Tag Archives: Governance

Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships Baseline Assessment Tools

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6/30/2015

The purpose of the baseline is to understand the grantees and partners’ current capacity. Baseline information will be used to identify technical assistance needs or other supports. This includes additional start-up funding that may be needed to ensure grantees and partners are on track to meet Early Head Start requirements at 18 months. The baseline will gather information from the following areas: environmental health and safety; fiscal management systems; governance; program management systems including eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance (ERSEA); and comprehensive services.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, Office of Head Start

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/grants/monitoring/additional-resources.html

Best Practices in Data Governance and Management for Early Care and Education: Supporting Effective Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

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7/14/2014

Quality Rating and Improvement Systems QRIS currently serve as a centerpiece of many states’ early care and education ECE activities. However, QRIS can only strengthen ECE program quality if they are built on quality data. Intentional and rigorous data management and governance practices are essential for data gathered exclusively for the QRIS such as program observation scores as well as for external data accessed by the QRIS such as workforce registry data.  The purpose of this brief is to illustrate the need for and benefits of building strong ECE data governance structures and implementing system-wide data management policies and practices, using the example of QRIS. The brief first describes existing QRIS data systems and the common challenges to data coordination and integrity in these data systems. The brief then provides guidance on best practices related to data governance and the development of integrated data systems that can support QRIS implementation, monitoring and evaluation. As additional resources, the appendices include the interview protocol used with states, as well as specific state and local case studies and a glossary of terms related to coordinated data systems.

Source: Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families

Available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/resource/best-practices-in-data-governance-and-management-for-early-care-and-education-supporting-effective-quality-rating-and

Head Start Governing Body and Tribal Council Certification – Head Start

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5/14

This tool uses real-life scenarios to support new governing body and Tribal Council members, as well as Head Start directors and executive directors in:Learning about the history and mission of Head StartUnderstanding Head Start governance regulations, systems, and proceduresEmbracing their legal and fiscal responsibilities

Source: National Center for Program Management and Fiscal Opertations/Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/operations/center/certification

Improving Systems, Practices and Outcomes for Young Children with Disabilities and their Families

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The ECTA Center shared the current status of developing a system framework for Part C and Section 619 systems on December 6, 2013. The framework is being designed to support states in: analyzing the capacity of their current systems; build quality systems that support implementation of effective practices; and, ultimately, improve child and family outcomes.

Presentation File: Developing a Framework to Build High Quality Part C and Section 619 Systems
Handout: Introduction to the ECTA System Framework
Draft Components: Governance and Finance

Source: The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center

Available at: http://www.ectacenter.org/sysframe/

Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership Webinars http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/ehs-cc-partnerships-webinars

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Sign up for one of our webinars to learn more about the Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships and how states and communities can plan for this new grant opportunity.

Note: If a webinar title is not clickable, registration has not yet opened for that webinar.

Upcoming Webinars on Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships

  • March 14 1:30pm ET Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships: Getting Started. This session will provide an overview of Establishing Partnerships, Implementing Management Systems, Understanding Policies & Requirements, Facilitating Ongoing Communication, and Sustainability Planning.
  • March 19 1:00pm ET EHS-CC Partnership Examples: What Would Work In Your Community? This session will help you envision partnerships that lead to high quality, full day, full year programs that deliver comprehensive services to infants and toddlers in the unique context of your community.
  • March 20 12:30pm ET How State Policies Can Support Partnerships. This session will highlight areas of subsidy, including eligibility and continuity of care, that can support partnership efforts.
  • March 24 2:00pm ET Comprehensive Services Part I: Curriculum and Assessment. This session will highlight requirements around evidence-based curriculum, ongoing assessment, individualizing, teacher/child interactions, participating in QRIS along with other aspects.
  • March 25 2:00pm ET Comprehensive Services Part II: Health, Mental Health, Nutrition & Disabilities. This session will highlight expectations around health, mental health, nutrition and required services to children with disabilities. The role of child care health consultants will also be highlighted.
  • March 28 2:00pm ET Comprehensive Services Part III: Family/Community engagement. This session will highlight Early Head Start family engagement performance standards and intersections with state child care family engagement practices.
  • March 31 2:00pm ET Maximizing Resources in  Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships/Role of  Governance in Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships. This session will describe how applicants can make sound fiscal decisions and maximize resources when there is more than one source of funding.  In addition, the role of Governance will be explored.

Source: Administration for Children and Families

Available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/ehs-cc-partnerships-webinars

IM 13-02 Five Year Head Start Project Periods – Head Start

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7/1/2013

The Office of Head Start (OHS) is moving from indefinite project periods to five year project periods for all Head Start grantees. This requires changes in OHS funding practices and oversight of Head Start programs. Changes in oversight will include improved communication between federal staff and grantees, as well as ongoing analysis of data to determine the type of support needed by grantees. The main purpose of improved oversight is to demonstrate the quality of program services, the effectiveness of management systems, and the achievement of outcomes for children, families, and communities.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/standards/IMs/2013/resour_im_002_070113.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Content%20E-blast%20for%20July&utm_content=New%20Content%20E-blast%20for%20July+CID_30ee5ad9937c9730611342af4be147d8&utm_source=CM%20Eblast&utm_term=IM%2013-02%20Five-Year%20Head%20Start%20Project%20Periods

A Framework for Choosing a State-Level Early Childhood Governance System

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5/2013

In the United States, more than 60% of all children from birth to age five spend time in the care of someone other than their parents. And child development research, neuroscience, and program evaluation affirm the long-lasting effects that high-quality early childhood experiences have on individual and societal outcomes, including school readiness and persistence, economic vitality, workforce preparation, and mental health. Early education and care services for young children are provided by a wide range of programs with different designs and purposes, including the federal Head Start program; state child care programs that represent a mix of federal and state funds and requirements (and parent co-pays); and state-funded preschool programs. These essential funding streams are part of a larger array of programs that include special education, health and mental health services, home visiting, nutrition, and more. Building comprehensive early childhood systems focuses on these early care and education services and all the other programs and services necessary for healthy child development and learning including family support, early intervention, and child health and mental health. States increasingly have sought to develop new governance structures that align authority and oversight of early childhood programs and services.

A state-level system of early childhood programs and services for children from birth to age five can exist under several different governance models. Governance “refers
to how (often multiple) programs and entities are managed to promote efficiency, excellence, and equity. It compromises the traditions, institutions and processes that determine how power is exercised, how the constituents are given voice, and how decisions are made on issues of mutual concern.” An effective model of governance should create coherence among policies and services, but current systems of early childhood governance typically are fragmented. Careful and deliberate assessment of a state’s early childhood governance structure is an integral step in reducing fragmentation, uneven quality, and inequity in programs and services.

Source: The Build Initiative

Available at: http://www.buildinitiative.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Early%20Childhood%20Governance%20for%20Web.pdf