Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) for the 1997-1998 Program Operating Year

ACYF Administration on Children, Youth and Families	U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families
	1. Log No. ACYF-IM-HS-98-05	2. Issuance Date: 03/18/98
	3. Originating Office: Head Start Bureau
	4. Key Word: 1997-1998 Program Information Report

INFORMATION MEMORANDUM

TO: Head Start Grantees and Delegate Agencies

SUBJECT: Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) for the 1997-1998 Program Operating Year

INFORMATION: Each year Head Start and Early Head Start grantees and delegate agencies are required to submit the Program Information Report (PIR). The PIR provides comprehensive, national data on the Head Start program. It includes important information on the number of children served, staffing, program services and activities, and on selected areas of importance to national policy-making. In addition, information from the PIR is used in developing public information about the program.

Attached are the 1997-1998 AR form, general instructions on completing the PIR and instructions on electronic submission of the PIR. It is recommended that you carefully read through the PIR questions and the instructions before preparing your submission.

We recommend that grantees immediately verify that their delegates have received their PIR package. Contact your Regional Office if additional copies of the PIR form are required.

Programs are strongly encouraged to submit the PIR form using electronic data transfer (EDT). A disk is provided in this package for that purpose. For the 1996-1997 submission over 1,700 programs submitted their data electronically. The use of EDT has effected considerable savings both in personnel time and contract costs associated with manually inputting your report. Electronic data transfer has resulted also in a dramatic reduction in the submission of data which is in error.

The completed PIR form for all Head Start and Early Head Start Programs must be received no later than May 29, 1998; except that Migrant Head Start programs may submit PIR forms no later than September 29, 1998. A few Migrant Head Start programs may need to submit the PIR forms beyond this date and should contact the Migrant Programs Branch to arrange a later submission date.

If you have questions concerning the processing of PIR forms, please contact the contractor that is assisting us with this effort, Ellsworth Associates, directly. The phone number is (703) 821-3090.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately

INQUIRIES TO: Regional Administrators, ACF
American Indian and Migrant Programs Branches

/S/
Helen H. Taylor
Associate Commissioner

PROTECT HEAD START 1997-1998 ANNUAL PROGRAM INFORMATION REPORT INSTRUCTIONS

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Enclosed is the Project Head Start PROGRAM INFORMATION REPORT (PIR) form for reporting on Head Start programs. This report requests information for your entire program operating period.

PROGRAM OPERATING PERIOD DEFINITION

For the purpose of this PIR, a program operating period is defined as "the time in which you plan for and carry out activities and services for the children enrolled in your 1997 1998 Head Start program." Please note, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY YOUR BUDGET OR FUNDING YEAR.

For most programs, these activities will begin several weeks, or even months, before classes start. For example, you might consider your current operating period to have begun in July 1997, when you enrolled children for your 1997-1998 program, and to end on the last day of classroom operations.

For some programs, an operating period may be longer than a 12-month period and consequently would overlap with another operating period. For example, you might have enrolled children in April 1997 for 1997-1998 classroom operations starting in the fall, and began providing health services to them during the summer. The health activities related to these children should be reported on the 1997-1998 PIR form, even though some of these activities overlapped the 1996-1997 operating period.

The PIR must be received from all programs except Migrant Programs no later than May 29, 1998.

The PIR must be received from all Migrant Programs no later than September 29, 1998.

Data reported should cover the entire operating period. If this period extends beyond the filing date, data should be estimated for the period after the filing date in order not to delay submission of the report.

YOU ARE REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW AND REGULATIONS TO SUBMIT THE PIR DATA using local program records and documentation. No further monies or other benefits may be paid out under this program unless the PIR is completed and filed in accordance with these instructions. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3.5 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

GRANTEES AND DELEGATE AGENCIES WHICH OPERATE HEAD START START PROGRAMS are required to complete the PIR by either submitting a PIR paper form or by transmitting the data using an approved electronic data transfer method for those programs they operate directly.

EACH GRANTEE, DELEGATE AGENCY, AND EARLY HEAD START START (EHS) must each complete a separate PIR paper form or transmit the data using an approved electronic data transfer method. In no case should data from delegate agency programs be combined 14th grantee or Early Head Start program data.

