PROGRAM GOVERNANCES

Laurie Gan Leiner, MPADirector, Head StartCapital Area Community Action Agency, Inc.

The governing body shall be composed of: One member must have a background and expertise in

fiscal management or accounting.

One member must have a background and expertise in early childhood education and development.

One member must be a licensed attorney familiar with issues that come before the governing body

Board members shall reflect the community they are severing and include parents of children who are currently, or were formerly, enrolled in Head Start programs;

Members are selected for their expertise in education, business administration, or community affairs.

Exceptions to 642 (c)(1)(B)(v)(vi) Reauthorization Head Start Act:

Members of a governing body that oversee a public entity and are selected to their positions with the public entity by public election or political appointment.

Governing body that is not able to have the expertise of an attorney, fiscal and accounting, and early childhood and development may use a consultant , or an individual with relevant expertise, with the qualifications to work directly with the governing body.

Assume legal and fiscal responsibilities for administering and overseeing all programs under its authority, including the safeguarding of Federal funds;

Adopt practices that assure active, independent, and informed governance of the corporation, including the resolution of internal disputes and the facilitation of meaningful consultation and collaboration about decisions of the Board of Directors and Policy Council, and fully participate in the development, planning, and evaluation of the Head Start program;

Ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations; and

Select delegate agencies and their service area as appropriate;

Establish procedures and criteria for recruitment, selection and enrollment of children;

Review applications for Head Start funding and amendments to such application;

Establish procedures and guidelines for accessing and collecting accurate and regular information for use by the Board of Directors and the Policy Council about program planning, policies and Head Start agency operation;

Approve personnel policies and procedures, including those regarding the hiring, evaluation, compensation and termination of the Executive Director, Head Start Director, Director of Human Resources, Chief Financial Officer; and any other person in an equivalent position within the agency;

Approve financial management, accounting, and reporting policies and compliance with laws and regulations relating to financial statements, including the approval of all major financial expenditures of the agency; annual approval of the agency’s operating budget; selection of independent financial auditors who shall report all

critical accounting policies and practices to the Board of Directors; and

monitoring the corporation’s actions to correct any audit findings and of other action necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations governing financial statement and accounting practices;

Review results from monitoring conducted under section 641c of the Head Start Act, including appropriate follow up activities;

Establish, adopt and periodically update written standards of conduct that establish standards and formal procedures for disclosing, addressing and resolving any conflicts of interest or appearance of conflicts of interest by Directors, Officers and employees of the corporation, and consultants and agents who provide services or furnish goods to the corporation; and complaints, including investigations, as appropriate;

Develop procedures for how members of the Policy Council are selected; and

As practicable and appropriate establish advisory committees to oversee key responsibilities related to Head Start program governance and improvement.

Policy Council is responsible for making decisions that guide and direct the Head Start Program. They work in partnership with the Governing Body to govern the programs.

The Policy Council shall be elected by the parents of children who are currently enrolled in the Head Start/Early Head Start Program. 51% must be parents of current Head Start Children.posed of:Parents of children who are currently enrolled in the program, who shall constitute a majority of the member of the policy council; and

Members at large of the community served by the Head Start/Early Head Start Program, who may include parents of children who were formerly enrolled in the Head Start/Early Head Start

Member can only be on the policy council for three 1-year terms in a lifetime 1304.50(b)(5)

The policy council shall approve and submit to the governing body decisions about program operation activities 642(2)(D) Reauthorization Head Start Act

Approve procedures for program planning to include the program’s philosophy and long- and short-range goals and objectives. 45CFR 1304.51 (a) & 45 CFR 1305.3

Participate in discussion concerning program vision

Establish subcommittees as needed to work with staff

Analyze plans, goals and objectives

Obtain recommendations from Parent Committees

Provide input on relevant community issues

Review financial statements to ensure resources are available

Approve criteria for recruitment, selection and enrollment priorities in accordance with the requirements of Federal regulations. 45 CFR Part 1305 (see 1304.50(d)(1)vii)

Conduct periodic reviews of the criteria for recruitment, selection and enrollment priorities

Examine how the enrollment process is working to address the needs of children and families in the community

Review and approve all funding applications for Head Start, including administrative services prior to the submission of the applications to the grantee.

Consider funding applications as part of an ongoing planning process

Get information on the funding request and provide input before the application and related materials are drafted

Conduct an annual self-assessment of the agency’s progress in carrying out the programmatic and fiscal intent of its grant application, including planning or other actions that may result from review of the annual audit and findings from the Federal monitoring review. 45 CFR 1304.51(i)(1) and 45 CFR 1301.12

Schedule reasonable time for self-assessment

Form self-assessment team that includes parents and representation from the community

Define measures for the self assessment process

Findings are reported to the Policy Council, Parent Committees and governing bodies

Improvement plans should be appropriate and reasonable

Approve procedures describing how the governing body and the appropriate policy group will implement shared decision making. 1304.50(d)(1)(iii)

Develop written procedures for shared decision-making

Support open channels of communication to include exchange minutes of meetings and joint meetings

Jointly establish written procedures for resolving internal disputes, including impasse procedures between the governing body and the policy group. 1305.50(h)

Develop and formally adopt dispute resolution policies

Ensure that new Policy Council members are aware of the dispute resolution process

Seek outside assistance from community-based organizations for the negotiation or mediation of disputes that threaten to disrupt services to children and families

Establish and maintain procedures for hearing and working with the agency to resolve community complaints about the program.

