Section I – Comprehensive Resources for Consultant Toolkit

A. – Federal Regulations

Head Start Program Performance Standards and Other Regulations

1301 – Head Start Grants Administration

1302 – Policies and Procedures for Selection, Initial Funding, and Refunding of Head Start Grantees, and for Selection of Replacement Grantees

1303 – Appeal Procedures for Head Start Grantees and Current or Prospective Delegate Agencies

1304 – Program Performance Standards for the Operation of Head Start Programs by Grantee and Delegate Agencies

1305 – Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance in Head Start

1306 – Head Start Staff Requirements and Program Options

1308 – Head Start Program Performance Standards on Services for Children with Disabilities

1309 – Head Start Facilities Purchase

1310 – Head Start Transportation

1311 – Head Start Fellows Program

*1307 Reserved for further use

Federal Legislation

Facilities – The Davis Bacon Act and Head Start

HHS Code of Federal Regulations, Title 45, Part 84: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs and Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance

Labor – Fair Labor Standards

Head Start Act

Summary of Changes to "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007" ACF-IM-HS-08-01 

B. – Financial Management

OMB Circular A-102: Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments

OMB Circular A - 133: Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations

OMB Circular A - 133 (Compliance Supplement): Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations Head Start is pages 108-112 or 4-93.600-1 to 4-93.600-5)

HHS Code of Federal Regulations, Title 45, Part 74: Uniform Administrative Requirements for Nonprofit Organizations

HHS Code of Federal Regulations, Title 45, Part 92: Uniform Administrative Requirements for State, Local, Tribal Government/Organizations

Cost Principles for Educational Institutions; State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments; and Non-Profit Organizations. Amendments to cost principles in OMB Circulars A-21, A-87 and A-122.

C. – Information Memoranda (IMs) and Program Instructions(PIs) of Importance

Information Memoranda - Each Information Memorandum (IM) is a targeted communication from the Office of Head Start.

Program Instructions (PIs) - Each Program Instruction (PI) is a program requirement for Head Start grantees and delegate agencies.

D. – Electronic Resources

Grant Application Budget Instrument (GABI)

Government Guidance for Grants and Agreements: Federal Agency Regulations for Grants and Agreements

Grants.gov

Head Start State Collaboration Offices

E. – Additional Documents

Head Start Center Design Guide: A Guide for Building a Head Start Facility

Head Start Program Fact Sheets

Head Start Leaders Guide to Positive Child Outcomes

Head Start Path to Positive Child Outcomes

Head Start Self-Assessment: Your Foundation for Building Program Excellence

PIR Guidance and Instruction

** For a larger list of relevant Web links, please see Part Three, Section III, the Mega Webliography for Head Start Programs/Consultants.

Section II – Annotated List of Resources

A. Program Services Resources The following services are provided to the Head Start community through different government contractors.

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) – A portal designed to promote the widest dissemination of, and access to, Head Start information and knowledge. http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc

Early Head Start National Resource Center – (EHS NRC) provides state-of-the-art information, materials and technical assistance and enhances the work of the Infant/Family Network. http://www.ehsnrc.org/

Good Start Grow Smart – A Presidential early childhood initiative Good Start, Grow Smart to help states and local communities strengthen early learning for young children. This will ensure that young children are equipped with the skills they will need to start school ready to learn. http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/earlychildhood/earlychildhood.html

Head Start 101 Toolkit – With this leadership training activity program, participants gain an understanding of how Head Start has evolved over time and the ways in which the program's core values are reflected in its services. Program administration and funding are addressed also. http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/resources/ECLKC_Bookstore/PDFs/HeadStart101.PDF

Head Start Fiscal Assistant – (HSFA) Head Start Fiscal Assistant is a very large database of all the statutes, regulations, and policies related to fiscal management of Head Start grants. Using this online tool, users can quickly locate, sort through, and appropriately interpret and apply large amounts of information related to Head Start grants administration and management. http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Program%20Design%20and%20Management/Fiscal/Fiscal%20Assistant

