ADVOCACY

New! Head Start “Graduate” Web Site www.igotaheadstart.org Up and Running Prepare for April 5 Hearings on Head Start Accountability (March 31, 2005)

Head Start Hearings on Accountability to Take Place
April 5 Both the House and Senate reauthorizing committees will hold hearings on Head Start Accountability on April 5. In the House, the committee is called Education and the Workforce, and in the Senate the committee working on Head Start is called Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The Senate hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. and the House hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Both hearings are likely to be Web cast from the Committee Web sites.

While we cannot say how these hearings will go, we have been assured that the Senate hearing will focus exclusively on solutions for improving Head Start accountability and oversight in particular. The House, of course, may be an entirely different matter with more mudslinging likely thrown at programs. Witnesses will include Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Wade Horn; Olivia Golden, a former Clinton administration official who is now with the Urban Institute; a representative of the Government Accountability Office (GAO); A. C. Wharton, the mayor of Shelby County in Memphis, Tennessee; Jim Caccamo, the new executive director of Metropolitan Council on Early Learning in Kansas City; and Yvonne Gates, the director for marketing and community relations at the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach in Clark County, Nevada.

How Can I Make an Impact on the April 5 Hearings?
Staff on the key reauthorization committees have suggested several ways for NHSA members to get involved in this critical hearing:

Speak with members of the Head Start reauthorization committees. Explain to the Hill staff the intensive monitoring process that takes place every three years and the many other accountability measures available. Let them know that you support taking further steps to remove “bad apples” such as re-competing the grants of poorly performing programs and tightening HHS oversight. To get in touch with members of the House committee go to http://edworkforce.house.gov/. To reach members of the Senate Committee, go to http://help.senate.gov/committee_members.html. You can also contact your member of Congress by phoning the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and asking to be connected to your member’s office.

Advise Committee Staff of the Difference between True Mismanagement and Minor Fiscal Irregularities. We have been told that our allies need more information about what are truly minor or “gotcha” citations and real problems. For example, they need to be aware of the difference between an insignificant event such as a sheet of paper out of place or a wrong form filled out as opposed to a real example of financial mismanagement. Those seeking to dismantle Head Start will try to lump both the big and small examples together to demonstrate the program is not working. We need to help our allies separate the two for Congress and the public next week.

State Association Accountability Letter. NHSA suggests that each state association send a one- to two-page letter identifying the state association’s strong support for accountability and re-competing the grants of programs that consistently perform poorly. The California Head Start Association has already taken the lead on sending a letter to their delegation. It is critically important for each state association to be on record as being tough on accountability and for stronger reforms to make Head Start better. Your letter should be sent to both of your senators and the remaining members of your congressional delegation.

NHSA Needs Your Help to Develop Accountability Recommendations
After this hearing, NHSA will sit down with Hill staff to discuss our accountability recommendations. NHSA is developing a list of tough but reasonable accountability measures that we would like Congress to consider during this reauthorization. Our policy agenda for 2005 calls for re-competing the grants of poorly performing programs. We would like to offer specific, creative ideas on this topic. Please send your recommendations to Joel Ryan at jryan@nhsa.org as soon as possible.

Building Grassroots Networks Can Influence the Accountability Debate
We are not alone in this battle to save Head Start and improve the program. NHSA has held several national coalition meetings with allies in Washington D.C. , but that is not going to be enough. We need to build strong networks at the local and state levels. Two weeks ago, NHSA sent out a “grassroots letter” to state associations urging them to get local and state partners to join the fight to save Head Start. We are asking state Head Start associations to send the letter with the collected signatures to their entire Congressional delegation as a way of demonstrating strong broad-based support. Please also send NHSA a copy of your grassroots letters so we can use them on the Hill. If you would like a copy of the NHSA letter, please contact Joel Ryan at jryan@nhsa.org.

New Head Start “Graduates” Web Site Up and Running
NHSA launched a major effort this week to mobilize thousands of Head Start graduates and former parents to join the fight to save Head Start. The new Web site www.igotaheadstart.org will become the Head Start community’s home for collecting amazing success stories and for NHSA to communicate directly with Head Start graduates and former parents. Please check out the new site and pass the Web address on to as many people as possible. State and regional associations can put a link on their home pages to take advantage of this incredible new advocacy tool!

Successful Programs to Be Spotlighted at Mid-April Hearing
The Education and Workforce Committee plans to call another hearing to look at best practices and exemplary programs. We have heard that the hearing will take place on April 12. When we have more information on this, we will pass it along.

Education and Workforce Committee Wants Feedback from Head Start
This week, the Education and Workforce Committee announced that they have posted a survey on their Web site to get feedback from the Head Start community on a variety of issues (including collaboration and coordination). NHSA believes this presents a great opportunity for us to educate the committee on what Head Start is all about and what can be done to improve the program. Before filling out the survey, take a minute to think about the wonderful partnerships you have in your community, a good success story to share, and the instruments already in place to maintain high levels of accountability. Please remember that whatever you say in the survey (either good or bad) will be used by the House Republican staff to craft Head Start reauthorization legislation. You can go to the survey at http://edworkforce.house.gov/

Senator John Kerry to Speak at NHSA Annual Conference
Former presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry (D-Mass), will be the closing speaker at NHSA’s Annual Training Conference in Orlando , Florida , in May. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) has been invited to speak at the Opening Session which will highlight Head Start success stories. Don’t miss this historic opportunity! If you have not registered for the conference, please go to www.nhsa.org.

Help Us Save Head Start: Contribute to the Dollar per Child Campaign!
We need your help to maintain our advocacy work and make sure that Head Start is not dismantled during reauthorization. NHSA’s advocacy efforts take place through our press events, the materials we generate, our Web sites www.saveheadstart.org and www.igotaheadstart.org, and more. We rely on your contributions to the Dollar per Child campaign. Please let your parents and staff know about Dollar per Child. Attached is a one-page flyer that you can circulate. Thanks again for all your hard work and the contributions.

Don’t Forget Our National Conference Call On Monday, April 4
Remember our monthly national conference call on Monday, April 4, at 1 p.m. EST. Remember, there is a new number for this important call: 1 (888) 456-0013. Ask for the National Head Start call. On the call we will talk briefly with you about the upcoming hearing and the latest we have heard about Head Start reauthorization.