National Head Start Association

NHSA UPDATE

 

Week of March 1, 2010

Dear Friends:

Please read this email and share it with others in your network. It contains an NHSA Update, Administration News, a Legislative Update, some Additional Resources, and a Call to Action.

 

 

NHSA UPDATE

 

NHSA's 37^th Annual Head Start Conference: Reaching Higher

Don't miss out! NHSA is now registering participants for its 37^th Annual Head Start Conference, Reaching Higher. The conference is specifically designed for the Head Start and early education and care community. It is scheduled for Dallas, Texas on May 3 - May 8, 2010. This year, there will be over 200 education sessions designed to address key topics and common challenges for programs, panel discussions on hot topics, and a host of meetings, giving you a chance to brainstorm and network.  A series of excellent pre-conference Special Tracks to help your programs meet your training needs are also available for additional fees. For more information and to register, please visit the event website.

 

NHSA January 2010 Leadership Institute Follow Up

As all of you know who attended NHSA's recent Leadership Institute, it was another smashing success. For those of you who were unable to join us, please click here to download some sample materials and receive some highlights of the week's events.

 

Reminder: NHSA 2010 Policy Agenda

If you haven't seen our new 2010 Policy Agenda--our roadmap for educating policymakers and advocating for policy changes--check it out! It tells what we are focusing on this year and what we care about. 

• The Agenda lists the specific Federal legislation and regulations that the Head Start community has identified as needing changes to strengthen and better support Head Start, Early Head Start, and the Migrant/Seasonal Head Start and American Indian/Alaskan Native Head Start programs.
   
• To download a copy, please click here.

  

Head Start Impact Study

As you are all aware, the Head Start Impact Study was released last month by the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services.

• Importantly, its findings demonstrate that Head Start programs are of good or better quality than their counterparts. It finds favorable cognitive, socio-emotional, and health impacts for children who attended Head Start and positive impacts on parenting practices.
   
• Although the study suggests that many of the gains made in Head Start prior to kindergarten might be lost by first grade, NHSA looks forward to continuing its work with the Head Start community to further improve and strengthen the lasting benefits of Head Start and Early Head Start for its children and their families.
   
• For more information on the Head Start Impact Study, please visit this website.
   
• See what NHSA has to say about the Impact Study, read what other organizations are also saying, and get all of the facts. To do so, please follow this link.

 

 

ADMINISTRATION NEWS

 

New Program Instruction (PI) on FY 2010 Funding Released

On February 17, 2010, the Administration for Children and Families ("ACF") just published a new Program Instruction (PI) entitled Head Start Funding Increase (ACF-PI-HS-10-01). It explains how the $122 million increase that Head Start programs received in the annual FY 2010 appropriation are to be used:

• Importantly, the PI states that "The $122 million funding increase will be used to make the 1.84 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase provided to grantees in FY 2009 with ARRA funds part of the permanent base funding for your FY 2010 Head Start and Early Head Start grant." (Emphasis added).
   
• It goes on to say that, "The ARRA grants issued in either June or July 2009 provided funds for the 1.84 percent increase in FY 2009, and these funds are available to cover the salaries and fringe benefit increases for the ensuing 12-month period. Thus, many grantees will receive supplemental funds in FY 2010 to cover the period between the end of the ARRA grant and your next continuation grant. Those grantees with budget period start dates that begin subsequent to the end of the ARRA grant will receive the increase with the FY 2010 continuation grant." (Emphasis added).
   
• Grantees will be notified by their regional offices what amounts are available (1.84% of the amount of base funding committed to your program as of October 1, 2008. Base funding excludes training and technical assistance funds, any other ARRA funds, and any one-time funding grants). Grantees will need to apply for these FY 2010 COLA funds on the SF-424.
   
