Title
Head Start Birth to Five Monthly Report - January 2023
Description
This report provides the Community and Cultural Investment 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 2022-23. The reports include a breakdown of each Education Service Provider, Child Care Partnership, the Policy Council and the administrative support budget. The current year's expenditures align with the approved 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 January, overall enrollment was 2,433 out of 3,451 available slots.
At the end of January, the Education Service Providers' enrollment was 2,146 slots filled out of 2,963 available slots. Instructional staff shortages and pending classroom licensure continue to impact enrollment. All Education Service Providers remain under-enrolled.
The Early Head Start Home-Based program provides year-round, in-person home visitation. At the end of January, 149 slots out of 300 were filled. Some vacancies are due to children turning three and no longer eligible for the program. Many children transition to a Head Start preschool or a school district preschool program. Other vacancies are due to home visitor staffing shortages with 15 out of 28 positions still vacant.
The Early Head Start-Child Care Partners program provides full-day, year-round in-person childcare. At the end of January, 138 slots out of 188 were filled. Some vacancies are due to children turning three and thus no longer being eligible for the program. Many children transition to a Head Start preschool, a school district preschool program, or move to a three-year-old classroom in the childcare center. Other vacancies are due to instructional staff shortages. All three Child Care Partners are experiencing under-enrollment.
Staff recruitment to increase enrollment continues through social media messaging, community events, bus shelter posters and digital messaging in two Ranch Market locations. Education Service Providers and Child Care Partners continue to recruit instructional staff through social media, job search websites and collaboration with colleges. The Early Head Start Home-Based program is working with the City's Human Resources Department to recruit highly qualified home visitors including offering hiring, retention and referral incentives and hosting a Caseworker hiring event in February.
School Attendance
The annual target for attendance set by the Office of Head Start is 85 percent. Attachment B indicates year-to-date average attendance through the end of January is 57 percent for the preschool program. The Child Care Partnership's year-to-date average is 52 percent at the end of January. The low percentage is partially due to instructional staff shortages and awaiting preschool classroom licensure.
Medical/Dental Exams
Head Start regulations require all children have medical and dental exams annually. At the end of January, 2,375 medical and 2,264 dental exams were completed, totaling 4,639 exams, as illustrated in Attachment C.
Program Information Summaries
Please see Attachment D.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Human Services Department.