Board hears plan to transition Head Start services after grantee change; district outlines staff placement and seat impacts
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Summary
MSCS staff explained the district’s transition away from Head Start grantee status, the funding picture for pre‑K and the plan to redeploy or place affected employees. Officials said the district will lose about 1,500 Head Start seats but will operate VPK and other funded seats, and will work with Porta‑Leath to transfer centers and families.
Director of Early Childhood Services gave a high‑level report about Head Start and the district’s plan after the federal grantee changes. The presentation described historical context, current funding sources and next steps to transition certain centers to an external grantee (Porta‑Leath) while maintaining VPK and other district pre‑K programs.
Director Monica Gordon said the district received transition funds and currently has roughly $29.18 million across grants and local funds to operate existing pre‑K portfolios for 2025–26. She explained that Port‑a‑Leath has applied to operate several centers (Covington Pike, Delano, Douglas, Hanley and Ridgeway Early Learning Center) and that the district will work with facilities staff to transfer any assets or buildings associated with the Head Start portfolio that are included in the successful grantee’s application.
Gordon said the district will operate its VPK (state pre‑K) program independently and maintain about 1,000 fund‑1 seats; the combined service portfolio after transition is expected to serve approximately 3,600 students. She said the district will reduce its Head Start portfolio by roughly 1,500 seats because of the grant change. District staff reported that many Head Start teachers and classroom staff are eligible for district permits and that Human Resources and Licensure will help place qualified staff in VPK and other district roles. Gordon described a plan to offer specialized educational assistant positions, other central office and school roles, custodial opportunities and to provide information about job fairs coordinated with the incoming grantee.
Board members asked how parents and families would be notified and how center assignments would be handled for students, particularly four‑year‑olds. Gordon said the district had communicated to families by email and social media and was responding to parent inquiries; she said the district will work with Porta‑Leath to share wait‑list information and transition families if parents consent to information sharing. Board members sought clarification about facilities, deed transfer and reversion rights; Gordon said items purchased with federal funds will be included in the portfolio transferred to the new grantee and that facilities and equipment disposition will be handled consistent with federal and grant rules.
Gordon said the district’s early childhood staff worked to secure permits for classroom educators and to place as many affected employees as possible; she also noted plans to “build back better” and petition the state for additional classrooms in coming cycles. The district will follow a federal close‑out checklist with weekly updates to the regional office during the 120‑day close‑out process.
Ending: The board asked staff to continue family outreach, post transition timelines and ensure clear placement pathways for affected staff; porting of centers and federal assets to the new grantee will proceed under federal Head Start rules and a 120‑day transition timetable.
