropriate primary and preventivehealthcare;seventy-two(72)werediagnosedwitha chronic condition requiring medical attention. Early Head Start children received assistance for health conditions as indicated on the table to the left.

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Services Head Start

Early Head Start

Health Education 386 116Parenting Education 289 146Assistance to Families of Incarcerated Individuals 1 3

Relationship/Marriage Education 0 3Substance Abuse Prevention 2 0Substance Abuse Treatment 2 0Asset Building Services (such as Financial Education, Debt Counseling, etc). 71 Not

RecordedFamilies Who Received at Least One Service 624 173

Services Head Start

Early Head Start

Emergency/Crisis Intervention 150 36Housing Assistance 46 7Mental Health Services 87 30English as Second Language 71 8Adult Education 138 30Job Training 20 0Domestic Violence 2 0Child Support Assistance 5 11Child Abuse and Neglect 4 1

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICESAnother aspect of Health Program Services was the area of social and emotional development, an area that has been linked to academic success. For several years, the program has employed two full-time Master’s level Social Workers who served the program as Mental Health Consultants. Their case loads included children in both Head Start and Early Head Start, and they provided support to families, staff and children.Duringthe15-16schoolyear,fifty-four(54)HeadStartstudentswereinneedofadditionalsupportbecauseofmentalhealthissues;thirteen(13)EarlyHeadStartstudentsrequiredadditionalsupportandfive(5)parentsreceivedguidanceonways to assist their children with behavioral issues.

SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIESInfants and toddlers with disabilities participated in an inclusive educational environment with their peers because of the partnership between Early Head Start and the local Part C provider, the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program. The local districts collaborated with Head Start to serve preschool children with disabilities in a variety of settings. Some Head Start children with disabilities were served in the Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) classroom for a portion of the day and the Head Start classroom for another portion of the day. Some Head Start teacherswereduallycertifiedinbothgeneralandspecialeducation,sothattheHeadStart children with disabilities simultaneously received special education and Head Start services in the Head Start classroom. Head Start teachers and PPCD teachers collaborated in providing activities children with disabilities and their peers shared and enjoyedtogether.EarlyHeadStartservedtwenty-five(25)infantsandtoddlerswithdisabilities–14%ofthetotalnumberofinfantsand toddlers served through Early Head Start. Head Start served one hundred eighty-four (184) children with disabilities, 17.88% ofthetotalHeadStartpopulation.Thisreflectedaslightdecreasefromthepreviousyearof21.13%.Thisdecreasemayberelatedto a slight decrease in the overall number of children served in the program or the efforts of the school district partners and Head Start teachers to utilize various effective teaching strategies to facilitate student success without the need for special education. Although a delay in speech and language development was the most common disability among children in the Head Start program, the program also provided services for children with other disabilities including health impairment, intellectual disabilities, hearing impairment, autism, and non-categorical/developmental delay.

FAMILY SERVICESImplementing the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework continued to be a focus of the program. The Head Start Performance Standards required programs to work with all families in the development of a Family Partnership Agreement. These individualizedagreements,basedontheneedsandinterestsofeachfamily,reflectedgoals,localresourcesavailabletoassistwithmeeting the goals and support received toward reaching them. As in past years, all families in Head Start and Early Head Start were encouraged to participate in the development of these agreements. The Family Resource Specialists worked closely with the families during the implementation process, encouraging and motivating them to move forward with their plans. Families also received a resource directory brochure with information about available services within the community. Family Resource Specialists assisted the families in accessing needed services and continued to provide support and follow up services to determine if the needs had been met. Families received many types of services during the 2014-2015 school year as shown on the following tables.

DENTAL SERVICESChildren in Head Start and Early HeadStart oftenhave significantneeds for dental services. In the Head Start program, nine hundred twenty-one (921) children received preventivecare;twohundredthirty-two (232) children needed dental treatment, and all of them received the needed treatment. Within Early Head Start, one hundred thirty-six (136) children had continuous, accessible dental care at the time of their enrollment, and one hundred forty-three (143) children had continuous, accessible dental care by the end of the enrollment year.