IF YOU ARE A GRANTEE AND A DELEGATE OF ANOTHER GRANTEE, you must complete a separate PIR for each program. Early Head Start programs should complete a separate PIR.

PIR data can be submitted electronically or on the printed form. It is strongly recommended that you submit the form electronically, through one of the two approved electronic data transfer (EDT) methods. There are several major advantages to the EDT method:

The program can perform edit checks to the data before submission, and errors can be immediately corrected, reducing the number of errors and saving staff time.
Eliminating the need for data entry and verification of the paper form substantially reduces the contractor's processing time and cost.

Select only one of the following three methods to submit the PIT data:

Use a vendor or agency developed software package along with the provided PIREDT software. All 14 questions must be completed and transmitted electronically (via modem) to the PIR contractor, Ellsworth Associates, Inc. Refer to Attachment 2 for details.

To verify that the authorized version of the PIR submission has been transmitted electronically, complete only the first page of the printed PIR form with the Approving Official's signature and send the page to Ellsworth Association Incorporated's FAX (703) 356-0472 or their mailing address.
Or use the PIREDT floppy disk. Mail the floppy disk with a copy of your PIR file on it, along with a signed print out of the form using the print PIR option from the Main Menu in one package to Ellsworth Associates, Inc. Please note the new address.
Or submit the white copy from the three part PIR form to Ellsworth Associates, Inc.

PAPER FORM SUBMISSION(if selected)

Each page of the form is in triplicate and is color-coded. Copy distribution is designated at the bottom of each page. Type one page at a time. Use a typewriter with a new ribbon, keep typed entries within the boxes and verify all data on the form. Make sure, where appropriate, that the column entries add to the total.

Separate the triplicate pages into white, yellow, and pink copies of the form. Mail the white and yellow copies as indicated below and retain the pink copy for your files.

(original)
New Address
Mail to:
Ellsworth Associates, Inc.
1749 Olds Meadow Road, Suite 600
Mclean, Va 22102 ATTN: PIR

Yellow (1st carbon)
Mail to:
your Regional Office or American Indian or
Migrant Program Branch.

Pink (2nd carbon)
Retain for your Files

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE PIR QUESTIONS

Directions for completing the PIR are found on the three part paper form. Before answering each question, please read the specific instructions accompanying the question carefully. If one of the electronic submission methods is chosen the three part paper form is still needed for instructions and clarifications. Careful attention to the instructions will significantly reduce the number of errors and the time necessary to correct those errors.

REGIONAL OFFICE ASSISTANCE

If you require any assistance in completing the PIR form, contact your Regional Office Program Specialist or your American Indian or Migrant Program Branch Specialist.
Assistance on question 13 concerning "Services to Children with Disabilities" should be sought from your Resource Access Project (RAP) contact person.

PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM INFORMATION REPORT (PIR)

Head Start is a comprehensive child development program serving low income preschool children and their families. The program provides all enrolled children with a broad array of services including education, health (medical, dental, mental health and nutrition), social services, parent involvement activities, and special services to children with disabilities. As a result of local judgements concerning community needs, and due to the different types of local operating agencies and their organizational arrangements, there is considerable variation among individual programs. Nevertheless, all programs are required to provide the range of basic Head Start services. Information on Head Start services, program options and other essential program matters is contained in the Head Start Program Performance Standards and other regulations and policies. These sources should be consulted, as necessary, in completing the PIR.

The PIR provides a more comprehensive and uniform description of local Head Start programs than is available from any other information source. It includes important data on staffing, agency organization, program services and activities, services to children with disabilities, and participant characteristics. It allows data on local Head Start Programs to be readily processed and analyzed by computer, with feedback to ACYF headquarters, Regional Offices, local programs, and Head Start training and technical assistance providers. It also enables ACYF to generate a variety of reports useful for program monitoring and improvement.

PIREDT
PIR ELECTRONIC DATA TRANSFER

General Information:

PIREDT software is provided on the floppy disk that is included with this attachment. PIREDT allows one to input and edit data directly on the computer screen and transmit via modem. The electronic PIR form may be transmitted by modem, or the diskette containing the data file may be sent by mail.

The three part paper form is needed for instructions and clarifications in answering the questions.

