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Board approves Head Start nonfederal-match waiver request and reallocates vacant slots to boost staff pay
Summary
Trustees approved a Head Start nonfederal match waiver request for 2024–25 and authorized relinquishing long-unused slots to reallocate funds toward higher wages for Head Start employees, pending federal approval.
The McDowell County Board of Education voted June 9 to approve a Head Start nonfederal-match waiver request for the 2024–25 program year and to pursue federal approval to relinquish long-unfilled Head Start slots at West Marion Elementary to reallocate funds toward staff pay.
District Head Start director explained that the Head Start Act requires grantees to provide a nonfederal match equal to 20 percent of program costs, though programs may request a waiver when the match cannot be met. The director said McDowell’s total required nonfederal match is $586,056; this year the district requested a waiver for $108,883 — a substantial reduction from past requests of about $200,000.
The board also approved a request to relinquish vacant slots at West Marion Elementary that have been unused for nearly three years. The district said the funding associated with those slots, if approved by federal Head Start, could be used to raise wages and make Head Start salaries more competitive.
Action taken: Motion by Mr. Settles, second by Mr. Shuford, to approve the waiver request and to seek federal permission to reallocate the vacant slots carried unanimously.
Follow-up: District staff said federal approval is required before any reallocation or salary increases occur.