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HEAD START & EARLY HEAD STARTY E A R E N D I N G

August 31, 2016ANNUAL REPORTFOR

RESULTS OF MONITORING VISIT The review of the Head Start/Early Head Start program occurred over a two-year period, beginning in the 2014-2015 school year and completed in the 2015-2016 school year. Five different teams were involved in the monitoring process and reviewed the program in the areas of:

• Environmental Health and Safety (February 10-13, 2015)

• Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance/Fiscal (March 2-6, 2015)

• Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) (April 13-17, 2015)

• Comprehensive Services/School Readiness (November 30 - December 4, 2015)

• Leadership/Governance/Management Systems (January 21-22, 2016)

The monitoring teams were involved in a variety of activities including reviewing documentation, visiting classrooms, and interviewing staff, parents and Board members. Three of the teams cited areas of non-compliance and some concerns. Items listed as concerns did not require any corrective action, and all areas of non-compliance were addressed in a timely manner with corrections approved bytheOfficeofHeadStart.Thechartbelowsummarizestheareasofnon-compliance.

Area Standard Description

Environmental Health and Safety Head Start Code of Conduct Supervision of children

Environmental Health and Safety Transportation Signage showing locations of seat belt cutters andfireextinguishers

Comprehensive Services/School Readiness Child Development and Education Approach Developmental and linguistic appropriateness of learning environment

Comprehensive Services/School Readiness Quality Standards, Curricula and AssessmentAppropriate implementation of a research-based early childhood curriculum that promotes young children’s readiness

Leadership/Governance/Management Systems Ongoing Monitoring Monitoring to ensure that children were adequately supervised

Area National Average Region 10 ESC Score

Emotional Support 6.10 6.16

Classroom Organization 5.83 6.14

Instructional Support 2.90 3.21

RegardingtheClassroomAssessmentScoringSystem(CLASS),infiscalyear2010,thefederalOfficeofHeadStartbeganusingCLASS, an observation instrument that assessed the quality of teacher-child interactions in a center-based program. The tool was utilized as a part of the federal monitoring of programs to collect information about the quality of the classrooms and to gather information about children’s experiences. The federal team conducted the standardized methodology of the CLASS in 32 randomly selected Head Start classrooms and provided the scores as listed below:

Scores are interpreted as follows:

• Scores of 6-7 indicated that effective teacher-child interactions were consistently observed.

• Scores of 3-5 indicated that teachers displayed a mix of effective interactions and periods when interactions were ineffective or not occurring.

• Scores of 1-2 indicated low quality of interactions between teacher and child.

In each area, Region 10 ESC Head Start’s scores exceeded the national average.

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2015-2016 Head Start/Early Head Start Budget

14%

4%2%

0%9%

70%

1%

Personnel, $6,214,486Fringe, $1,122,5043Travel, $185,738Supplies, $328,154Contractual, $6,395Equipment, $60,025Other, $825,071Facilities/Construction, $0

2016-2017 Head Start/Early Head Start BudgetProjection

14%

4%0%

10%

72%

0%

Personnel, $6,284,127Fringe, $1,244,777Travel, $7,500Supplies, $350,635Contractual, $6,000Equipment, $0Other, $886,870Facilities/Construction, $0

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FINANCIAL ASPECTS 2015-2016 Forthefiscalyear(FY)2015-2016,theprogramreceivedfundingfromtheOfficeofHeadStartintheamountof$9,172,742.Thisincludedasupplementintheamountof$208,669,whichwasawardedforthepurchaseof3schoolbuses. These additional funds aided the program in conforming to Head Start PerformanceStandardsrelatedtotransportation,specificallyaddressingtheneeds in Pottsboro ISD, Royse City ISD and Rockwall ISD. The program was better able to meet its goals and primary functions because of the funding usedformaterialsandsuppliesfortheclassroomandparentevents,fieldtrips for Head Start, staff travel for training and technical assistance and personnel, including substitutes and all other program activities. The continued partnerships with school districts and the ongoing support of the Education ServiceCenterhelpedtofacilitateandpromoteanefficientandsuccessfulHead Start and Early Head Start program.

Theprogram’sdirectcostswere$8,706,488andthetrainingandtechnicalassistance(T&TA)costswere$138,429foratotalof$8,844,912.Theindirectcostswere$327,830.

The children were enrolled in the school districts’ pre-kindergarten programs and received free breakfast and lunch. Because of the partnership with school districts, the Head Start program received no funding from United States DepartmentofAgriculture(USDA);theschooldistrictpartnersreceivedtheUSDA funds.