What PIREDT Provides

The PIREDT software provides a set of data entry screens for Questions 1 through 14 of the PIR. To ensure accurate data entry with, minimum effort, the program provides the following menu selections:

Help and General PIREDT Information
Print Help File
Create/Update/View PIR Form
Print PIER Form,
View Errors
Print Errors
Add/Update Comments
Transmit PIR file (via modem)

How To Use PIREDT

PIREDT runs under DOS 3.0 or higher on IBM Personal Computer, Models XT, AT, and true compatibles. PIREDT can run from the floppy drive or it can be loaded onto the hard drive of the computer and run from there. If loaded onto the hard drive it should be contained in its own directory and the file created must be copied back onto the floppy before mailing the diskette back to Ellsworth (if this method of transmission is selected). If run from the floppy disk drive the file will already reside on the diskette when saved with <F10>.

NOTE: Please note that what is to be typed will appear bold. If using the B drive, substitute B for A in the following instructions.

To change drives, from the C drive or your root directory:

C:\>A: press <ENTER> or <RETURN> to take you to the A prompt.

To run PIREDT type the following depending on where the program resides.

From the A drive: A:\>PIREDT
From the hard drive (after getting into the proper directory):
C:\PIREDT98>PIREDT

NOTE: Do not attempt to use the hard disk procedure unless you are familiar with DOS commands.

A brief explanation of PIREDT Allows.

PIREDT HELP AND GENERAL INFORMATION - This information can be displayed on the screen and is provided as a selection on the Main Menu. You may scroll through this file by using the <PgDn>, < PgUp >, and the up and down arrow keys. You must Press <S Esc > to return to the Main, Menu. There is a selection on the Main Menu that will allow this file to -be printed out.

CREATE/UPDATE/VIEW PIR FORM - If you are using PIREDT to edit an existing PIR data file, make sure that a copy of that file is in. the current directory (A: or B:). If PIREDT cannot find the file on the diskette or in the PIREDT98 directory it will assume that you are creating a new EDT file.
Below is a list of valid keys to be used while creating, updating, or viewing an EDT form:

<Esc>-Return to Main Menu without saving changes. If you have made no changes to your form you should use < Esc >.

< F10> - Return to Main Menu and save changes. If you have made changes to your form you must exit by pressing <F10>.

< PgDn> - Page down through the PIR Screens.

< PgUp> - Page up through the PIR Screens.

< Enter> or < Tab > - Accept input value and skip to next field.

< Arrow Up> or < Shift Tab > - Skip to Previous field.

< Arrow Down> or < Tab > - Skip to Next field.

< F1 > - Help Key

PRINT PIR FORM - Make sure that the printer is available and on-line. You can only print a PIR form after it has been saved in the "Create/Update/View PIR Form" option by pressing < F 10 >.

RUN EDITS ON PIR FORM - Edits are run automatically when the file is saved using < F 10 >. If your PIR has any errors they are stored in a temporary file. You may View or Print by selecting the "View Errors" or "Print Errors" options from the Main Menu.

VIEW ERRORS - This option should be run to view the errors that were flagged by the Run Edits on PIR Form option. If errors are found you should correct the errors by running the "Create/Update/View PIDR Form" option then "View Errors" until no errors are reported. NOTE: There may be errors that you may not be able to correct immediately. If you cannot correct an error you can still "Transmit PIR Form".

PRINT ERRORS - This option allows you to print the errors out for easier reading. Again, make sure the printer is available and on-line.

ADD/UPDATE COMMENTS - This option allows you to enter and update comments that will be appended to the end of the PIREDT form. Comments submitted electronically will be made available to the Head Start National and Regional Offices on the HSPIR mainframe system.

NAMING CONVENTION - The name of the form to transfer will be the eight character Grant Number with the file extension equal to the three digit Delegate ID. If delegate 005 of grant 09CH1111, for example, ran this option the transfer file that would be generated would be named "09CH1111.005".

GENERAL INFORMATION - No percentages are to be used in any fields of the PIR form. All numbers are to be entered as whole numbers (e.g., salaries are to be rounded to the nearest dollar amount and entered without commas.) The director's name, the agency type and the agency category must be entered. Consult the PIR paper form for more detailed instructions on filling in the form if using the PIREDT software.

