Integration of Head Start and State Early Care and Education Systems

OMB #: 0970-0356 Expiration Date: 06/30/2021

NOTE TO REVIEWERS: Respondents will receive an email with the link to the survey. The email includes all standard Paperwork Reduction Act language.

HEAD START AND EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION LANDSCAPE SURVEY

DRAFT SURVEY ITEMS

This survey is intended to gather information regarding ways in which Head Start is coordinated with your state’s early care and education (ECE) system. Because funds flow directly from the federal government to local Head Start grantees, we are unsure how well-coordinated Head Start may be with the state ECE system. We use the term “coordinated” to refer to Head Start collaboration, relationship to, and integration into the state ECE system. We realize that Head Start coordination can look different in different states (e.g., involved in state-level discussions about the system, Head Start sites licensed by the state, shared professional development). Thank you for sharing information on this topic.

Perceptions (asked of all respondent types)

1. How well coordinated is Head Start with the following aspects of your state’s early care and education (ECE) system? (Please check the appropriate box.)

	Not   at all coordinated	Slightly coordinated	Somewhat coordinated	Moderately coordinated	Very coordinated	Do not know
Child care licensing
Child care subsidy
Early intervention (Part C)
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B
Quality rating and improvement system (QRIS)
State Pre-Kindergarten
Other______(please describe)

2. Please select the three most important factors that facilitate positive collaboration and coordination between Head Start and the ECE system in your state.

   1. Different levels of oversight (e.g., federal oversight of Head Start and state oversight of ECE)

   2. Support from leadership at my agency

   3. Support from leadership at another agency

   4. Strong relationships among Head Start and ECE leaders

   5. Strong relationships among Head Start and ECE staff

   6. Federal policy mandates that we collaborate

   7. Federal grants or programs create incentives for us to collaborate

   8. State policy mandates that we collaborate

   9. Time to participate in collaboration activities

   10. Shared knowledge about Head Start and ECE

   11. Access to data about HS and ECE

   12. Frequent, regular communication across HS and other ECE programs

   13. State funding of Head Start

   14. Private funding to support collaboration activities in HS and ECE

   15. Shared or consistent goals across HS and ECE

   16. Agency staff comfortable changing aspects of the system

   17. Head Start Collaboration Office is physically near other ECE offices

   18. Head Start Collaboration Office is part of an ECE agency

   19. Other______ (please describe)

3. Please select the top three barriers that make it difficult to collaborate and coordinate Head Start and other aspects of the ECE system in your state.

   1. Different levels of oversight (e.g., federal oversight of Head Start and state oversight of ECE)

   2. Lack of support from leadership at my agency

   3. Lack of support from leadership at another agency

   4. Lack of trust between Head Start and ECE leaders

   5. Lack of trust between Head Start and ECE staff

   6. Lack of federal mandates requiring us to collaborate

   7. Lack of federal grants or programs that create incentives to collaborate

   8. Lack of state policies requiring us to collaborate

   9. Not enough time to collaborate

   10. Lack of knowledge about Head Start or ECE

   11. Cannot access data (e.g., no access to Head Start data)

   12. Lack of structure for collaboration (e.g., no regular meetings)

   13. Lack of state funding of Head Start

   14. Lack of funding to support collaboration activities in HS and ECE

   15. Different goals or strategic plans

   16. Staff discomfort in changing aspects of the system

   17. Head Start Collaboration Office is not physically near ECE offices

   18. Head Start Collaboration Office is not part of an ECE agency

   19. Other______ (please describe)

4. What is one specific change at the federal level that could make it easier for Head Start to be more coordinated with the state ECE system? (please describe)

5. What is one specific change at the state level that could make it easier for Head Start to be more coordinated with the state ECE system? (please describe)

Demographics (asked of all respondent types),

6. How long have you been in your current position?

   1. Close ended, Numeric field, number of years

7. What roles have you had or currently have within Head Start or the ECE system in this state? (check all that apply).

Role	Currently have	Previously had
CCDF administrator
Head Start Collaboration Office director
State PreK director
Local PreK administrator
Child care licensing staff
QRIS staff
Child care subsidy staff
Part C or Part B of IDEA staff (early childhood special education)
Child Care Resource & Referral
Professional development/consultant/trainer
University or community college ECE instructor
Worked at a professional association
Worked in a school district
Worked in an advocacy organization
Worked in a child care center or was a home-based care provider
Worked in a Head Start program
Other direct service with children and families (e.g., home visitor, nurse, social worker, parent educator)
Other policy work related to children and families (e.g., health care)
Other______ (please describe)

CCDF/Subsidy Policies and Practices Only

8. How can Head Start programs use child care subsidy funds? Please check all that apply.

1. Extending daily hours of care for children enrolled in Head Start (e.g., providing wrap around care)

2. Serving new children who are not already enrolled in Head Start (i.e., expanding enrollment)

3. Extending the school year for children enrolled in Head Start

4. Other______ (please describe)

5. N/A__________

9. Where does Head Start fall on the list of children who are prioritized? Please rank order the priorities below)

1. Head Start

2. Eligible for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

3. Homeless or unstable housing

4. Child with disability or developmental delay

5. Family history of abuse, neglect, or family violence

6. Child in foster care

7. Teen parent

8. Health risk (e.g., low birth weight)

9. Parent on active military duty

10. English Language Learner

11. It is not possible to rank order the priority areas because they are all equally prioritized.

12. It is not possible to rank order the priority areas because we prioritize subsidies for children with multiple risk factors.

