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Head Start director: program fully enrolled with $3.1 million grant, space and staffing limit expansion
Summary
Director Tracy Johnson told the board Head Start is fully enrolled (11 classrooms serving 154 children) under a five-year grant worth about $3,100,000 and said a lack of classroom space and certified staff constrains expansion despite a healthy wait list.
Tracy Johnson, Head Start director, presented the program's annual orientation and student outcome data to the Grand Forks School Board.
Johnson said the program is in the second year of a five-year federal grant and that the award for the year is about $3,100,000. She said the required non-federal share (in-kind) is about $792,000 and that last year the program exceeded its in-kind contribution by about $300,000.
"We are fully enrolled," Johnson said, noting Head Start operates 11 classrooms and serves 154 children who meet the U.S. Census Bureau poverty guidelines. Classrooms meet federal performance standards across education, health and nutrition, disabilities, parent engagement and governance. Johnson said the program provides screenings (physical, hearing, vision, dental and immunizations) and a mental-health disability component manager for social-emotional supports.
Johnson reported program attendance at 86.87% in the most recent year and said attendance is critical to meeting school-readiness goals. She described capacity constraints: in some district rooms Head Start can only place 10 children because of square-foot requirements, and the program is split across multiple buildings. Johnson said the program maintains a healthy wait list of qualifying families and many additional families who do not meet the poverty guidelines but would want seats if available. A stated stretch goal is co-locating Head Start, early-childhood special education and Pre-K under one roof.
Board members praised the program and asked about a stretch goal and unmet needs. Director Johnson acknowledged the staff and community partners and said the program will return later in the year with additional information.
No board action was required; the presentation was for information and planning.