Establish a process to respond to all community inquiries

Develop procedures that describe specific steps in the process for addressing community concerns and resolving community complaints

Make copies of procedures widely available

Conduct outreach to community agencies or individuals to solicit suggestions for improvement

Approve Program Personnel policies and changes to policies in accordance with Federal regulations, to include standards of conduct for program staff, consultants and volunteers. 45 CFR 1301.31

Review personnel policies

Ensure that personnel policies are effective in securing and maintaining qualified staff who can provide the appropriate services

Modify or amend policies as appropriate

Focus personnel policy review on one particular area during any given year.

Approve decisions to hire or terminate the Head Start. 1304.50(d)(1)(xi)

Review personnel policies

Ensure that personnel policies are effective in securing and maintaining qualified staff who can provide the appropriate services

Modify or amend policies as appropriate

Focus personnel policy review on one particular area during any given year.

Approve bylaws for the operation of the policy council. 642(c)(2)(D)(v) in Reauthorization Head Start Act

Participate in the revision, but not until the policy council formally changes (amends) them.

Responsible for reviewing the bylaws at least once a year to recommend changes if necessary.

Approve budget planning for program expenditures, including policies for reimbursement and participation in policy council activities. 642(c)(2)(D)(iv) Reauthorization Head Start Act

Review and receive monthly budget updates on grant expenditures

Follow up on reimbursements

Manage and sign off on policy council budget expenditures

Executive Director

Dynamic and cohesive management systems support continuous improvement and foster commitment to providing the highest level of services to children and families in accordance with legislation, regulations, and policies.

Systems:

Planning

Communication

Record keeping and Reporting

Monitoring/Self Assessment

Human Resources

Fiscal

ERSEA

Key factors of a shared governance system:

1. Clearly written procedures

2. Procedures to resolve internal disputes

3. Procedures for hearing and resolving community complaints

4. Staff driving the partnership

5. Managing and monitoring the governance portion of the standards

Grantee agencies must ensure that the following information is provided regularly to their grantee governing bodies and to members of their policy council about: Program planning, policies, and Head Start/Early Head Start operations;Monthly financial statements, including credit card expenditures;Program enrollment reports, including attendance reports for children whose care is partially subsidized by another public agency;Monthly reports of meals and snacks provided through the USDA programs ;Financial audit;Annual self-assessment, including any findings related to such assessment;Communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment of the program, including any applicable updates;Communication and guidance from the Secretary; and Program Information Report (PIR)

Grantee agencies are to provide appropriate training and technical assistance to the members of the governing body and policy council to ensure they understand the information their receiving; and that they can be effective at providing oversight and participating in the program.

New Members Orientation

Program Governance

Parliamentary Procedures and Meeting Rules

Self Assessment

Budget and Finance

Program Planning, Objectives , and Goal setting

Code of Conduct

Policy council bylaws

Performance standards

Shared governance plan

Conflict resolution (Impasse) Policy

Vision and Mission Statement

Summary of program budget

Meeting minutes from prior policy council meetings

Policy council meeting dates

Policy council members directory

Staff and program site location information

Shared Decision Making

Conflict of Interest

Impasse Procedures

Governing Board and Policy Council share the responsibility for making and approving policies and rules for the Head Start Program.

Member are to receive a written plan that outlines the shared decision making process the Governing Board and Policy Council has agreed upon.

Board and Policy Council must approve the shared governance plan

Policy Council is included at all levels of the decision making process

Members of the governing body and policy council shall: 642(c)(C)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)

Not have financial conflict of interest with the Head Start agency;

Not receive compensation for serving on any of the boards or for providing services to the Head Start Program;

Not be employed, nor shall members of their immediate family be employed by the Head Start Program;

Operate as an entity independent of staff employed by the programs.

The Head Start Act requires that the program have a conflict of interest policy.

Governing Board and Policy Council having written procedures for how to resolve conflict or impasse for when the two groups are unable to agree on a decision regarding the program.

Resolving internal conflict in a constructive and positive manner

A required plan that outline the established steps for how to resolve any conflicts that arises between the two groups.

Governing Board and Policy Council must follow the written procedures they have established for resolving conflicts or impasses

1. Advise staff in developing and implementing local program policies, activities and services

Program Policy suggestions

Volunteering and visiting Head Start site on a regular basis

Encourage to attend monthly parent center meetings

2. Plan, conduct, and participate in informal/ formal programs and activities for parents/staff

Advise staff in developing and implementing local program policies, activities and services

Assist staff in the recruitment of children in the Head Start Program

Assist staff in developing skits/plays involving children

Assist in Field trips

Serve on volunteer committees

1304.50(e)(1)(2)(3)

3. Participating on Committees

Parent Volunteer

Classroom

Education

Health Advisory

Special Projects

Policy Council