13. Other_______ (please describe)

14. N/A – our state does not prioritize Head Start for child care subsidies

CCDF/Child Care Licensing Policies and Practices Only

10. Do you use Head Start monitoring data as part of child care licensing or inspections?

1. Yes, we always use at least some Head Start monitoring data.

2. Sometimes. There are certain circumstances when we use Head Start data.

3. Rarely. We generally do not use Head Start monitoring data, but in rare cases have accepted Head Start data.

4. No, we never use Head Start monitoring data.

11. Does the child care licensing unit share information with Head Start about violations in Head Start programs?

1. Yes

2. No

If “No”, END SURVEY

12. How is information about child care licensing violations in Head Start programs shared with Head Start? (Check all that apply)

1. Licensing does not share information or data with anyone other than the licensed program with the violation

2. Licensing shares licensing violation information or data with the Head Start grantee that oversees the licensed site

3. Licensing shares summaries of licensing violations with the Head Start Collaboration office (that does not name a particular site or grantee)

4. Licensing shares summaries of licensing violations with the Head Start regional office (that does not name a particular site or grantee)

5. Other_______ (please describe)

QRIS Policies and Practices Only

13. How is your QRIS preparing for new Head Start performance standards related to their participation in QRIS?

1. Cross walking QRIS standards with Head Start Program Performance Standards or Early Learning Outcomes Framework

2. Revising QRIS quality indicators

3. Revising QRIS rating procedures

4. Improving data infrastructure

5. Other________ (please describe)

6. N/A - QRIS is not making any changes

7. N/A – Head Start is not eligible to participate in QRIS

If “N/A – Head Start is not eligible to participate in the QRIS” then END SURVEY

14. Does your QRIS accept Head Start monitoring data to document quality indicators included in the QRIS rating?

1. Yes

2. No because Head Start automatically receives a particular rating

3. No we do not use Head Start monitoring data as part of a rating

15. What are the considerations or conditions under which Head Start programs can access quality improvement supports in QRIS? (e.g. coaching/technical assistance, financial incentives, quality assessments) (check all that apply)

    1. Head Start programs are eligible for all of the same supports offered to programs participating in QRIS

    2. Head Start programs are eligible for all of the same supports offered to programs participating in QRIS if they meet certain criteria (e.g., must serve children receiving child care subsidies)

    3. Head Start programs are eligible for some of the same supports offered to programs participating in QRIS

    4. Head Start programs are eligible for some of the same supports offered to programs participating in QRIS if they meet certain criteria (e.g., must serve children receiving child care subsidies)

    5. Head Start programs are not eligible for QRIS supports

    6. Other_________(please describe)

State Pre-K Policies and Practices Only

16. How are state pre-K funds allowed to be used by Head Start programs?

1. Extending daily hours of care for children enrolled in Head Start (e.g., providing wrap around care)

2. Serving new children who are not already enrolled in Head Start (i.e., expanding enrollment)

3. Extending the school year for children enrolled in Head Start

4. Other______ (please describe)

5. N/A - state pre-K does not allow for funds to be used by Head Start programs

17. Can families submit the same application to apply for Head Start and pre-K? Are there central eligibility requirements or recruitment processes used to enroll children in Head Start and state pre-K?

1. Yes, at the state level

2. Yes, at some city/county levels

3. No

4. Not sure

18. Are there systems in place for Pre-K and Head Start to coordinate recruitment?

1. Yes, at the state level

2. Yes, at some city/county levels

3. No

4. Not sure

Head Start Collaboration Office Only

19. How has the state’s pre-K efforts influenced Head Start enrollment and/or recruitment? (check all that apply)

1. Head Start enrollment has declined

2. Head Start serves more three-year-olds

3. Head Start has converted more slots to Early Head Start slots

4. The types of children Head Start enrolls has changed (e.g., serve more children with disabilities, serve more dual language learners)

5. It is harder to recruit in communities with several pre-K programs

6. The state provides less funding support for Head Start

7. It is harder to recruit qualified Head Start teachers

8. Other_____

9. N/A- Pre-K has not had an influence on Head Start enrollment or recruitment.

20. To what extent is there alignment between the state’s QRIS and the Head Start Program Performance Standards?

1. The state’s QRIS is aligned with the Head Start Program Performance Standards; there are no conflicts or contradictions.

2. The state’s QRIS is somewhat aligned with the Head Start Program Performance Standards; there are only a few conflicts or contradictions.

3. There are many conflicts or contradictions between the state’s QRIS and the Head Start Program Performance Standards.

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