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Q&A
Head Start funding and seat allocation changes
0:56:37
·
3 min
Council Member Rita Joseph inquires about the current and future Head Start seat allocations for different age groups, as well as the DOE's plans for 'aging down' the Head Start system. DOE officials provide details on current and proposed seat numbers, funding applications, and support for providers.
- Current funding covers 5,750 Head Start seats for ages 3-5, with 3,000 applied for in the new application
- DOE applied for 1,000 Early Head Start seats (ages 0-2), up from the current 136
- The administration has invested in sustaining Head Start and Early Head Start for the upcoming year
- DOE released an RFI for potential new Head Start providers to expand services
- Support for providers includes access to inclusion specialists, leadership coaches, instructional coordinators, and social workers
Rita Joseph
0:56:37
How many head start seats for age three to four are funded in the current fiscal year?
Simone Hawkins
0:56:42
So three to five year old seats.
0:56:43
We have fifty seven fifty in our current grant which expires June 30.
Rita Joseph
0:56:49
How many of the head starts seats for age three to four did DOE apply for in the new application?
Simone Hawkins
0:56:54
A little over a 3,000.
Rita Joseph
0:56:56
Three thousand.
0:56:57
And what's the how many early head start seats for age zero to two are provided in the current fiscal year because I know you wanted to age down.
Simone Hawkins
0:57:06
Exactly.
0:57:06
We have we're currently funded for a hundred and 36 early head start seats, and we apply for a thousand.
Rita Joseph
0:57:13
Early head starts for age zero to two, did you apply for a new application for that?
Simone Hawkins
0:57:18
We did, and to your point, Chair, we did apply for additional early head start seats.
Rita Joseph
0:57:22
And does the funding amount that deal we applied for cover the current subcontractors or you have to make up for providers?
Simone Hawkins
0:57:29
And so, yeah, it's a bit of a Venn diagram, and so what we we were actually required to reapply, and we were also entered in something called Initiative, which due to persistent and under enrollment year over year, we had to reconfigure our seat capacity, and so we understand that there is increased need in care for infants and toddlers and that's why we took the direction in which aging down increasing our early Head Start seats.
0:57:57
And so there will be providers who currently offer Head Start as a delegate because there are direct funded Head Start providers not in New York City Public Schools portfolio who may qualify in the new configuration, but there was an investment from the administration to sustain head start and early head start so there won't be any impact to currently funded providers for the upcoming year.
Rita Joseph
0:58:21
So what's the rate for the seats for these seats?
0:58:24
What are the rates?
0:58:25
The per child cost?
0:58:27
The 3 to 4.
Simone Hawkins
0:58:29
I will have to get back to you in that chair.
0:58:30
It varies, there is a range and it's based on actual cost by the provider, so we can provide that.
Rita Joseph
0:58:36
And the rate for zero to two as well.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
0:58:37
We'll get that
Rita Joseph
0:58:38
to you as well.
0:58:39
Thank you so much.
0:58:40
So will DOE need to add new providers and if so what's how does that timeline look?
Simone Hawkins
0:58:46
So if we are funded, we're going to keep fingers crossed and candles lit.
0:58:51
We will potentially need new providers in communities not currently serviced under the New York City public school portfolio specifically for Head Start seats.
0:59:00
We released the Head Start RFI and so in that way we can enlist new interested providers or existing providers who would like to spread their care and their services to new regions in the city.
Rita Joseph
0:59:14
And what districts will be impacted by this?
0:59:16
Do you have a list of
Simone Hawkins
0:59:17
We can give you the zip codes, we can share those afterwards.
Rita Joseph
0:59:20
And so what's the timeline for this?
0:59:21
When does this start with the RFI?
0:59:23
When does it end?
Simone Hawkins
0:59:24
So, the RFI was released last week and it will be open for three weeks.
Rita Joseph
0:59:30
And what kind of accommodation you're making for providers that are aging down?
0:59:33
What are you doing in terms of support?
Simone Hawkins
0:59:36
And so we provide a host of support.
0:59:38
If you are aging down or sustaining care, you get the same tranche of support from DECE specifically you know my team of inclusion specialists, leadership coaches, instructional coordinators, and social workers.
0:59:52
We also have operations analysts who provide support specifically for the operations and the budget, so no matter what age of care you provide, you have the array of expertise in our division to go out and provide in person care or you can access them virtually.