Head Start National Facilities Assistance Desk – Provides guidance for constructing and/or renovating a facility to meet Head Start program needs and standards. http://www.hsnrc.org/Facilities

The Office of Head Start Resource Center (HSRC) is a national center that supports the Office of Head Start (OHS) and Head Start children and families. The HSRC enhances the functioning and effectiveness of the OHS, the Technical and Technical Assistance (TTA) Network, and other grantee networks through their support services. Our mission is to help design, implement, and coordinate program activity, improve program operations and performance, and support the Office of Head Start. http://www.hsnrc.org

Program Information Report – (PIR) Part of the grantees annual report, PIR is the source of the data used for reports to Congress and forms the basis of responses to public and congressional inquiries about the operation of the program. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/programs/pir/

Head Start Monitoring Reviews assess the performance, compliance, and accomplishments of local Head Start and Early Head Start programs in meeting statutory and regulatory requirements. At least once every three years, each Head Start and Early Head Start program receives a comprehensive review by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). These reviews play a vital role in assuring that Head Start programs are providing high quality services. /hslc/Program%20Design%20and%20Management/Head%20Start%20Requirements/FY%202008%20OHS%20Monitoring%20Protocol

B. Head Start – Research and Statistics

The following sites will help the users navigate through several of the studies, reports and committees that research Head Start.

ACF Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE): Home Page – In collaboration with ACF program offices and others, OPRE is responsible for performance management for ACF, conducts research and policy analyses, and develops and oversees research and evaluation projects to assess program performance and inform policy and practice. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/index.html

ACF OPRE: Early Head Start Research – Below, find a listing of research projects and ACF performance plans and reports. Select a project title to go to a profile outlining the project's content.

Early Head Start Program Performance Measures, 2001-2003
Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (EHSRE), 1996-2005
Early Promotion and Intervention Research Consortium (E-PIRC), 2002-2006
Infant Mental Health, 2000-2001
Survey of Early Head Start Programs, 2003-2008

ACF OPRE: Head Start Research – Find a listing of research projects and ACF performance plans and reports. Select a project title to go to a profile outlining the project's content. The content is broken down into five main sections: Overview, Reports, Papers and Presentations, Instruments, and Related Resources. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/project/projectIndex.jsp#hs

ACF OPRE: Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) – FACES provides longitudinal information on a periodic basis on the characteristics, experiences, and outcomes for children and families served by Head Start. FACES also observes the relationship among family and program characteristics and outcomes. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/faces_overview.html

ACF OPRE: Head Start Child Outcomes Research Support Consortium (CORS) – The Office of Head Start and the ACF Child Outcomes Research and Evaluation unit in the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation awarded five cooperative agreements in September 2002 under the Head Start Child Outcomes Research Support (CORS) Consortium to promote the school readiness of preschool children in Head Start. These grants fund partnerships between academic researchers and Head Start programs, designed to model use of child outcomes to improve local programs by implementing interventions and targeting specific aspects of the Head Start program to child outcomes. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/coutcomes_cors/cors_overview.html

ACF OPRE: Head Start Quality Research Centers Consortium (QRC) –The Office of Head Start and the ACYF Commissioner's Office of Research and Evaluation awarded eight cooperative agreements under the Head Start Quality Research Center (QRC) Consortium to promote the school readiness of preschool children in Head Start. These five-year grants will fund partnerships between academic researchers and Head Start programs designed to improve child outcomes in the areas of literacy, social-emotional development, and other domains of school readiness, through enhancements to curriculum, teacher training and mentoring, parent involvement and assessment practices. Research teams will implement and evaluate their interventions with Head Start program partners in an initial site, then replicate the successful interventions to additional sites. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/qrc_one/qrc_one_overview.html

ACF OPRE: Head Start Impact Study – The Head Start Impact Study has two primary goals. The first is to determine on a national basis how Head Start affects the school readiness of children participating in the program as compared to children not enrolled in Head Start. Does Head Start improve children's cognitive development, general knowledge, approaches to learning, social and emotional development, communication skills, fine and gross motor skills, and physical well-being? In addition, how does Head Start affect the lives of the families of children enrolled in the program? http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/impact_study/imptstudy_overview.html#overview

