Title
Head Start Birth to Five Monthly Report - March 2024
Description
This report provides the Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee, which serves as the City of Phoenix Head Start Birth to Five Governing Board, with an updated summary of the Head Start Birth to Five Program's financial and programmatic status.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
Report
Summary
The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 requires each Head Start Grantee to share monthly information with the Governing Board and Policy Council on program planning, policies and operations. In compliance with the Act, the Head Start program provides a monthly report on the following areas:
- Fiscal expenditures;
- Enrollment reports;
- School attendance;
- Medical/dental exams; and
- Program information summaries.
Fiscal Expenditures
Attachment A shows year-to-date expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2023-24. The report includes a breakdown of each Education Service Provider, Child Care Partnership, Policy Council and the administrative support budget.
Enrollment Reports
The Office of Head Start requires programs to report the total number of children enrolled on the last day of each month. At the end of March, total program enrollment was 2,175 out of 3,451 available slots.
At the end of March, the Education Service Providers enrollment was 1,928 slots filled out of 2,963.
Early Head Start ended the month of March with 247 slots filled out of 488. The Home-Based program, which provides year-round, in-person home visitation, filled 91 slots out of 300. The Child Care Partnership program provides full-day, year-round services and has 150 slots filled out of 188. The Child Care Partners can serve up to 38 more children. However, Cactus Kids Preschool has yet to be able to fill teacher vacancies, leaving eight classrooms without children. While infant rooms are available, vacancies remain due to a lack of available classroom space for two-year-olds on the wait list.
In March, the Head Start Birth to Five Program reached 98.2 percent enrollment based on the requested slot conversion. March was the final month to achieve full enrollment to meet the requirements of the Full Enrollment Initiative. To be released from the Full Enrollment Initiative, enrollment must remain above 97 percent for the next six month, which is considered fully enrolled. Staff continues to work with Office of Head Start representatives and contracted technical assistance consultants to ensure full compliance. Approval for of the proposed slot conversion by Office of Head Start is still pending.
School Attendance
The annual target for attendance set by the Office of Head Start is 85 percent. Attachment B indicates the year-to-date average attendance through the end of March. Head Start Preschool was 55 percent, and the Child Care Partnership program was 62 percent. Under-enrollment impacts attendance, as it is calculated on funded enrollment, not actual enrollment.
Chronic Absenteeism
The Head Start Birth to Five Program has been working diligently to reduce chronic absenteeism, which is defined as a child missing two or more days of school per month. To ensure children returned to school after Spring Break, each child received a postcard the day before the break, reminding parents to read to their children and to return to school in one week. Each child who returned the first day after the break received a book to add to their home library. This approach worked well as only eight did not return, compared to more than 12 last year.
Medical/Dental Exams
Head Start regulations require all children to have medical and dental exams annually. At the end of March, 2,324 medical and 2,220 dental exams were completed, totaling 4,544 exams, as illustrated in Attachment C.
Program Information Summaries
Please see Attachment D.
Locations
Alhambra Elementary School District, 4510 N. 37 Ave., 85019
Cartwright Elementary School District, 5220 W. Indian School Road, 85031
Deer Valley Unified School District, 20402 N. 15 Ave., 85027
Fowler Elementary School District, 1617 S. 67 Ave., 85043
Isaac School District, 3348 W. McDowell Road, 85009
Laveen Elementary School District, 5601 W. Dobbins Road, 85339
Murphy Elementary School District, 3140 W. Buckeye Road, 85009
Pendergast Elementary School District, 3802 N. 91 Ave., 85037
Phoenix Elementary School District, 1817 N. 7 St., 85006
Riverside Elementary School District, 1414 S. 51 Ave., 85043
Roosevelt Elementary School District, 6000 S. 7 St., 85042
Washington Elementary School District, 4650 W. Sweetwater Ave., 85304
Wilson Elementary School District, 3025 E. Fillmore St., 85008
Council Districts: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Human Services Department.