The charts that follow delineate the program expenditures for 2015-2016 and the proposed budget for 2016-2017.

HEAD START & EARLY HEAD STARTY E A R E N D I N G

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“Theprogramreceived$4,338,375innon-federal share match meeting and

exceeding the federal requirement of 20%...”

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BUDGETARY EXPENDITURES AND PROPOSED BUDGET REGION 10 ESC HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START 2015-2016

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HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM

FY 2015-2016 Budget Expenditures Percentof Total

Proposed FY 2016-2017

(Basic + T & TA)Category Basic + T & TA Basic T & TA* Total

Personnel 6,095,493.00 6,125,593.00 88,893.00 6,214,486.00 68% 6,284,127.00

FringeBenefits 1,311,940.00 1,225,043.00 - 1,225,043.00 14% 1,244,777.00

Travel 4,500.00 168,329.00 17,409.00 185,7838.00 <1% 7,500.00

Equipment 208,669.00- 60,025.00 - 60,025.00 <1% -

Supplies 325,591.00 314,039.00 14,115.00 328,154.00 3% 350,635.00

Contractual 6,000.00 - - 6,395.00 6,395.00- <1% 6,000.00

Facilities Construction - - - 0.00 0% -

Other 827,246.00 813,459.00 11,612.00 825,071.00 11% 886,830.00

Direct Costs 8,824,439.00 8,706,488.00 138,424.00 8,844,912.00 96% 8,779,909.00

Indirect Costs 348,303.00 327,830.00 - 327,830.00 3% 343,252.00

Total Amount 9,172,742.00 9,034,681.00 138,424.00 9,172,742.00 99% 9,123,161.00

*T & TA is Training and Technical Assistance

NON-FEDERAL SHARETheprogramreceived$4,338,375innon-federalshare,meetingandexceedingthefederalrequirementof20%.Non-federalshareincluded donations of goods and services, volunteer time, medical and dental services, and support from the school districts for a portionoftheteachers’salariesandbenefits,classroomspaceandofficespaceandadministrativesupport.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS RECEIVEDHead Start and Early Head Start funds were received from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration forChildrenandFamilies,OfficeofHeadStart.Nootherpublicorprivatefundswerereceived.

RESULTS OF AUDIT FOR YEAR ENDING AUGUST 31, 2016ThecertifiedpublicaccountingfirmofEdgin,Parkman,Fleming,andFleming,PCconductedtheannualaudit.TheRegion10ESCBoard of Directors approved the report of the 2015-2016 audit on December 16, 2016. The auditors determined that the ESC complied in all material respects with the type of compliance requirements that could have a direct and material effect on a major program.Also,thefirmdidnotidentifyanydeficienciesininternalcontrolsthatcouldbeconsideredtobematerialweaknesses.

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EFFORTS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN“Preschool children make the transition into kindergarten more successfully when their schools and families prepare for it together, and when their preschool and kindergarten teachers connect. Also, by coordinating transition efforts, preschool and elementary programs can help children maintain and maximize the gains they made in preschool.” (Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center website) Region10ESCHeadStartandEarlyHeadStartagainexemplifiedthisthrough its partnership with 18 school districts.

Region 10 ESC Head Start students were well prepared for their kindergarten experience because their Pre-Kindergarten/Head Start experience enabled them to be involved in the public school. Families and students quickly became aware of the various rules and procedures related to public schools. Early in the school year, they learned about attendance policies, transportation procedures, procedures for volunteering in class and strategies that allowed them to work closely with the teacher and the principal. For families who began their experiences in the school-based Early Head Start program, they had from 3-5 years of experience in a school setting before their children started kindergarten, making them familiar with requirements, guidelines, and procedures involved in the public school setting.

The curriculum used in the classrooms also contributed to the children’s school readiness. Region 10 ESC Head Start classrooms implemented the High/Scope Curriculum and Key Developmental Indicators, Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines, Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and the learning system/curriculum that each district partner had chosen for its Head Start/Pre-K teachers.

The state-adopted district learning systems were developed using the TexasPre-KindergartenGuidelines;allsystemswerecloselyalignedwith the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. The systems included the domains of language development, literacy, mathematics, science, creative arts, social and emotional development, approaches to learning and physical health and development. The districts utilized Frog Street Press, Scholastic Early Childhood Program, Opening the World of Learning (OWL) and the DLM Early Childhood Express.