Select only one of the following electronic submission methods:

1. TRANSMITTING VIA MODEM TO ELLSWORTH ASSOCIATES
We have incorporated communications software directly into PIREDT. In order to transmit the PIR you most have a standard Hayes compatible modem correctly installed on your computer. When the modem is installed and turned on, there are three steps to transmitting a form:

Select the baud rate. Transmission can be at 300, 1200, 2400, 9600, or 14400 bps.
Select the communications port. Most often this is going to be COM1.
Select pulse or tone (P/T). The default is set to pulse.
Enter the phone number. At the beginning of the phone number make sure to include all numbers necessary for your location to "dial out" and to dial long distance, such as 9 and 1. The phone number for EDT is 703 821 5572. Do not include spaces, parentheses, or dashes.

After you enter the number please wait approximately two (2) minutes for the modem to be initialized and send the PIR form. If the file transfers successfully a message will appear stating so, but in all other cases a message will appear stating that the transmission was not successful. If you are not able to transmit electronically via modem, please follow the instructions below on returning the floppy disk.

2. MAILING THE PIREDT FLOPPY DISK CONTAINING . THE PIR DATA FILE

If the PIREDT floppy disk EDT method is used, print a copy of the completed form from the Main Menu selection and mail it along with the floppy disk to:

Ellsworth Associates, Inc. ATTN: PIR
1749 Old Meadow Road, Suite 600
McLean, VA 22102

For mailing safety of the floppy disk, place it between 2 pieces of firm cardboard or similar material and place that between the pages of the printed EDT form. This procedure will offer protection to the disk during transit Also, write in large letters on the envelope, "MAGNETIC MEDIA - DO NOT BEND, STAPLE, OR X-RAY".

In this instance, you are required to mail a copy of the completed form or a print out from the Print PIR Form option as a backup measure. Should the floppy disk be unreadable, the data will be keyed into the PIR data base from the form by EAI data entry personnel.

Verify that a copy of the PIR file is on the diskette (see NAMING CONVENTION above). To do this insert the diskette into the disk drive and from the C prompt type the following:

          C:\>DIR A:

If you are in the floppy directory just type DIR to get a listing of what is on the diskette.
          A:\ > DIR or B:\ > DIR

If the program was run from the floppy drive the file would have been saved onto the diskette when you saved it by pressing < F10 > .

If you loaded the program onto the hard drive then the file will have to be transferred to the diskette. To do this get into the proper directory on the hard drive and type the following, substituting your own Grant Number and Delegate Id and selecting the proper destination floppy drive:

          C:\PIREDT98>COPY GRANT#.DELEGATE# A or B: /V

For example if your Grant Number was 09CH0045 with, Delegate Id. 1 and the diskette to be mailed was in the A drive the following would be typed:

          C: \PIREDT98 > COPY 09CH0045.001 A: /V

If you have any questions about the PIREDT software, please contact Susan Flanigan of Ellsworth Associates, Inc. at (703) 821-3090 ext. 246.

PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE 1997-98 ELECTRONIC DATA TRANSFER OF PIR DATA
NOTE: The instructions in this attachment are intended
primarily for Vendor/Agency software developers.

The attached specifications are provided for agencies and software vendors who currently are or may be interested in developing software which allows the electronic submission of Head Start PIR data. Such software must accomplish the following:

Access existing Head Start management information data bases. (The intent is not to provide a set of screens for PIR data entry, but to collate data from existing computer databases supporting the operation of the Head Start program.)
Extract and edit relevant PIR data, and
Create an ASCII file suitable for direct computer transmission into the annual PIR processing cycle. (The data in the record will have undergone a series of software edit checks before the final data record is created.)

The following are the PIR data record specifications for preparing electronically transferred PIR data.
1. Records must be written in ASCII format.

2. The first character of the record must be a # sign.

3. The PIR record will consist of 290 fields.

4. A field is comprised of the alphanumeric response as called for in the PIR.

Note the following fields will require prior processing.

Question 2
If 2.A is selected the field AGENCY_CAT should equal A or 1.
If 2.B is selected the field AGENCY_CAT should equal B or 2.
If 2.C is selected the field AGENCY_CAT should equal C or 3.
If 2.D is selected the field AGENCY_CAT should equal D or 4.
If 2.E is selected the field AGENCY_CAT should equal E or 5.
If 2.F is selected the field AGENCY_CAT should equal F or 6.

