October 2009

• 10/27/09

  Information Memorandum

  Influenza Preparedness - (ACF-IM-HS-09-08)

   

• 10/06/09

  Program Instruction

  Head Start / Early Head Start Emergency Preparedness Survey - (ACF-PI-HS-09-09)

   

• 10/02/09

  Carmen Nazario Announces the Director of the Office of Head Start

  I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Yvette Sanchez Fuentes to be the Director of the Office of Head Start. Yvette, currently Executive Director of the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, has extensive experience at the local, regional and national level, providing services to young children from low income families. Her knowledge and commitment will enable her to help lead ACF's critically important mission of enriching the quality of early childhood development for our nation's most vulnerable children. Please join me in welcoming Yvette to the ACF family.

  Yvette's bio:

  As the Executive Director of the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, Ms. Sanchez Fuentes works with early education services, policies, and resources for migrant and seasonal farm worker children and their families. Prior to joining the Association, Yvette worked for the Education Development Center where she was the Early Childhood Specialist for the International Systems Division and provided technical assistance to projects in Honduras, El Salvador, and Egypt. Yvette has served as a National Head Start Fellow where she provided consultation in literacy, parent education, child care collaborations, and program improvement to Migrant and Seasonal Head Start and other early childhood education programs nationwide. Early in her career, Ms. Sanchez Fuentes managed services for a large migrant and seasonal program for staff development and family child care initiatives. She received her B.A. in Liberal Arts from California State Polytechnic University.

  Carmen R. Nazario
  Assistant Secretary for Children and Families

   

• 10/01/09

  Policy Clarification

  What is the Teach For America program referred to in the December 12, 2007 amendments to the Head Start Act, Section 648A(a)(3) Alternative Credentialing and Degree Requirements? - (OHS – PC – J – 043)

   

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September 2009

• 09/22/09

  Information Memorandum

  Centers of Excellence in Early Childhood - (ACF-IM-HS-09-07)

   

• 09/21/09

  Policy Clarification

  Can a Head Start program require teachers to pursue their AA/BA degree to meet the mandate and will the agency have to pay overtime if the teachers attend school after work? - (OHS – PC – J – 020)

   

• 09/01/09

  Policy Clarification

  Can members of the governing body be reimbursed for child care and/or mileage expenses for attending board and committee meetings? - (OHS – PC – E – 030)

   

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August 2009

• 08/24/09

  Policy Clarification

  The Head Start Program Performance Standards on conducting Community Assessments refer to collecting and analyzing information about the “estimated number of children with disabilities four years old or younger, including types of disabilities and relevant services and resources provided to these children by community agencies” (45 CFR 1305.3 (c) (3)). Where can I find this type of information? - (OHS – PC – K – 030)

   

• 08/18/09

  Policy Clarification

  What are the general eligibility requirements for Early Head Start and Head Start? - (OHS – PC – I – 089)

   

• 08/03/09

  Information Memorandum

  Safety of Children - (ACF-IM-HS-09-06)

  Information Memorandum

  Accessing Professional Medical and Dental Services - (ACF-IM-HS-09-05)

   

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July 2009

• 07/27/09

  Policy Clarification

  Some grantees are using mobile health (medical or dental) clinics. Do these mobile clinics meet the requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards? - (OHS – PC – B – 051)

   

• 07/22/09

  Information Memorandum

  Services to Pregnant Women Participating in Early Head Start - (ACF-IM-HS-09-04)

   

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June 2009

• 06/23/09

  Program Improvement Requests

  The Office of Head Start recognizes that many grantees are working on funding applications in response to the Head Start and Early Head Start expansion announcements. In order to assure everyone has sufficient time to devote to these efforts, the due date for Program Improvement requests (see ACF-PI-HS-09-08) is being extended by one week, to July 17, 2009.