Head Start Education Consultants provided support and mentoring to the teaching teams throughout the school year using the Practice-Based Coaching Model. Consultants conducted observations in all Head Start classrooms using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) a research-based tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the Head Start classrooms. National research on the CLASS indicated that high CLASS scores were consistent with instruction that prepared children for kindergarten. While visiting classrooms, the Education Consultants provided support to teachers to maximize children’s learning by providing guidance on emotional support, classroom organization and instructional support. Because the program’s CLASS data from the instructional support domain indicated a need for improvement, the Education team developed specifictrainingtoaddresstheidentifiedconcernsduring the summer professional development. The Professional Development Plans for teachers and instructionalassistantsalso listedspecificstrategiestosupportidentifiedneeds.

Teaching teams encouraged children’s active learning which helped children make choices and manipulate materials. Opportunities for children to develop reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making skills were provided as well. Teaching teams also labeled each part of the classroom to promote early literacy and numeracy skills along with organization, classification and seriation skills. Posted lesson plans in each classroom reflectedplannedactivitiesforsocialization,self-esteem, health, safety, hygiene and nutrition to address content areas using developmentally appropriate practices.

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After the federal review teams indicated areas of non-compliance, the program immediately implemented corrective actions through visits with campus administrators, professional development with teachers throughout the spring and summer, and procedures for the upcoming 2016-2017 school year were revised. All of these changes enhanced the program’s efforts for children’s kindergarten readiness.

Frequently throughout the year, Region 10 Education Consultants reviewed Head Start students’ ongoing assessment data with the teaching teams. Teaching teams were encouraged to plan and modify classroom activities and experiences based on children’s interests, individual needs, and data from the ongoing assessments.

All Region 10 ESC Head Start teachers held a minimum of a bachelor’s degree,wereappropriatelycertifiedbythestatetoteachPre-Kindergarten,and they were school district employees. Because of the nature of the partnership between Region 10 ESC and the school district, both the district and Region 10 ESC were jointly responsible for the appropriate implementation of the Head Start Performance Standards.

Within the Region 10 ESC program, the focus of school readiness included Early Head Start. The Birth to 5 Education Consultants worked with the Early Head Start Lead Teachers to administer the Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale – Revised (ITERS-R) in each classroom and providedfeedbacktotheteachers.Specificprofessionaldevelopmentsessions were planned based on the results of the administration of the ITERS-R, Teaching Strategies GOLD and the DECA.

The Head Start and Early Head Start teachers encouraged the parents in their roleas their children’s firstandmost important teacherbyreinforcing the home-school connection during each parent-teacher conference and each home visit. The home visit form and the parent-teacher conference form were designed to facilitate discussion about the partnership between the school and the home in helping the child learn the necessary skills to be ready for kindergarten.

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DOCUMENTATION OF CHILDREN’S PROGRESS INCLUDED:

Home Visits: Two per year required

Screenings: Preschool Language Scale 4 - for speech/language (English and Spanish)

Developmental screening (Brigance) Vision Hearing Other screenings determined by the district

Assessment: Devereux (DECA) Portfolio Assessment Teaching Strategies GOLD

Documentation: Assessments Home Visits Parent/Teacher Conference Lesson Plans Anecdotal Notes Contact Notes Child Portfolio

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PROGRAM IMPACT

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As Mary Beth spent time with the Family Resource Specialist who was assigned to provide support and assistance to her family, she learned about a part-time position as an assistant to the Early Head Start teachers. Mary Beth submitted an application and was hired in February 2016. Her work at Early Head Start awakened a love for working with children, so she changed her major from interior design to education. She applied and was accepted into the University of North Texas where her newdegreeplan is InterdisciplinaryStudies;her inspired goal is to complete teacher certificationsinEarlyChildhoodthroughgrade6, Special Education, Bilingual Education, and English as a Second Language.

Mary Beth credits Early Head Start for her life-changingdecision.Thesupportduringdifficultfamily times, encouragement to establish career goals that align with her decision to pursue a degree in education, and the quality services her daughter received from Early Head Start, all contributed to her new career choice. In short, Mary Beth and her family got a new start from Early Head Start.