• For further guidance on this and more information, please click here:

 

Proposed FY 2011 Head Start Funding Explained

As we've previously explained, the President released his proposed budget for FY 2011. NHSA's own Ben Allen, Director of Public Policy and Research, has determined what this would mean for Head Start and our program's funding formula:

• The Obama Administration's Fiscal Year 2011 funding proposal would increase Head Start and Early Head Start regular appropriations funding by $989 million (from $7.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2010 to $8.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2011).
   
• Of $8.2 billion, about $8 billion would fund discretionary programmatic spending, $196 million would pay for training and technical assistance, $20 million would cover research and evaluation, and $42 million would pay for program support/monitoring.

Of the $8 billion in discretionary programmatic spending:

•  $7.7 billion would maintain the prior year's base grants so that Head Start and Early Head Start programs can continue to serve the 64,000 additional Head Start and Early Head Start children supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
   
• $153 million would provide a 2 percent cost-of living adjustment for Head Start teachers and staff to offset inflationary costs. 
    
• $10 million would fund Seasonal/Migrant Head Start expansion to serve 1,250 additional children. 
    
• $10 million would fund American Indian/Alaskan Native Head Start expansion to serve 1,250 additional children.
   
• $118 million would provide quality improvement funds to those Head Start and Early Head Start grantees that received American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds prior to ARRA expansion.

 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

 

Congressional Retirements for 2010

With midterm elections approaching this November, it is no surprise that there have been several announcements from Senators and Representatives who are not seeking reelection for the coming term. At his point, there are 33 Representatives retiring from the House and 11 lawmakers vacating Senate seats. Of note, well-known Republican Senators George Voinovich (R-OH), who is currently in his second term of service and will be 74 this year, and Kit Bond (R-MI), who has spent the last three decades in public office, will be vacating their seats come January 3, 2011. The Democrats have senior members stepping down as well, including five-term incumbent and former Presidential candidate, Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn), and two-term incumbent and former Indiana Governor, Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN).

Retirements in Congress are nothing new, especially in midterm elections. Nonetheless, the seats that will be vacated are leaving many wondering which party will end up in the majority and what that will mean for upcoming legislation prospects.

 

Senator Scott Brown Sworn In

As we previously mentioned, in January Scott Brown won a special election in Massachusetts. Senator Brown was sworn in at the beginning of the month by Vice President Biden, becoming the 41^st Republican member of the Senate.

 

 This was a significant election, because although Democrats will retain a majority in the Senate, they lost their 60-seat filibuster-proof margin. This should have an effect on the process for moving legislation going forward.

 

 

CALL TO ACTION

 

First, to the White House...
 

Thank the President for including Head Start funding in his FY 2011 budget at a level that will ensure that the children and families we are currently serving will continue to receive the high quality services that Head Start and Early Head Start provide. Email the President at this website.

 

Then, to Congress...
 

Join NHSA and other early childhood education and care advocates as we March Forth for Child Care and Head Start by contacting our Senators and Representative on March 4^th, 2010. We need to let them know:

• We are very pleased with the $989 million increase for Head Start and Early Head Start in the President's proposed FY 2011 budget because it will enable programs across the country to continue serving the at-risk children and families we currently serve. 
   
• We also support $800 million increase for child care.

 

NHSA is working with the National Women's Law Center and other early childhood education and care groups to make sure this national call-in day occurs. Thanks to AFSCME, all participating organizations will have access to a toll-free number (1-888-460-0813) that their members and supporters can use to contact Congress on March 4.  So tell your friends, tell your family. And be sure to call Congress on Thursday March 4^th, 2010 through the toll-free number at: 1-888-460-0813 and ask to speak to your Representative and Senators about this issue. For additional information, please check out the March Forth Resources Page.

 

We need to make sure Congress and the Senate understand how important the President's budget is to us! Mark your calendars to call in. (And remember: don't use your federally funded resources to do so!)

 

Census

Be sure to participate and have everyone you know participate in the census. 

 

Thanks to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, here are some useful materials as you lead a campaign to make sure that the least counted segment of the population - children between birth and five get their chance. Why is this important?

