Terrebonne committee recommends renewing Head Start interagency agreement after classrooms drop to eight

The Terrebonne Parish School District Education Technology and Policy Committee on May 20 recommended that the school board renew an interagency agreement with Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government to operate the local Head Start program for the 2025–26 school year, after the program reduced its classrooms from 10 to 8 and set enrollment at 136 children.

The renewal matters because it authorizes services and funding for early-childhood education in the parish and includes staffing and pay adjustments aimed at keeping classrooms fully enrolled. Diane Powell, Head Start representative, told the committee, "Things have changed a bit for Head Start and Terrebonne, dropping from 10 classrooms to 8. Okay. So we'll serve 136 children and families, and do what we do." She said the Office of Head Start asked the program to change its scope to match enrollment and that the program would use some of the funds to raise staff pay: "they're giving me the opportunity for pay parity, raises for all my staff with the money that I would use for salaries, utilities, rent, etcetera, food. So staff will get a bump up and I'll be able to hire more family, advocates and folks like that to serve the families."

Committee members pressed Powell on capacity and future expansion. Powell said she lost two classrooms at the Senator Circle site, attempts to find replacements were unsuccessful and, "At this point, it's too late for me to find I have to stick with 8." She described the program’s ability to add slots again as contingent on the Office of Head Start issuing opportunities such as request-for-proposal openings: "It would have to be offered... only if they offer that opportunity." The committee recommendation asked the full board to "approve and accept as presented the interagency agreement between Terrebonne Parish School Board and Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government on behalf of its Head Start program for the 2025–26 school year and further authorize the board president to sign all necessary documents pertaining thereto."

A motion to adopt the committee recommendation was moved by Mr. Ford and seconded by an unnamed committee member. No public objections were recorded during the meeting, and the presiding member declared the motion approved "hearing none, so moved." The committee did not record a roll-call vote during the discussion.

The renewal preserves Head Start services in Terrebonne Parish at the reduced classroom count and includes a shift in budgeted uses to support staff pay parity and additional family-support roles. Powell said the program is fully enrolled at eight classrooms and cannot accept additional children until enrollment opportunities are offered by the Office of Head Start.