  Policy Clarification

  Our agency contracts with a private provider who evaluates children with potential special needs, develops the IEP, and ultimately provides the special services as required by the IEP. Does a child on an IEP that is completed by a private provider count towards the 10% as required by Section 640(d)(1) of the Head Start Act? - (OHS – PC – K – 029)

   

• 06/16/09

  State Advisory Councils - Application Content and Format [HTML, PDF, 122KB]

  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (P.L. 111–5) made funding available to improve coordination and collaboration among early childhood education and care programs and services. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announces the availability of $100,000,000 total funds made available by ARRA to be awarded to eligible States, Commonwealths and Territories to enable States to develop and implement a plan established by their State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care for children from birth to school entry (referred to as the State Advisory Council).

   

• 06/11/09

  Information Memorandum

  Certifying Eligibility for Enrollment in Head Start Programs - Revision - (ACF-IM-HS-09-03)

   

• 06/04/09

  Program Instruction

  Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Program Improvement Funds and One-time T/TA funds - (ACF-PI-HS-09-08)

   

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May 2009

• 05/26/09

  Policy Clarification

  May Head Start agencies claim non-federal match for the value of the volunteer services of governing body and policy council members? - (OHS – PC – A – 078)

   

• 05/15/09

  Policy Clarification

  Is the value of parent involvement in a Head Start program an allowable cost for in-kind match? - (OHS – PC – A – 077)

   

• 05/13/09

  Policy Clarifications

  • What are the selection and election requirements concerning members of the Policy Council? - (OHS – PC – E – 028)

  • What is a “conflict of interest” in a Head Start agency? What guidance can the Office of Head Start (OHS) provide to Head Start agencies trying to address possible conflict of interest situations involving governing body members? - (OHS – PC – E – 029)

  Program Instruction

  Accrued Leave - (ACF-PI-HS-09-07)

   

• 05/11/09

  2008–2009 PIR Survey

  The Program Information Report (PIR) Survey has a new look for 2008–2009. The form has been simplified and made easier to understand. To assist programs in preparing for reporting, a PDF copy of the 2008-2009 PIR Survey and the Summary of Changes can be downloaded at http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/pir.

  The 2008–2009 reporting cycle begins in late May of 2009. Programs are required to submit the survey within the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES). An email message announcing the opening of the reporting website will be sent to all program directors.

  Please direct questions on the 2008–2009 PIR to hseshelp@acf.hhs.gov or call 1-866-771-4737.

   

• 05/08/09

  Early Head Start ARRA Funding Opportunity

  Early Head Start program expansion opportunities have been made available to local public and local non-profit and for-profit private entities, including Early Head Start and Head Start grantees, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

  If you are interested in applying for these funds, please visit the grants.gov website, select “new opportunities this week,” sort by agency, and the Early Head Start ARRA Expansion will be available to you.

  Applicants interested in applying to operate an EHS program under the provisions of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111–5) will find helpful resources on the Office of Head Start’s Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC). General information on applying for an Early Head Start grant and background information on what you will need to implement quality Early Head Start services in compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards is available.

  Head Start ARRA Funding Opportunity

  Head Start program expansion opportunities have been made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to existing federally funded Head Start agencies. If you are interested in applying for these funds, please visit the grants.gov website, select “new opportunities this week,” sort by agency, and the Head Start ARRA Expansion will be available to you.

  AIAN Head Start Funding Opportunity

  Head Start and Early Head Start program expansion opportunities have been made available for existing federally funded American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Head Start agencies. If you are interested in applying for these funds, please visit the grants.gov website, select “new opportunities this week,” sort by agency, and the American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Expansion will be available to you.

  Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Funding Opportunity

  Head Start program expansion opportunities have been made available for existing federally funded Migrant and Seasonal Head Start agencies. If you are interested in applying for these funds, please visit the grants.gov website, select “new opportunities this week,” sort by agency, and the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Expansion will be available to you.