 

Being counted in the 2010 census is important to the future of every baby and preschooler. Information gathered in the census is used to help distribute more than $400 billion every year in federal funding, and much of that money goes to programs that help children and their families. Every child who is counted helps deliver more than $14,000 in federal funding on average to the community on average over 10 years. State and local governments also use census figures to make decisions about where to build schools, child care centers, and health clinics.

 

The 2010 Census Is Important for Young Children and the People Who Love Them (PDF)

How to Count Kids 0-5 in the Census (PDF)

Talking Points for Children and the Census (PDF)

More about the campaign

 

RESOURCES FOR YOU

 

New Child Dental Health Study

With support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the DentaQuest Foundation, the Pew Center on the States just published a report titled, The Cost of Delay, State Dental Policies Fail One in Five Children. This report finds that a majority of states are failing to provide children with access to dental care. This report should be of great interest to state policymakers and Head Start practitioners.

 

Head Start Legal Advisory Service Webinar: Recovery Act Redux

When Congress passed the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 ("ARRA") to stimulate the economy, it imposed copious new reporting requirements on recipients of ARRA funds.  All Head Start programs receiving ARRA COLA funds, Program Improvement funds, and/or Head Start or Early Head Start Expansion funds under ARRA have new data to report quarterly.  Then, at the close of 2009, jobs reporting methodology from the use of Recovery Act funds came under intense public scrutiny.  In response, ACF issued critical new supplemental guidance.  Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") issued revised guidance on Recovery Act reporting at the end of 2009.   Join Ted Waters on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 3 pm eastern time to untangle the various report guidance and learn:

• What reporting requirements are for both grantees and delegates; 
• Deadlines for reporting;  
• Consequences of reporting mistakes;
• Tips to ensure compliance;  
• Details of Recovery Act reporting guidance to date, including the important ACF guidance that may change your job counts; and
• We'll also include the correct reporting codes you'll need for your Head Start ARRA reporting.

To learn about NHSA member discount pricing for both this webinar and the one below and to sign up today, please go to http://www.feldesmantucker.com/pages/?p=44 and click on "Read More/Register" under "Head Start Organizations."

 

Head Start Legal Advisory Service Webinar: Grants Fundamentals

Are you new to the Head Start or Early Head Start program?  Or, do you just need a refresher on some of the key concepts?  The basics are critically important and you need to understand them.  Join Ted Waters of the Legal Advisory Service on Thursday, March 11 at 3pm eastern time to review some key fundamentals and the legal framework for HS/EHS grants. We'll discuss:

• Where grants come from;
• What is a Financial Assistance Award ("FAA") and what did you agree to when you accepted it?;
• The interaction of your proposal and the resulting award;
• And more!

Don't miss out! Please click on the link above to register.

 

 

GIVE TO DOLLAR PER CHILD

 

Thanks to all of you who donated to the Dollar per Child Campaign ("DPC") so far this year. As you probably know, all the work that NHSA did on the ARRA and is doing on other current legislative efforts is paid for by Dollar Per Child funds. With a difficult budget situation in the coming years, the struggle to maintain the gains of ARRA will undoubtedly be even more arduous. That is why we need you to continue to support the Dollar Per Child Campaign and to get everyone in your program and your community to support DPC.

 

Without a robust source of funds, NHSA can't lead the way in our advocacy efforts that benefit all Head Start programs. It is through these dollars that we can advocate for you and with you on your behalf.

 

Don't wait!!! Please send your contributions, whatever amount you can afford, whether it is $1 per child, $5 per child, or $10 per child. You can even easily donate online on our new, improved website.

Dollar Per Child funds will ensure that NHSA can continue to lead the way in all of the future advocacy efforts coming up - from regulatory issues with the Office of Head Start, to additional fiscal year appropriations, to the next Head Start Act reauthorization, which is not far off. Remember, raise your hand! Use your words! Together we can make a difference.
 
Please know that NHSA continues to work for you and with you on your behalf on matters of importance to the Head Start community.

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© National Head Start Association, 2010. All rights reserved.

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