Annotated Bibliography of Head Start Research: 1985-Present – The bibliography is an ongoing effort to disseminate Head Start and Early Head Start research. The searchable database includes abstracts of quantitative and qualitative research from 1965 to 2005, as well as literature reviews and descriptive studies pertaining to Head Start and Early Head Start. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb2/biblio/index.jsp

Office of Head Start: Research and Statistics – The Research and Statistics section is geared toward researchers and practitioners seeking information on numerous research activities supported by the Office of Head Start and other agencies studying the comprehensive child development services provided by Head Start. This section contains information on ongoing research, publications and reports, research resources, and research conferences and events, as well as online access to Head Start statistical fact sheets. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/research/index.html

C. Subject Area Specific Core Head Start Resources

Following links provide access to Head Start publications that can be very useful to access subject area specific resources.

Head Start Bulletin – Thematic publications, issued periodically, focus on particular Head Start programs and/or program initiatives.

Head Start Training Guides – See a detailed summary of each training guide and note which guides are currently available for Head Start programs.

D. Books of Interest

The titles listed below were suggested by experts in the field and are known to be popular sellers in stores. Please go to http://www.hsnrc.org for additional book lists from previous Head Start conference book sales.

Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Approach To Building Cooperative Capacity. Frank Barrett and Ronald Fry. 2005. ISBN – 077802163X $19.95

The Concise Guide to Becoming an Independent Consultant. Herman Holtz. 1999. ISBN – 0471315737 $24.95

Eighty Exemplary Ethics Statements. Patrick Murphy (editor). 1997. ISBN – 0268009392 $22.00

Field Guide To Consulting and Organizational Development with Nonprofits: A Collaborative and Systems Approach to Performance, Change and Learning. Carter McNamara. 2005. ISBN – 1933719001 $58.00

Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used. Peter Block. 1999. ISBN – 0787948039 $47.00

The Flawless Consulting Fieldbook and Companion: A Guide to Understanding Your Expertise. 2000. ISBN – 0787948047 $45.00

Getting Started in Consulting (2nd edition). Alan Weiss. 2003. ISBN – 0471479691 $19.95

Global Codes of Conduct: An Idea Whose Time Has Come. Oliver F. Williams (editor). 2000. ISBN – 0268010404 $27.00

The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change. Diana Whitney, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, David Cooperrider. 2003. ISBN – 1576752267 $27.95 Process Consultation: Its Role in Organization Development (2nd edition). Edgar H. Schein. 1988. ISBN – 0201067366 $41.80

Process Consultation: Lessons for Managers and Consultants, Volume 2. Edgar H. Schein. 1987. ISBN – 0201067447 $38.60

Process Consultation Revisited: Building the Helping Relationship (Addison-Wesley Series on Organization Development). Edgar H. Schein. 1998. ISBN – 020134596X $44.60 Process Consulting: How To Launch, Implement, and Conclude Successful Consulting Projects. Alan Weiss. 2002. ISBN – 0787955124 $45.00 Reflective Supervision in Practice: Stories from the Field. Rebecca Parlakian. 2002. ISBN – 094365798 $15.00

Supervision That Improves Teaching Strategies and Techniques (2nd edition). Susan Sullivan and Jeffrey Glanz. 2004. ISBN – 0761939695 $32.95

Nonprofits’ Guide to the Power of Appreciative Inquiry. Carolyn J. Miller, and Christina R Aguilar. 2004. ISBN 0-9761843-0-3 $15.00

Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry (2nd edition). Sue Annis Hammond. 1998. ISBN – 0966537319 $7.95

Section III – Mega Webliography

Office of Head Start (OHS) Home Page http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/

Office of Head Start: About Head Start http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/about/index.html#mission

Office of Head Start: Budget and Policy http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/policy/index.html 

B. Head Start – Program Services Resources

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc

Early Head Start National Resource Center (EHS NRC)  http://www.ehsnrc.org  

Head Start 101 Toolkit http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/resources/ECLKC_Bookstore/PDFs/HeadStart101.PDF

