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Edcouch‑Elsa ISD presents Early Head Start MOU with UTRGV; district told program will be cost‑neutral
Summary
District staff outlined a new Early Head Start partnership with UTRGV that would place an on‑site 0–3 program in five rooms, enroll up to 24 children under a signed MOU, and be largely funded and staffed by UTRGV; board discussion took questions but no formal board vote on the MOU was recorded in the transcript.
Dr. Sandy Ochoa, presenting on behalf of EDCOUCH‑ELSA ISD, described a new Early Head Start partnership with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) that would place infant and toddler classrooms on a district campus under a memorandum of understanding signed the prior month.
The district presentation said the MOU covers five converted classrooms, a bilingual curriculum (Frog Street infant/toddler/preschool series) paid for by UTRGV, and in‑kind district support such as facilities and custodial services. “This is not going to cost the district anything,” Ochoa told trustees, adding that UTRGV would cover teacher salaries and most operating costs under the agreement.
The district reported enrollment and capacity figures during the presentation: 12 infants were already enrolled at the time of the meeting and the MOU is for 24 slots. Officials told the board a smaller budget scenario projecting 16 slots would yield roughly $184,588 in direct funding from UTRGV; presenters also cited higher revenue and in‑kind totals if the program reaches 24 slots. The presenters said UTRGV will also provide case management, certified nurses and social workers, and parent/family curricula, and that the program is intended to segue children into the district’s Pre‑K 3 program as they age.
Board members asked about timing, capacity and eligibility. Ochoa said interviews had been completed, five staff candidates were identified, and licensure processing would take about 20 days; she said the program could begin as early as mid‑February if the board approved and licensure completed. The presenters said the program’s goal is to prioritize EDCOUCH‑ELSA ISD students through the district’s child‑find and other recruitment, but that slots could be filled by other eligible families if district demand did not fill capacity.
On funding and term, Ochoa said the MOU is for five years and UTRGV will provide substantial in‑kind and cash support; district in‑kind contributions would include facility space, custodial and security services and district staff time to support recruitment and coordination. She said an appraiser would estimate fair rent for the classroom space within two weeks and that in‑kind values would be prorated accordingly.
Trustees and staff repeatedly emphasized coordination with UTRGV, the sensitivity of licensure and the importance of outreach to expectant and teen parents. No formal motion or board vote on the UTRGV MOU was recorded in the transcript; presenters asked for approval during the presentation but the meeting record does not show a motion or an outcome regarding the MOU.
The presentation packet included detailed line items and several dollar amounts for different enrollment scenarios; presenters cautioned that some numbers (in‑kind valuations and prorated rent) were estimates and would be finalized as part of the MOU implementation.
If the district proceeds, staff said training for employees named in the MOU would begin after board approval and licensure, and that UTRGV had already begun home‑based recruitment with community visits. The presenters invited trustees to tour the converted classrooms and to meet UTRGV staff.
