January 2010 Leadership Institute Downloads
January's NHSA Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. attracted nearly 300 Head Start and Early Head Start Directors, staff, and parents, Head Start regional and federal staff, as well as other professionals involved in early childhood education and development. A great deal of valuable information was shared by presenters and attendees alike. In fact, much of what was shared proved so useful, we decided to use our Web site as an opportunity to provide it to everyone.
Below is a brief description of several of the presentations and discussions that took place during the Institute. For each, you can download the accompanying presentation or handouts. We hope you find this information as valuable as the attendees did and that you will attend an upcoming NHSA Leadership Institute.
Opening General Session: Office of Head Start Update on Policy and Regulatory Issues
Improving School Readiness and Promoting Long-Term Success: Head Start Roadmap to Excellence
Yvette Sanchez Fuentes, the new Director of the Office of Head Start, discussed her vision for Head Start and provided an update on policy issues of interest to the Head Start community. Read more about Head Start's Roadmap to Excellence here.
Status of State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care
The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 authorized the creation of State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriated $100 million to fund these councils. Presenters in this session reported on the progress that states have made in developing these councils, described the roles played by various Head Start representatives, such as the Head Start-State Collaboration Director, on these councils, and explored the possible implications of Early Learning Challenge Fund legislation for these councils.
State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care, A State Director of Head Start Collaboration's Perspective
Presented by Suzanne Burnette, Director, New Jersey Head Start Collaboration Office
Status of State Advisory Councils on Early Education and Care
Presented by Christina Satkowski, FMR Program Associate, New America Foundation, Early Education Initiative.
Quality Rating Systems
A rapidly increasing number of states have been developing Quality Rating Systems (QRS) to help policymakers and consumers assess the quality levels of Head Start, child care, state-funded pre-k programs, and early education and care programs within a state. QRS provides information to state policymakers that can be used to increase the quality of early childhood and care programs and to target needed professional development. During this session, QRS experts from a variety of perspectives described the development of QRS by states, explored the extent to which Head Start programs are being rated by QRS, and discussed how Head Start programs might participate in state QRS.
Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) - Status of the States
Presented by Anne Mitchell, Early Childhood Policy Research
QRIS Quick Facts
Provided by Anne Mitchell
Head Start and Quality Rating & Improvement Systems (QRIS)
Provided by Anne Mitchell
Top Ten List: Key Policy Questions for Head Start and QRIS Leaders
Provided by Gerrit Westervelt, Executive Director, Build Initiative
Parents and the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Program
Through the CCDBG program, the federal government provides funds to states, American Indian/Alaskan Native tribes, and U.S. territories to help low-income families access child care through grants, certificates, and contracts. This forum provided an opportunity for parents to inform policy and advocacy on CCDBG issues. Opportunities and challenges faced by parents using child care services were explored.
Overview of the Child Care & Development Fund
Presented by Shannon Rudisill, Associate Director of the Child Care Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Parents, Child Care and The National Policy Vision
Presented by Linda Smith, Executive Director, National Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies.
Head Start Impact Study News
Congress mandated that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services conduct a nationally representative random assignment longitudinal study of Head Start programs. The final report of this study was just released to the public. During this session the study's findings, flawed methodology, and how the findings fit within the large body of research about Head Start's effectiveness were discussed.
Head Start Impact Study News
Presented by Ben Allen, Director of Public Policy and Research, NHSA
Head Start as a Community Hub
Scale and Sustainability for the ECE Industry: An Overview of Shared Services
Presented by Sue Renner, Director - U.S., David and Laura Merage Foundation
Shared Services: A New Business Model to Support Scale and Sustainability in Early Care and Education
Provided by Sue Renner, Director - U.S., David and Laura Merage Foundation
Public Release of the Head Start Policy Project
In anticipation of the passage and implementation of the Early Learning Challenge Fund legislation by federal lawmakers, NHSA has formed work groups on six topics: early learning standards, curriculum and assessment; program standards; early childhood workforce; data systems; health promotion; parent engagement. In this session, the recommendations of the work groups were presented.
The Head Start Policy Project Recommendations for the Federal Government
Presented by Vanessa Rich, Deputy Commissioner for Children's Services Division, City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services and Loukisha Smart-Pennix, Director ithe Children's Services Division, City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services.