Head Start Facilities Assistance Desk http://www.hsnrc.org/facilities

Head Start Fiscal Assistant http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Program%20Design%20and%20Management/Fiscal/Fiscal%20Assistant

Office of Head Start Resource Center (HSRC) http://www.hsnrc.org

Program Information Report http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/programs/pir/

Head Start Monitoring Systemof Head Start and Early Head Start Grantees http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Program%20Design%20and%20Management/Head%20Start%20Requirements/FY%202008%20OHS%20Monitoring%20Protocol

C. Head Start Partnerships

Free To Grow http://www.freetogrow.org/

National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC) http://nccic.org /

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers & Families http://www.zerotothree.org/

D. Head Start Research and Statistics

ACF Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation (OPRE) Home Page http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/

ACF OPRE: Head Start Research http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/project/projectIndex.jsp#hs

ACF OPRE: Early Head Start Research http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/project/projectIndex.jsp#ehs

ACF OPRE: Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html

ACF OPRE: Head Start Child Outcomes Research Support Consortium (CORS) http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/coutcomes_cors/index.html

ACF OPRE: Head Start Quality Research Centers Consortium http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/qrc_two/qrc_two_overview.html#overview

ACF OPRE: Head Start Impact Study http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/impact_study/index.html

E. Federal/Government

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) http:/ /www.acf.hhs.gov/

Administration for Children & Families: ACF Questions and Answer Support http://faq.acf.hhs.gov/cgi-bin/acfrightnow.cfg/php/enduser/home.php

Bureau of Indian Affairs http://www.doi.gov/bia

Child Care Bureau http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/

Children’s Bureau http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/

Indian Health Service: The Federal Health Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives http://www.ihs.gov/

Office of Family Assistance – Division of Tribal TANF Management http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/dts/

Office of Minority Health http://www.omhrc.gov/

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services http://www.hhs.gov/

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Guide to Information Resources http://www.hhs.gov/about/infoguid.html

F. Child Care:

 Center for the Child Care Workforce http://www.ccw.org

National Association for Family Child Care http://www.nafcc.org/include/default.asp

National Child Care Association (NCCA) http://www.nccanet.org/

National Network for Child Care http://www.nncc.org

G. Subjects of Interest to Consultants

Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry Commons http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/

Appreciative Inquiry and Community Development http://www.iisd.org/ai/

Center for Positive Organizational Scholarship http://www.bus.umich.edu/Positive/

Corporation for Positive Change http://www.positivechange.org/

Process Consultation

Society for Organizational Learning www.solonline.org

Reflective Practice

Center for Reflective Community Practice at MIT http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/16165

Institute of Reflective Practice http://www.reflectivepractices.co.uk/cms/index.php

Oregon State University : Integration of the Disciplines http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed555/zone1/reflect.htm

Reflective Supervision

ZERO TO THREE: Center for Program Excellence http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_reflec_super

Self-evaluation Tool

Towards Effective Consulting: A Self-assessment Tool for Consultants Who Serve the Nonprofit Community http://www.lstech.org/sites/lsntap.org/files/bayer_consultant_assess.pdf

H. Tax and Financial Tools for Consultants

Federal/Government Sites

USA.gov: Business and Nonprofit Gateway on FirstGov.gov http://www.usa.gov/Business/Business_Gateway.shtml

USA.gov: FirstGov.gov for the Self-Employed http://www.usa.gov/Business/Self_Employed.shtml

Internal Revenue Service (IRS): Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html

IRS: Self-Employed Individuals or Independent Contractors http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=115045,00.html

IRS: Publications and Forms for the Self-Employed http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=115044,00.html

U.S. Small Business Administration: Startup Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/startup/guide.html

I. Resources for Programs Hiring Consultants

Connecticut Nonprofit Consultant Directory http://www.hfpg.org/cdb/how_consult.htm#Anchor-How-47857

Dyson Foundation http://www.dysonfoundation.org/usr_doc/How_to_Hire_a_Consultant-edited.doc

Gary Lockwood – “Nine Golden Rules To Hiring the Best Consultant” https://www.nase.org/sea_janfeb01/feature4.asp

