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School District of Philadelphia Office of Early Childhood Education Prekindergarten Head Start. 2013-2014 Restructuring Plan SRC Presentation March 21, 2013. Office of Early Childhood Mission.
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School District of Philadelphia Office of Early Childhood EducationPrekindergarten Head Start 2013-2014 Restructuring Plan SRC Presentation March 21, 2013
Office of Early Childhood Mission • Provide high quality, comprehensive, developmentally appropriate programs and services for children from birth to age six • Ensure that every child in Philadelphia is safe, healthy, and arrives to school ready to learn and succeed
Head Start Challenges • Costs to administer in District have risen annually (22% since FY08) • Contractual obligations result in annual compensation increases that exceed any annual increase in grant funds • increased cost of District retirement benefits • indirect costs attributed to program budgets, compliance, and administration • Actual grant revenue has remained level (incremental increases in federal funding and incremental decreases in state funding) • Federal Title I funds are decreasing • Budgeted revenue from Title I increased 173% from FY08 to FY13 • Title I funding comprises 26% of budgeted Head Start revenue • District Title 1 funding is decreasing substantially in FY14
Head Start Funding Sources FY13 • Federal Head Start Grant: $38,791,271 to serve 4,896 children • Head Start State Supplemental Grant: $11,773,768 to serve 1,286 children • District Title I Federal Funding: $17,892,127 to supplement implementation cost
Cost Per Child 2013/2014 • The cost to serve a child at a partner’s site is substantially lower than the cost to serve a child in a District-run classroom. Proposed Average Per Child Cost for FY14
Impact if No Additional Partner Slots Added in FY14 • Head Start currently serves 6182 students: 4,352 in District and 1,830 partner programs • If District and partner ratio was maintained at the projected reduced funding levels, 500 fewer students would be served • This service reduction would be a tremendous loss to the children, families and communities in the City of Philadelphia • Reducing number of slots could jeopardize Federal Head Start grant
Opportunities To Improve Quality PreK Access • Maintain and increase number of slots by providing service through partners • Improve access across all geographic areas by partnering with agencies in underserved areas • Increase the number of slots at partner’s centers that offer before and after care (beyond the Head Start program hours) and have care available during the summer. • Increase the number of slots at partner’s centers that offer culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
Head Start Restructuring 2013-2014 • The Office of Early Childhood Education developed a plan to restructure the Prekindergarten Head Start program to address immediate and long-term funding challenges while maintaining high-quality Prekindergarten programs • The Office of Early Childhood Education will shift slots from: • Programs in school buildings closed or impacted by Facilities Master Plan • Closing programs in leased facilities, for additional cost savings • Moving programs from other non-District facilities (i.e., Renaissance Charters) • The restructuring will include greater usage of high-quality, community-based partner agencies to provide a larger proportion of the Head Start program • Approximately 60% of the Prekindergarten Head Start program will be delivered through Keystone Star Level 3 or bettercommunity partners in 2013-2014
Maintaining Quality Through Partner Selection Process • Seeking additional high-quality partners through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to further increase the number of slots at community based partners • Issued Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify partners to provide services in District-owned early childhood centers
Maintaining Quality through Partner Selection Process • Keystone Star Level 3 or better • State monitored quality rating system • Star rating scale: Star Levels 1-4 • All teachers must meet the qualifications outlined in the Head Start Act 2007: • Teachers must have a BA in Early Childhood Education or other related field • Teacher assistants must have a Child Development Associate • Each site must undergo a quality assurance site visit which includes a classroom observation, health and safety assessment, and an internal systems check
Partner Support and Oversight • The Office of Early Childhood Education will provide oversight and support to partners through teams • Professional development • Field Administrator/Education Coordinator • Instructional Specialist • Special Needs Coordinator • Social Worker • Nutrition Field Representative • Nurse
Stakeholder Communication • Parents • Partner Agencies • Office of Head Start (Region III) • Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) • Head Start Policy Council • City Council • Foundations • Universities • School Reform Commission • School District Leadership and Staff • Mayor’s Early Learning Advisory Council (MELAC): • Office of Health and Opportunity, Department of Public Welfare, Department of Licenses & Inspections, Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth, Public Health Management Corporation, Department of Behavioral Health, Delaware Valley Assn for the Education of Young Children, United Way, and YMCA
Restructuring Timeline • Request For Qualifications (RFQ) • Evaluate and identify qualified partners - April 15, 2013 • Finalize allotment to new partners – May 1, 2013 • Request For Proposals (RFP) • Bidder’s Conference- March 27, 2013 • Closes April 12, 2013 • Evaluate and identify qualified partners – April 26, 2013 • Finalize allotment to partners – May 13, 2013 • Finalize 2013-14 PreK locations – May 28, 2013 • Parent Notification for location selection- May 28, 2013