Niagara Falls board briefed on Head Start readiness, enrollment and upcoming federal review

The Niagara Falls City School District on Jan. 23 told its Board of Education that its Head Start program has stabilized since the district became the grantee about three years ago and is preparing for an in‑person federal monitoring review that staff expect to arrive with a 45‑day notice.

The update, presented by the district’s Head Start director, focused on governance, program capacity and audit preparedness ahead of the next “FA‑2” federal review. The presentation outlined how the district and policy council share leadership, how federal rules shape staffing and classroom size, and where the program needs additional first‑floor rooms to increase infant and toddler slots.

Head Start matters to the district because it serves the community’s youngest children and is federally regulated. Director Dr. Lynette told the board the district spends roughly $10,000,000 on children under 4 — funded primarily by a combination of a universal pre‑K grant and a Head Start grant and supplemented by approximately $3,000,000 in local dollars. She said the district will receive a formal federal notification about 45 days before the in‑person review and that the visit will be a full…