J. Resources for Programs and Consultants

Associations

American Society for Training and Development, Consulting Community http://www.astd.org/communities/networks/consulting/ (accessed January 13, 2009)

Association of Professional Consultants http://www.consultapc.org/

Code of Ethics

Institute of Management Consultants USA, Cod of Ethics http://www.imcusa.org/?page=ETHICSCODE (accessed January 13, 2009)

The Ombudsman Association http://web.mit.edu/negotiation/toa/TOAcoe.html (accessed January 13, 2009)

Creating a Code of Ethics for Your Organization http://www.ethicsweb.ca/codes/

Section IV – Glossary of Head Start Terms

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) – An agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) which is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social wellbeing of families, children, individuals, and communities.

Americans with Disabilities Act – Signed in 1990, it provides disabled Americans, including those with AIDS, the same rights to jobs, public transportation and public accommodations that women and racial, religious and ethnic minorities receive under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Center-based programs – Programs that provide for the growth and development of children, including physical development through outdoor and indoor active play and development of cognitive and language skills through creative expression, at a Head Start sponsored facility.

Child Care – Provision of safe environments, nurturing care, and appropriate developmental experiences for children--usually while their parents work or attend school. Care is locally and individually administered under not-for-profit or for-profit status, and is diversely funded, largely through parent fees, although the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and state child-care agencies are providing growing support, especially to families with low incomes.

Children with disabilities – Children whose condition may include mental retardation; hearing impairments, speech or language impairments; visual impairments; serious emotional disturbances; orthopedic impairments; autism; traumatic brain injury; specific learning disabilities and who by reason thereof, need special education and related services.

Code of Federal Regulations – Publication containing all federal regulations, including Head Start 45 CFR Parts 1300-1308.

Community assessment – A process through which agencies collect data about community strengths, needs, and resources. Agencies use this data to make decisions about the types of services they will provide for children and families.

Curriculum – A written plan that includes the goals for children's development and learning; the experiences through which they will achieve the goals; what staff and parents do to help children achieve the goals; and the materials needed to support the implementation of the curriculum.

Davis-Bacon Act – Signed in 1931, it requires payment of prevailing wages to employees of contractors or subcontractors working on government construction projects, including construction of Head Start facilities.

Delegate agencies – Public or private nonprofit organizations to which a grantee can delegate the carrying on of all or part of its Head Start program.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS or USDHHS or HHS) – An agency within the federal government, of which the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a part, that is responsible for all federal programs dealing with health and general welfare.

Developmental stages – Natural or common divisions of the process of human growth, characterized by types of behavior, by biological properties or manifestations, or by mental processes.

Developmentally appropriate – Any behavior or experience that is matched to the maturity of the individual child with respect to age, needs, interests, developmental levels, and cultural background.

Early childhood – Birth to eight years.

Early childhood development – The process by which children from birth to age eight gradually gain the skills and confidence needed to succeed in their present environment and the cognitive skills needed to form a foundation for school readiness and later school success.

Early childhood education – Activities and/or experiences that are intended to effect developmental changes in children from birth through the primary units of elementary school (grades K-3).

Early Head Start – A program that provides low-income pregnant women and families with children from birth to age three with family-centered services that facilitate child development, support parental roles, and promote self-sufficiency.

Early intervention – Efforts to redirect individuals at risk for, or in the early stages of mental, physical, learning or other disorders; usually targeted at early childhood, sometimes including prenatal care.

Education environment – Conditions, forces, or factors within or outside a teaching setting capable of influencing the setting or those within it.

Eligibility – Qualifying for certain benefits or services (e.g. enrollment in Head Start or Early Head Start).

Eligibility criteria – Those elements that would render an individual or family qualified to participate in a program, or a program qualified for funding, or an individual qualified for a position.

English as a Second Language(ESL) – Designation given to programs for students whose first language is other than English.

Environmental education – Utilization of the natural world and its relationships to promote experiential learning and to enrich the curriculum.

Exceptional children – Refers to children with disabilities and to gifted children.

