Head Start next year?

[Anonymous]

The worst case scenario is that Head Start awards DCPS with an extremely small amount of money. I highly doubt that Head Start wouldn’t give DCPS anything.

[Anonymous]

Do any charters apply for/receive Head Start grants in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any charters apply for/receive Head Start grants in DC.

DCPS has always been the sole recipient of the grant. This time is different because all of the money that DCPS should have received was put on recompete status by Head Start. The ireason this happened is because of all of the student safety issues that made DCPS noncompliant or deficient. No one knows how many others submitted grant applications in DC. The best case scenario is that DCPS will receive $5-$12 million.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the letter:


January 29, 2020
Dear DC Public Schools Families,
At DC Public Schools (DCPS), we are proud to offer free, high quality, full-day Pre-Kindergarten
education to 3- and 4-year-olds across all wards in the District. With funding from the federal Head Start
program, we have been able to enhance the Pre-K programs in our Title I schools by offering additional
supports and wraparound services that promote early learning, health, and family well-being.
I am reaching out today to provide you with an update regarding the status of DCPS' Head Start
funding for School Year 2020-2021 and beyond. Head Start grants typically last for a five-year funding
period, and DCPS is at the end of the current five-year grant cycle. Due to shifting demographics of our
schools that have resulted in fewer Head Start-eligible students coupled with challenges related to
student safety, DCPS has submitted a new application to receive Head Start funding for the 2020-2021
school year and beyond. Please be assured that regardless of funding status, the number of Pre-K
classrooms that DCPS offe rs will not be impacted.
With fewer Head Start-eligible students, it is important that we are transparent with our communities as
we anticipate changes to the grant award. As part of the re-application process, DCPS' Early Childhood
Education Division (ECED) has completed a comprehensive assessment and review of services and
schools to ensure that support services are available at schools with the highest need. The final
confirmation of Head Start funding will be available in summer 2020, and we will be able to share
additional information with any impacted schools at that time. For impacted schools, we expect some
grant-funded support staff and resources - including family services and instructional coaching - will
be reduced.
DCPS remains committed to providing high-quality early childhood education programs that we know
have a significant and lasting impact on a child's school readiness, achievement throughout their
education, and positive life outcomes.
Thank you for your continued support of DCPS' Early Learning.
Sincerely,
Melissa M. Kim, Ed.D
Deputy Chancellor
1200

This is the most logical thing ever. I do not understand why people are freaking out.

Head Start funds are for Title 1 schools. The Title 1 designation for Head Start purposes refers to the income levels in the ECE population. There are some schools that were Title 1 for ECE 5 years ago, that aren't any longer. They won't be getting the federal funds because they do not qualify under the federal guidelines.

It's pretty easy to predict the schools that will not lose this funding - and if you want to lottery for them, you are welcome to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any charters apply for/receive Head Start grants in DC.

DCPS has always been the sole recipient of the grant. This time is different because all of the money that DCPS should have received was put on recompete status by Head Start. The ireason this happened is because of all of the student safety issues that made DCPS noncompliant or deficient. No one knows how many others submitted grant applications in DC. The best case scenario is that DCPS will receive $5-$12 million.

So if the middle class families flocking to charters enrolled in their IB DCPS schools, this shift would probalby have happened sooner?

[Anonymous]

Everyone at the schools and Central Office are freaking out about this today. Schools should have know that Head Start wouldn’t last forever.

[Anonymous]

We are at a school that (I'm guessing from the less than clear letter we got) will have it's head start funding adjusted next year. This DCPS link discusses what head start funds are used to support: http://www.dcpsschoolbudgetguide.com/changes/ece.html.

My take is, if you UMC and taking advantage of PK, that's fine and what the current system envisions. But now we will have to increase the financial support we send to our PTAs. Because we will need to make up the head first funds that were going to go towards supplies. Unclear how/whether schools intent to replace the funding for instructional coaching and curriculum, which is invaluable.

This is disappointing, of course, because schools with bigger and wealthier parents will be better able to replace what is lost, and will have more support, which is unfair. I wish I thought DCPS, or the city, would find funding for to replace what is lost. Really, these programs are great and should be maintained.

[Anonymous]

The mayor's budget is in the final stages of development now, so if you want more local funds allocated to ECE to fill the gap, now is a good time to make some calls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way for parents to call Head Start and tell them how much they love and benefit from having Head Start at DCPS? That might help DCPS get the grant again.

What?
Head Start is FOR low income families. They don't GAF how much high-earning parents love the benefits!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at a school that (I'm guessing from the less than clear letter we got) will have it's head start funding adjusted next year. This DCPS link discusses what head start funds are used to support: http://www.dcpsschoolbudgetguide.com/changes/ece.html.

My take is, if you UMC and taking advantage of PK, that's fine and what the current system envisions. But now we will have to increase the financial support we send to our PTAs. Because we will need to make up the head first funds that were going to go towards supplies. Unclear how/whether schools intent to replace the funding for instructional coaching and curriculum, which is invaluable.

This is disappointing, of course, because schools with bigger and wealthier parents will be better able to replace what is lost, and will have more support, which is unfair. I wish I thought DCPS, or the city, would find funding for to replace what is lost. Really, these programs are great and should be maintained.

The better solution is for the Council and mayor and DCPS to make up the finding gap. Far easier and more fair to find $14 million in the city's coffers than to hit up parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way for parents to call Head Start and tell them how much they love and benefit from having Head Start at DCPS? That might help DCPS get the grant again.

What?
Head Start is FOR low income families. They don't GAF how much high-earning parents love the benefits!

THIS.

