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Hidalgo County Commissioners approve Head Start awards, Donna ISD collaboration and conversion of slots to Early Head Start
Summary
The commissioners approved honoraria for Head Start teachers, an MOU development with Donna ISD to use Guzman Elementary, a grant application to convert Head Start slots to Early Head Start (0–3), purchases for safety and food service, and a payment certification for outdoor learning improvements.
Hidalgo County Commissioners on March 2025 approved several actions for the county Head Start program, including honoraria for classroom teachers, authorization to develop a memorandum of understanding with Donna Independent School District, and permission to submit a grant application to convert Head Start slots into Early Head Start seats for infants and toddlers beginning in school year 2025–26.
Head Start staff requested authorization to select a Pre-K 3 and a Pre-K 4 teacher from 53 classrooms and award each honoree a $2,000 personal honorarium plus $2,000 for their classroom; commissioners approved the request. Staff also sought authorization to begin drafting an MOU with Donna ISD to use Guzman Elementary beginning in school year 2025–26, and the court approved staff bringing the MOU back for final authorization at the next meeting.
Commissioners approved the Head Start office's request to submit a change-in-scope grant application to convert Head Start slots into Early Head Start slots (services for children 0–3). Staff said the conversion would begin with the 2025–26 school year and that the change would support enrollment efforts. The court also approved updated 2025–26 income-priority guidelines for selection and enrollment to align with current poverty guidelines.
The court approved purchases for program operations: the Raptor Emergency Management Visitor Safety System (vendor Raptor Technologies LLC, contract 759-25) for visitor management; two cargo vans for food service purchased through the Texas Association of School Boards cooperative with TASB administrative fees, to be paid from USDA funds; and office furniture through BuyBoard (Coastal Office Solutions Inc.).
Separately, commissioners approved an application and certification for payment in the amount recorded in the meeting — $438,711.10 — submitted by NM Contracting LLC for the Head Start outdoor learning environment and discovery classrooms (architect: The Warren Group Architects Inc.). Staff said the application was certified by the project architect and funded pursuant to prior court action.
During the item staff reported average daily attendance for Head Start children is now in the nineties (percent), and staff thanked the court for continued support. Commissioners approved all Head Start items by voice vote.