Experiential learning – Learning by doing; acquisition of knowledge and skills outside of book/lecture learning sessions, through work, play and other life experiences.

Extended families – A form of family organization consisting of blood relatives and their several nuclear family units.

Family literacy – The ability of the family as a whole to read and write.

Family literacy services – Programs that promote early childhood education, literacy training for parents (including teaching English as a second language), interactive family literacy activities, and training for parents for their role as primary teacher of their children and full partners in their education.

Family partnership agreements – Opportunities to expand parents' knowledge about community services and resources and to develop networks and relationships with families, service providers, community agencies and school systems.

Federal Register – The official daily U.S. Government publication of proposed and final federal regulations and announcements of programs and policies.

Federal-State relationship – Interaction between federal and state officials, agencies and programs.

Free Appropriate Public Education – What the Local Education Agency (LEA) is required to provide to all children including those with eligible disabilities.

Full day/full year programs – Programs in which a child is enrolled for a substantial part of each day for the period of twelve months.

Governing boards – Groups charged with the responsibility for some degree of management or control over affairs of public or private institutions.

Grantee – A local corporation or other legal entity, either public or private, to which a Head Start grant is awarded. 

Grants – Funds given by a foundation, government, institution or other organization, usually for a specific purpose.

Head Start Consultants – A consultant is an outside person or organization with valuable expertise and experience paid to complete an agreed upon a set of tasks and objectives focused on a limited project rather than an ongoing function. Consultants operate under consulting agreements; an example can be found in Part 2, Section VII.

Head Start Program – Founded in 1965, the program provides comprehensive child development services to low-income children and families through a network of grantee and delegate agencies.

Head Start Reauthorization Act of 1998 – Signed into law to amend the Head Start Act and extend the Head Start program authorization period through fiscal year 2003.

Health care screening – A series of tests used to identify individuals who are likely to benefit from, or have difficulty in, some program or treatment, or who should be examined in greater depth.

Health care services – Refers to medical, dental and mental health support provided to individuals and families. Services must be provided by staff or consultants with training and experience in public health, nursing, health education, maternal and child health or health administration.

Health Services Advisory Committee – A group that includes professionals and volunteers from the community, established to address health service issues and to help agencies respond to community needs.

Home visitor – The staff member in the home-based program option assigned to work with parents to provide comprehensive services to children and their families through home visits and group socialization activities.

Home visits – Used to assist, encourage and support parents as they foster the growth and development of their children, including physical development through outdoor and indoor active play, and the development of cognitive and language skills through creative self-expression.

Home-based – A program option for serving children and family in their home, in which the parent is trained to provide for the comprehensive needs of the family.

Homeless families – Families without permanent or fixed residences, typically living in abandoned buildings, public places, or the streets, and at times seeking temporary shelter with public or private charities.

Immunization recommendations – Issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as any additional recommendations from the local Health Services Advisory Committee that are based on prevalent community health problems.

Indian reservations – Tracts of land, set aside by agreements between governments and Indian tribes, which are reserved for the exclusive use and occupancy of those tribes.

Individualized education program – Educational plan geared to an individual student's needs,  and conducted in accordance with a written agreement between the student (and/or parents) and school officials.

Individualized Family Service Plan – A written plan for providing early intervention services to a child eligible under Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), developed by multidisciplinary teams of health care and educational practitioners for families of young children.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – Federal special education legislation which states must implement and which requires special education for all children age three and older; states may also serve children younger than three at their discretion.

Indoor active play – Activities that take place inside (e.g. within a center or within the child's home).

Infants – Children in the earliest period of life, especially before they can walk.

Infants and toddlers – Children from birth through approximately three years of age.

Intellectual development – Increasing complexity or growth of reasoning and thought processes.

Interagency cooperation – Cooperation of organizations with each other or with other groups.

Kindergarten – A program or class for four- to six-year-old children that serves as an introduction to school.

Kinship families – Relatives other than biological parents that are caring for children.

Learning disabilities – Category in federal legislation referring to disorders involved in understanding or using language, manifested in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations.