   

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April 2009

• 04/27/09

  One-time Funding Opportunities

  As Head Start grantees are considering how best to use their COLA and Quality Improvement Allocations, the Office of Head Start (OHS) wants to inform you that later this fiscal year OHS intends to make available one-time funding to address grantee health and safety issues and to address grantee training and technical assistance needs. As in past years, applicants will need to submit funding requests to their Regional Office and, as in past years, not all applicants will be funded or funded at their full request. Nonetheless, each grantee may wish to consider the pending availability of these funds in making decisions about the most effective use of its COLA and Quality Improvement allocations.

   

• 04/15/09

  Policy Clarification

  May Head Start grant funds be used to pay for mental health services for parents of Head Start children? - (OHS – PC – B – 050)

   

• 04/03/09

  New Funds Will Improve Head Start and Early Head Start Programs

  The Office of Head Start wishes to inform Head Start programs of two pieces of information that we believe will be of interest to you. The first is a news release announcing how the $2.1 billion in funds, made available to Head Start under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will be used. To read this news release, please visit the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website.

  In addition, synopses of both the Head Start expansion and the Early Head Start expansion announcements were posted yesterday on grants.gov. If you are interested in reading the synopses, please visit the grants.gov website, select “new opportunities this week,” sort by agency, and both synopses (HHS-2009-ACF-OHS-SH-0087 and HHS-2009-ACF-OHS-SH-0089) will be available to you.

   

• 04/02/09

  Program Instruction

  Head Start Funding Increase - (ACF-PI-HS-09-06)

   

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March 2009

• 03/27/09

  Annual Tribal Consultation Sessions - Registration Information is now available!

  The Office of Head Start is holding its annual Consultation Sessions with leaders of Tribal governments operating Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Consultation Sessions have currently been scheduled in the following regions:

  April 21, 2009 - Albuquerque, New Mexico
  May 5, 2009 - Tucson, Arizona
  May 13, 2009 - Marksville, Louisiana
  May 26, 2009 - Anchorage, Alaska

  The purpose of these Consultation sessions is to solicit input on ways to better meet the needs of Indian, including Alaska Native, children and their families, taking into consideration funding allocations, distribution formulas, and other issues affecting the delivery of Head Start services in their geographic locations. Specific topics include policy, research, Head Start/Early Head Start conversion, program quality, and monitoring.

   

• 03/26/09

  Program Instruction

  Criminal Record Checks - (ACF-PI-HS-09-05)

   

• 03/20/09

  Policy Clarification

  Are Head Start Programs required to provide infant formula? - (OHS – PC – B – 049)

   

• 03/12/09

  Information Memorandum

  The 2009 Family Income Guidelines - (ACF–IM–HS–09–02)

  Information Memorandum

  Certifying Eligibility for Enrollment in Head Start Programs - (ACF–IM–HS–09–01)

   

• 03/10/09

  Program Instruction

  Enrollment of Children with Disabilities - (ACF-PI-HS-09-04)

  Program Instruction

  Provision of Diapers - (ACF-PI-HS-09-03)

   

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February 2009

• 02/18/09

  Policy Clarification

  What are the governing body membership requirements? - (OHS – PC – E – 027)

   

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January 2009

• 01/13/09

  HSES GABI Announcement

  The Grant Application Budget Instrument (GABI) is now available as a web-based system exclusively in the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES). Grantees with a budget start date of June 1, 2009 are asked to submit their GABI through HSES.

  Grantees and their delegates can access GABI by logging in to HSES. Training materials are available by selecting Instructions on the left side of the screen. Previous desktop versions of GABI will no longer be supported.

  For questions or assistance, please contact the HSES Help Desk at 1-866-771-4737 or via e-mail at hseshelp@acf.hhs.gov.

  HSES GABI Frequently Asked Questions [PDF, 56KB]

   

• 01/08/09

  Program Instruction

  Conversion of Part-day Slots to Full-working Day Slots or Sessions - (ACF-PI-HS-09-02)

  Program Instruction

  Conversion of Enrollment Slots from Head Start Children to Early Head Start Children - (ACF-PI-HS-09-01)

   

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