HeadStartandEarlyHeadStartweredesignedtobenefitnotonlytheparticipating child but the child’s family as well. During the 2015-2016 school year, many families were strengthened because of support they received from staff members and community resources they accessed. Mary Beth’s* story is just one example of the many success stories that occur within the Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start program.

Having separated from her husband, Mary Beth chose to move to her parents’ home with her son - a Pre-K student - and her one-year-old daughter. She was determined to start her life over by working part-time and attending classes to pursue a degree in interior design, but she had a majorconcern;allthedemandsofherjobandschoolwerepreventingherfrom providing the same level of attention and support to her daughter that she had provided to her son when he was the same age. Mary Bethwasjustifiablyconcernedbecauseherdaughter’sdevelopmentalissues did require additional time and attention. She found some support thorough Early Childhood Intervention, a community program designed to provide services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, but when Mary Beth heard about Early Head Start, she thought it would be a great place for her daughter. She completed an application, and her daughter began participating in Early Head Start in August 2015.

*Name has been changed to protect confidentiality.

One Parent’s Story

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COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARYY E A R E N D I N G

August 31, 2016 ANNUAL REPORTFOR

The Community Assessment for the Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start program provided rich data about the communities where the Head Start and Early Head Start programs are located. The program utilized information from the Community Assessment as a tool to guide programmatic decisions. The following is a summary of the most recent Community Assessment.

ThefollowingtrendswereidentifiedinthecompilationofdataandfactsfromnumerousresourcesfortheRegion10ESCHeadStart/Early Head Start families for the program year ending August 31, 2015.

• High quality educational practices continued in the Region 10 ESC Head Start and Early Head Start program as evidenced by the results of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System administered by a federal review team.

• A decrease in the payment of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for Head Start/Early Head Start familiesforprogramyear2014-2015occurred;118familieswereTANFrecipientsinthe2014-2015program years as compared to 130 families who were TANF recipients during the 2013-2014 program year.

• AdecreaseinthereceiptoffoodstampsbyHeadStart/EarlyHeadStartfamiliesforthe2014-2015yearalsooccurred; 694 families received food stamps during 2014-2015 as compared to 714 during the 2013-2014 program year.

• There were 162 referrals for nutrition concerns during the school year. Of the 162 referrals, 65 (6.41% of students) were for overweight, 83 (8.19%) for anemia, 43 (.49%) for underweight, and 18 (.89%) for other reasons.

• The highest number of referrals received for Head Start children’s issues were for aggressive behaviors, followed closely by overactive behaviors. These were the behaviors of most concern for the teachers and/or administrators making these referrals. This trend changed slightly from the previous year as the number of referrals for attention issues dropped and aggressive behaviors increased.

• Each Early Head Start teacher completes the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) Infant-Toddler on each child in her class. For the 2014-2015 school year, DECA Infant/Toddler referrals decreased from the previous school year. These are referrals made by EHS teachers after completing a DECA I/T for an infant or toddler.

• Speech and language impairments continued to be the predominant disability in the Head Start programs.

• There was an increase in the number of children diagnosed with disabilities that result in limited physical mobility included in the Head Start classrooms.

• Earlyidentificationofchildrenontheautismspectrumcontinuedtoimpacttheprogramsasthesechildrenwere included in Early Head Start and Head Start.

• There was an increase in licensed childcare facilities and registered family homes.

• There was an ongoing need to collaborate and partner with childcare facilities to ensure low-income families could obtainaffordable,qualitychildcareforthehourstheirchildrenwerenotinschool;likewiseforotherchildreninthehome who are not in Head Start or Early Head Start. There were, however, limited resources in regard to childcare in Pottsboro, Whitesboro, and Crandall.

• There was an increase in education referrals for Head Start/Early Head Start families in 2014-2015, as compared to the number of families referred in the 2013-2014 school year. • Therewere108referralsforGED/Collegecoursesin2014-2015;in2013-2014,therewere18. • Therewere88referralsforESL(EnglishasaSecondLanguage)in2014-2015;in2013-2014,therewere14.

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• Families acquiring minimum wage jobs caused the following hardships to occur for families: • lossofTemporaryAssistanceforNeedyFamilies(TANF)benefits • reduction in food stamps • lossofmedicalbenefits • inability to obtain affordable health care

• In the counties served by Region 10 ESC Early Head Start, teen pregnancies increased from 21 (2013-2014) to 26 (2014-2015).