Learning problems – Conditions interfering with the ability to learn, which may be caused by visual, hearing or motor impairments; mental retardation; behavioral disorders; health impairments; or by cultural, environmental or economic disadvantage.

Learning readiness – State or condition of an individual that makes it possible for him or her to engage profitably in a given educational activity.

Least Restrictive Environment – An educational placement that ensures that, to the maximum extent possible, children with special needs are educated with children not in need of special education services.

Local Education Authority (LEA) – A general term used in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for school districts or Regional Special Education Districts mandated to provide special education.

Mainstreaming – Progressively including exceptional students (disabled or gifted) in classes and schools with regular or normal students, with steps taken to see that special needs are satisfied within this arrangement.

Meal services – Nutritional services in center-based settings; grantee and delegate agencies must ensure that meals contribute to the development and socialization of enrolled children by serving a variety of food to broaden each child's food experience.

Mental health services – Assistance for mental and emotional disorders, provided by licensed or certified mental health professionals with experience and expertise in serving young children and their families.

Migrant Head Start Programs – A Head Start program that serves families who are engaged in agricultural work and who have changed their residence from one geographical location to another in the preceding two-year period.

Minimum requirements – The lowest levels of overall accomplishment that a Head Start agency may achieve and still remain in compliance with the program performance standards.

Minority groups – Subgroups within a larger society that are distinguished from the majority and each other by race, national heritage or sometimes by religious or cultural affiliation.

Motor development – Stages of growth in the ability to manipulate and control limbs and body movement.

Multicultural education – \ Education involving two or more ethnic groups and designed to help participants clarify their own ethnic identity and appreciate that of others, to reduce prejudice and stereotyping, and to promote cultural pluralism and equal participation.

Multicultural principles – Program elements that validate and build upon the cultures and strengths of the children enrolled in Head Start and their families.

Non-Federal Share – Cash or in-kind contributions required to match a federal grant.

Notice of Financial Assistance – Official notification by the federal government that an agency's request for funding has been approved and funds are available for expenditure.

Notice of Proposed Rule Making – Publication of proposed, new, or revised federal regulations in the Federal Register for public comment.

Office of Financial Operations – Monitors the financial part of the Head Start grant. Located in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regional Office.

Office of Head Start – The office within the Department of Health and Human Services/Administration on Children, Youth and Families which administers the Head Start Program.

Office of Management and Budget – The federal agency that oversees the budgeting process of the executive branch of the federal government and that approves information-gathering forms before they can be used.

Ongoing monitoring – Grantees must establish and implement procedures for ongoing monitoring of Early Head Start and Head Start operations as well as those of each of their delegate agencies. This ensures that operations effectively implement Federal regulations as well as local goals and objectives and to ensure that appropriate interventions take place and are timely.

PA 20 Program Account 20 – A category within the Head Start grant budget specifically for training and technical assistance needs.

PA 22 Program Account 22 – The largest and most flexible category within the Head Start grant budget, which is used for program operation.

PA 25 Program Account 25 – A category within the Head Start grant budget for funds for Parent and Child Centers which are awarded to a limited number of grantees.

PA 26 Program Account 26 – A category within the Head Start grant budget for Full Day, Full Year Head Start funds.

Parent Committee s – Groups comprised of parents of children currently enrolled at the center level for center-based programs or at the equivalent level for other program options that share governance with the Policy Committee and Policy Council.

Performance Standards – A federally defined set of minimum criteria for each component in Head Start.

P0licy Committee – An appointed group that shares program governance with the Parent Committee and Policy Council; at least 50% of the membership must be parents of the children enrolled in that delegate agency program and it must also include representatives from the community.

Policy Council – A committee set up at the grantee level which shares program governance with the Parent and Policy Committees; includes representation from parents, community, and all delegate agencies. If the grantee has no delegates, then the representation is from all centers and other factions of that program.

Policy groups – The formal group of parents and community representatives required to be established by the agency to assist in decisions about the planning and operation of the program.

Program evaluation – Judging the feasibility, efficacy, and value of a program in relation to its stated objectives, standards, or criteria.

