Tracy Johnson, director of Head Start programming that partners with Grand Forks Public Schools, told the board the federally funded Head Start program is fully enrolled and continuing to meet federal performance standards while working to reduce attendance barriers.

"We are in the second year of our five-year grant. This year we were given about $3,100,000 to run our program," Johnson said, adding the program carries an in-kind match requirement of $792,000 and that last year the district exceeded its in-kind target by roughly $300,000.

Johnson said Head Start serves 154 children who meet U.S. Census poverty guidelines across 11 classrooms: seven at the main site connected to Lake Agassiz Elementary School, one at Lewis and Clark, two at Ben Franklin (new this year), and an intergenerational classroom at Valley Senior Living. Services run Monday through Thursday.

She outlined Head Start’s seven federally required components — education, health, nutrition, mental health, disabilities, parent engagement and program governance — and said the program coordinates closely with district early childhood special education to provide services in the least restrictive environment. Johnson reported 21% of Head Start students received Individualized Education Program minutes last year.

On school-readiness outcomes Johnson said teachers and parents work together using the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework aligned to North Dakota early learning standards, and that the program collects data three times a year. She reported attendance rates of 86.87% for 2024–25 and said the program follows performance standards that require prompt outreach when children are absent, including home visits when needed.

Board members asked about unmet needs and capacity. Johnson said the program maintains a wait list, including children who meet poverty guidelines and many who do not. She identified space and staffing as primary constraints and said a long-term goal would be to consolidate Head Start, early childhood special education and preschool into a single facility to expand enrollment and coordination.

Ending: Board members praised the program’s outcomes and encouraged continued community partnerships to increase early childhood access. Johnson said Head Start will return later in the year with further outcome data.