• There was also an increase in referrals, including health, nutrition and social services.

• There was an increase in families being homeless or requesting housing assistance.

• The Non-English speaking population has not increased in the past two program years in Head Start and Early Head Start.

• There was an increase in poverty population in children age 5 years old and younger.

• Although there are no family violence shelters available in Kaufman County, Texas Department of Human Services reports residents who experienced family violence were served.

• Limited or restricted public transportation in the counties, particularly in Collin County and the rural areas, minimized or prohibited access to available services.

• There are limited mental health and health care facilities in Kaufman County.

• Through survey data and parents’ requests, Head Start/Early Head Start families indicated a desire for continuing education in behavior management problems, child growth and development, adult literacy, English as a Second Language (ESL), General Equivalent Diploma (GED), Advanced Basic Education (ABE), college courses and technical training.

• Texas Health Steps medical, dental and mental health providers were limited in the counties where Head Start programs are located.

• Teen parenting facilities, programs, and services were limited in the counties served by Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start.

• IncreasedunemploymentwasevidentinthefivecountiesservedbyRegion10ESCHeadStart/EarlyHeadStart.

• Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) classes were limited in Farmersville and Pottsboro.

• The number of grandparents raising grandchildren increased.

• The number of homeless children served in Head Start/Early Head Start increased.

• The number of homeless families also increased.

• The number of foster children served by Head Start/Early Head Start has increased.

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HEAD START & EARLY HEAD STARTY E A R E N D I N G

August 31, 2016ANNUAL REPORTFOR

Data analysis revealed that more populated counties such as Collin and Grayson were far more likely to have an array of services available. Conversely, the smaller the county (Rockwall) or more rural (Kaufman and Ellis) had fewer resources available to Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start families.

Theneedsidentifiedbytheparticipatinggroupsclearlyoutlineandreflectservicesandresourcesbeyondthegraspoftheeconomicallydisadvantaged population. Community Assessment data revealed that services and resources appear to be more available in the urban areas while rural areas are forced to share in order to accommodate the population. The data clearly indicated that rural areas have lower unemployment, yet the wealth is primarily located in the urban areas.

Thereportidentifiedneedsthat,inturn,revealedbarriers.Thesemustbeovercome,sofamiliesparticipatingintheHeadStart/EarlyHeadStartprogramcanflourishandbreakthecycleofpoverty.ItisvitalforHeadStart/EarlyHeadStarttohave21stcenturyvisions and goals that focus on meeting needs , collaborating with agencies and organizations in the community to access available resourcesandprovidingsupportsothatfamiliesbecomeindependentandself-sufficient.

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As Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start looks toward the future, the program envisions an expanded and renewed Head Start/Early Head Start that serves as a central community institution for low-income children and their families.

The The Head Start/Early Head Start of the future will continue to: • Ensure quality and strive to attain excellence in every local program.

• Respondwithflexibilitytotheneedsoftoday’schildren and families,including children and families currently not being served.

• Forge new partnerships at the community, state, and federal levels, by renewing and recreating these partnerships in response to the changes in families, communities, state and national policies.

• Collaborate with Early Childhood Services Pre-Kindergarten Co-operative to provide high quality professional development opportunities for all entities serving children ages birth to 5.

• Prepare children to be school ready for their next educational setting.

A LOOK TO THE FUTURE

To move more effectively into the future, the program will continue to:

• Advocate for Head Start/Early Head Start children and families.

• Increase community awareness of Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start.

• Assist Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start children and families transitioning into and out of Head Start/Early Head Start into the next educational setting, typically public kindergarten.

• Collaborate with community agencies in accessing resources.

• Expand Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start to serve more low-income children when possible.

• Ensure continuity of services between Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start and local school district partners.

• Establish more collaborative partnerships between Preschool Program for Children (PPCD) with Disabilities and Head Start.

• Enrich the current partnerships with Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) in each county to continue to collaboratively serve Early Head Start children with disabilities.

• Enhance the Region 10 ESC Head Start/Early Head Start strategic goals and objectives based on the information from the Community Assessment.

• Focus on the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework and Outcomes.

• Ensure children possess the skills, knowledge, and attitude necessary for success in school.

• Focus on school-readiness activities and school-readiness goals.

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HEAD START & EARLY HEAD STARTY E A R E N D I N G

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