Program governance – A formal structure of shared administration through which parents can participate in policy making or in other decisions about the program. 

Program implementation – Carrying out a plan or design through concrete measures.

Program Information Report –An annual report completed and filed electronically at the end of each school year by every Head Start program in the nation, supplying data used by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) to report to Congress and for program monitoring.  Note: Forms for this report are sent to every grantee to fill out and return. Collated results are distributed to all programs, with data reflecting state, regional and national trends.

Program performance measures – Methods and procedures used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of Head Start programs, and to identify problem areas that require training and technical assistance resources.

Program planning – A systematic, ongoing process that includes consultation with the program's governing body, policy groups and program staff, and other community organizations; also includes community assessment, formulation of short term objectives and long range goals, and development of written plans for implementing services.

Quality Improvement Plan – A document developed by grantees to outline solid solutions for eliminating identified program deficiencies, and including the time frame within which each will be corrected.

Regional Office – Main office in each of twelve nationally stipulated Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) administrative areas.

Related services – Transportation and other developmental, corrective and supportive assistance that is required to help a child with disabilities benefit from special education; assistance can also include social services and parent counseling and training.

Request for Proposals – An official/formal solicitation by an agency or organization for proposals in a wide range of categories such as funding, special projects, and training events, etc.

Safety councils – National organizations, such as the Children's Safety Network, Program for Playground Safety, Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Safe Kids Coalitions and the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, which are concerned with identifying and publicizing hazards and publishing helpful information.

School readiness – Levels of cognitive, physical and psychosocial maturity prerequisite to learning in a school setting.

Self-assessment – A method of measuring agency accomplishments, strengths, and weaknesses. Self-assessment allows for the continuous improvement of program plans and service delivery methods and for the enhancement of program quality and timely responses to issues that arise in the community, the program and among enrolled families. The process also provides an opportunity for involving parents and community stakeholders and for making staff more aware of how the program is viewed by its consumers.

Sensory development – Stages of growth in organizing and understanding impressions gathered through the senses, i.e. the process of recognizing, identifying or becoming aware of objects, qualities or relations.

Special education – Teaching programs and services for disabled and/or gifted individuals who have intellectual, physical, emotional, or social characteristics different from those who can be taught through normal methods or materials.

Special needs students – Broad legislative category referring to all students identified as needing special assistance to achieve educational equity, e.g. the disabled, the disadvantaged, those seeking nontraditional careers, limited English speakers, etc.

Special populations – Refers to culturally distinct groups such as American Indians, refugees, Eskimos, etc.

Staff-parent conferences – Meetings at which parents can discuss their child's development, progress and education with teachers and other caregivers.

State Early Childhood Programs – Locally and state-funded child development services, either for all interested families or primarily for families with low income.

State education agency – A department of education at the state level composed of the chief state school officer and staff, who carry out work delegated to them by law.

State licensing boards – Agencies that authorize the practice of a profession or operation of a business in a state after determining that established standards and requirements have been met.

Toddlers – Children approximately one to three years of age.

Transition coordination – Refers to the management of activities that facilitate a child's transition from Head Start programs to elementary school.

Transition planning – A process undertaken for each child and family at least six months prior to the child's third birthday that takes into account the child's health status and developmental level, progress made by the child and family while in the program, current and changing family circumstances, and the availability of child care services in the community.

Transition programs or transition services – Procedures to support successful transitions for enrolled children and families from previous child care programs into Early Head Start or Head Start programs and from Head Start into elementary school or other child care settings.

Tribal government – Governments of American Indian tribes.

Tribal sovereignty – The authority or right of tribal entities to exercise decision-making power and choice regarding their political, social and cultural patterns.

University partnerships – Grants awarded to universities to work with Head Start agencies in conducting research on Head Start programs, or awarded to graduate students to conduct research in Head Start programs.

Verbal development – Growth in the ability to use and comprehend words in either oral or written form.

Waivers – Dispensations from rules or penalties.

Wrap Around – Arrangements between Head Start and other funding sources to provide a full range of comprehensive services for Head Start children according to their needs.

Section V. Head Start Acronym List