Question 4
If 4.A is selected the field AGENCY_TYPE should equal A or 1.
If 4.B is selected the field AGENCY_TYPE should equal B or 2.
If 4.C is selected the field AGENCY_TYPE should equal C or 3.
If 4.D is selected the field AGENCY_TYPE should equal D or 4.
If 4.E is selected the field AGENCY_TYPE should equal E or 5.

Questions 8B1 and 8B2
The dam fields for questions 8.B.1 and 8.B.2 must be in the form mm/dd/yy, and not enclosed in quotation marks..

Question 9G1 through 9G3
Make sure that a value is entered for the selected month, especially if you use the default months of November, February, and March. That is, 11 should be entered in 9G1, 02 9G2, and 03 in 9G3.

5. Each data field MUST be separated by a comma, as follows:
field 1, field2, field3, etc.

This is especially important when a field is blank, in which case you could have consecutive commas as follows:

fieldl,, field3,etc.

Each of the 290 fields must be represented and separated by a comma. The entire field length, however, does not have to be transmitted. That is, for a field of length 18, if the answer is 50, you do not have to precede the number with zeros, the number would be represented as follows:

field 1, 50, field3, etc.

6. Each alphanumeric field greater than 1 character in length MUST be enclosed in quotation marks. Alphanumeric fields only 1 character in length, such as N, Y or X, are not enclosed in quotation marks.

7. There is no restriction to the length of the transfer line, therefore; each field can be on a separate line. Another alternative is to place data continuously all on one line

8. Enter an asterisk, '*', to signal the end of the record.

9. Comments should start on at new line after the asterisk. Anything after the asterisk will be considered comments. Below is an example of a form with comments.

#00CH9999,1,"HS Program Name", "Address", "City", "ST", "99999", "7038213090", "Sally", "Smith", 4, 0, 3, 40, 3, 9, 9, 0, 9, 4, 0, 9, 4, 0, 1, 3, 0, 5, 2, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 366, 18, 23092, 23092, 18, 18, 0, 0, 09/08/97, 05/05/98, 350, 350, 0, 0, 0, 0, 337, 19, 27, 383, 11, 0, 291, 04, 350, 341, 300, 16, 35, 26, 26, 35, 223, 62, 98, 382, 191, 47, 144, 16,..., 382, 160, 1, 159, 16, 327, 56, 0, 0, 0, 0, 375, 375, 375, 375, 32, 366, 21, 195, 0, X, X, X , , , , , , , , X, , X, , , ,X , , ,1, 48, 2, 51, 3, 12, 0, 0, 0, 0, 40, 11, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 0, 41, 0, 3, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, ... 0, 0, 0,, 30, 23, 21,15, 5, 0, 0, 0, 5, 5, 0, 0*

We have a change of address effective 5/01/98. It is:

Head Start
7000 Good Hope Rd.
Anytown, St 99999**

10. DO NOT break the numbers between lines. All lines containing PIR data should end with a comma, except in the case of the last line which ends with an asterisk.

11. The name of the PIR data file to be transferred should be the eight (8) character grant number with a three digit file extension (.000) equal to the delegate number. The above example will have the file 00CH9999.001 because it is delegate 1 of grant 00CH9999. If a program is a grantee the delegate id will be 0 and the file extension of .000 will be used.

12. The PIREDT software contains a menu option to automatically transmit the PIR form to Ellsworth Associates.

13. The internet address has a maximum length of 45 characters and should be enclosed in quotes. This is an e-mail address, not a web page address.

14. Question 12M, on service to homeless families, must be answered with a Y or N. It cannot be left blank and is an A1 field. It is not enclosed in quotes.

For more information regarding this year's PIR form contact Susan Flanigan of Ellsworth Associates, Inc., (703) 821-3090 ext. 246.

PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE 1997-98 ELECTRONIC DATA TRANSFER OF PIR DATA NOTE: The instructions in this attachment are intended primarily for Vendor/Agency software developers.

PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE 1997-98 ELECTRONIC DATA TRANSFER OF PIR DATA
NOTE: The instructions in this attachment are intended
primarily for Vendor/Agency software developers.