Head Start Mission Statement:

Head Start promotes the school readiness of young children from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Head Start History:

Head Start was founded as part of War on Poverty under the Economic Opportunity Act on 1964. Sargent Shriver led a panel of experts to develop a comprehensive child development program that would help communities meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool children. The result was Project Head Start. Since then, Head Start has grown from an eight-week demonstration project in 1965 to include full day and full year services and numerous program options. Head Start has served over 32 million children and their families in urban and rural areas in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way for parents to call Head Start and tell them how much they love and benefit from having Head Start at DCPS? That might help DCPS get the grant again.

What?
Head Start is FOR low income families. They don't GAF how much high-earning parents love the benefits!

AMEN. Some of you sound like my 3yo "but I WANT it!!"

I'm more curious about the safety issues being described though... THAT sounds like actual cause for concern.

Anonymous wrote:
January 29, 2020
Dear DC Public Schools Families,
At DC Public Schools (DCPS), we are proud to offer free, high quality, full-day Pre-Kindergarten
education to 3- and 4-year-olds across all wards in the District. With funding from the federal Head Start
program, we have been able to enhance the Pre-K programs in our Title I schools by offering additional
supports and wraparound services that promote early learning, health, and family well-being.
I am reaching out today to provide you with an update regarding the status of DCPS' Head Start
funding for School Year 2020-2021 and beyond. Head Start grants typically last for a five-year funding
period, and DCPS is at the end of the current five-year grant cycle. Due to shifting demographics of our
schools that have resulted in fewer Head Start-eligible students coupled with challenges related to
student safety, DCPS has submitted a new application to receive Head Start funding for the 2020-2021
school year and beyond. Please be assured that regardless of funding status, the number of Pre-K
classrooms that DCPS offe rs will not be impacted.
With fewer Head Start-eligible students, it is important that we are transparent with our communities as
we anticipate changes to the grant award. As part of the re-application process, DCPS' Early Childhood
Education Division (ECED) has completed a comprehensive assessment and review of services and
schools to ensure that support services are available at schools with the highest need. The final
confirmation of Head Start funding will be available in summer 2020, and we will be able to share
additional information with any impacted schools at that time. For impacted schools, we expect some
grant-funded support staff and resources - including family services and instructional coaching - will
be reduced.
DCPS remains committed to providing high-quality early childhood education programs that we know
have a significant and lasting impact on a child's school readiness, achievement throughout their
education, and positive life outcomes.
Thank you for your continued support of DCPS' Early Learning.
Sincerely,
Melissa M. Kim, Ed.D
Deputy Chancellor
1200

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at a school that (I'm guessing from the less than clear letter we got) will have it's head start funding adjusted next year. This DCPS link discusses what head start funds are used to support: http://www.dcpsschoolbudgetguide.com/changes/ece.html.

My take is, if you UMC and taking advantage of PK, that's fine and what the current system envisions. But now we will have to increase the financial support we send to our PTAs. Because we will need to make up the head first funds that were going to go towards supplies. Unclear how/whether schools intent to replace the funding for instructional coaching and curriculum, which is invaluable.

This is disappointing, of course, because schools with bigger and wealthier parents will be better able to replace what is lost, and will have more support, which is unfair. I wish I thought DCPS, or the city, would find funding for to replace what is lost. Really, these programs are great and should be maintained.

The better solution is for the Council and mayor and DCPS to make up the finding gap. Far easier and more fair to find $14 million in the city's coffers than to hit up parents.

Oh, I totally agree. Just, not holding my breath... But I am looking into where to direct my "concerned parent" call for whatever that may be worth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at a school that (I'm guessing from the less than clear letter we got) will have it's head start funding adjusted next year. This DCPS link discusses what head start funds are used to support: http://www.dcpsschoolbudgetguide.com/changes/ece.html.

My take is, if you UMC and taking advantage of PK, that's fine and what the current system envisions. But now we will have to increase the financial support we send to our PTAs. Because we will need to make up the head first funds that were going to go towards supplies. Unclear how/whether schools intent to replace the funding for instructional coaching and curriculum, which is invaluable.

This is disappointing, of course, because schools with bigger and wealthier parents will be better able to replace what is lost, and will have more support, which is unfair. I wish I thought DCPS, or the city, would find funding for to replace what is lost. Really, these programs are great and should be maintained.

The better solution is for the Council and mayor and DCPS to make up the finding gap. Far easier and more fair to find $14 million in the city's coffers than to hit up parents.

Oh, I totally agree. Just, not holding my breath... But I am looking into where to direct my "concerned parent" call for whatever that may be worth.

Deputy Mayor for Education office line: [phone]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at a school that (I'm guessing from the less than clear letter we got) will have it's head start funding adjusted next year. This DCPS link discusses what head start funds are used to support: http://www.dcpsschoolbudgetguide.com/changes/ece.html.

My take is, if you UMC and taking advantage of PK, that's fine and what the current system envisions. But now we will have to increase the financial support we send to our PTAs. Because we will need to make up the head first funds that were going to go towards supplies. Unclear how/whether schools intent to replace the funding for instructional coaching and curriculum, which is invaluable.

This is disappointing, of course, because schools with bigger and wealthier parents will be better able to replace what is lost, and will have more support, which is unfair. I wish I thought DCPS, or the city, would find funding for to replace what is lost. Really, these programs are great and should be maintained.

The better solution is for the Council and mayor and DCPS to make up the finding gap. Far easier and more fair to find $14 million in the city's coffers than to hit up parents.

Oh, I totally agree. Just, not holding my breath... But I am looking into where to direct my "concerned parent" call for whatever that may be worth.

Deputy Mayor for Education office line: [phone]

Thank you and done.