Office of Head Start Survey on Background Checks and Staffing

OMB # 0970-0558

Expiration date: 11/30/2023

Office of Head Start Survey on
Background Checks and Staffing

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) STATEMENT OF PUBLIC BURDEN: The purpose of this information collection is to gather information on Head Start grantee experiences in complying with HSPPS workforce background check requirements and challenges related to recruiting and retaining the workforce. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. This is a voluntary collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB # is 0970-0558 and the expiration date is 11/30/2023. If you have any comments on this collection of information, please contact [contact info to be added]

Background Check and Staffing Survey Form

{QUESTION DISPLAY LOGIC: This instrument contains general program questions, and two sections for specific feedback on background check processes and recruitment/retention workforce shortage feedback. Certain items in the background check process will be skipped depending on responses to questions about the type of background check process in particular states.}

A. General Program Questions

OHS is interested in learning more about your program’s experience with comprehensive background check processes, issues recruiting and retaining staff, and how staff shortages might be impacting program services. Information from this survey will be used to inform technical assistance and policy guidance for programs as they work to ensure that the Head Start workforce meets Head Start’s high standards for the safety and well-being of the children and families they serve and as programs continue to support and stabilize their workforce.

When completing this survey, please consider all staff positions in your program, regardless of the funding source for those positions.

1. What is the size of your Head Start/Early Head Start program?

1. Extra Small (100 or fewer funded enrollment slots)

2. Small (101-300 funded enrollment slots)

3. Medium (301-600 funded enrollment slots)

4. Large (601-1,000 funded enrollment slots)

5. Extra Large/Super (More than 1,000 funded enrollment slots)

2. How would describe the area in which your program is primarily located?

   1. Urban (e.g., population more than 250,000)

   2. Rural (e.g., population less than 20,000)

   3. Other

   4. Not sure

3. Is your program an American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start program?

   1. Yes

   2. No

4. Is any of your Head Start/Early Head Start programming licensed/registered/or regulated by a State?

   1. Yes

   2. No

5. Are you receiving CCDF funds and required to complete background checks for employees as a condition of receiving such funds?

   1. Yes

   2. No

B. Feedback QUESTIONS on Comprehensive background check experiences

We would like to ask you several questions about your experience with the comprehensive background check process. The Head Start Program Performance Standards describe the program requirements for completing comprehensive background checks for personnel under §1302.90(b). OHS is interested in learning more about your experience with state systems for processing comprehensive background checks that meet these requirements.

{Display Q6 if Q3 = b}

6. Is your Head Start/Early Head Start program currently processing background checks through a state background check system?

1. Yes, for all staff

2. Yes, but only for some staff

3. No

{Display Q7 if Q3 = a}

7. You indicated you are a Tribal Head Start/Early Head Start program, are you currently processing background checks through a state background check system?

1. Yes, the state processes all checks

2. Yes, the state processes some checks

3. No, our checks are processed through our Tribe or another Tribal organization

{Display Q8 if Q6 = a or b [OR] if Q7 = a or b}

8. Which state/s is/are processing your background checks?
   [multi-option dropdown menu of states, select all that apply]

{Display Q9 if Q3 = a}

9. Is your Tribal Head Start/Early Head Start program able to access any of the following systems to conduct background checks? (Check all that apply)

• A single state background check system

• Multiple state background check systems (for Tribes with tribal lands located across multiple states)

• Tribal Registries or Databases

• The Tribal Access Program (for FBI fingerprint-based criminal records)

• Private Vendor or Third-Party Company

• FBI Channeler (for FBI fingerprint-based criminal records)

• Other (please specify: _____________________)

• None of the above

10. Since January 2022, approximately how many comprehensive background checks for prospective employees have you submitted through your state/tribe for processing?

1. None

2. Fewer than 10

3. 10-25

4. 26-50

5. More than 50

11. Does your state process both the state and FBI fingerprint-based background checks at the same time as a single application/review/check?

    1. Yes

    2. No

    3. Not sure

{Display Q12 if Q11 = b or c}

12. Approximately how long is the average wait time for initial background check/fingerprint results for a prospective employee, after all paperwork has been submitted to the state or Tribe? Initial background check means the first check submitted if submitting separate state and FBI fingerprint checks.

1. Fewer than 7 days

2. Between 7 to 14 days

3. Between 15 to 21 days

4. Between 22 to 30 days

5. More than 30 days

{Display Q13 if Q11 = a}

13. Approximately how long is the average wait time to receive results from all four components of the background check (State and FBI fingerprint checks, CAN Registry, sex offender registry under §1302.90(b)) for a prospective employee?

1. Fewer than 7 days

2. Between 7 to 14 days

3. Between 15 to 21 days

4. Between 22 to 30 days

5. More than 30 days

14. Since January 2022, have you been unable to meet the HSPPS 90-day timeline after hire to get results from the state and FBI fingerprint checks and CAN Registry components of a comprehensive background check? (Note, the CCDF requirement for licensed and registered programs is completed background checks within 45 days after hire).

1. Yes

2. No

{Display Q15 if Q14 = a}

15. How often were background checks submitted for processing NOT completed with results returned during the 90 days after hire as prescribed in the Head Start Program Performance Standards?

1. Rarely

2. Sometimes

3. Very Often

4. Always

{Display Q16 if Q14 = a}

16. Which components have caused you to miss the 90-day timeline? (Check all that apply)

1. FBI criminal history record with fingerprint checks

2. State criminal history record with fingerprint checks

3. tribal criminal history record with fingerprint checks

4. Child abuse and neglect registry checks

5. Interstate Checks

17. Since January 2022, how often have you been unable to hire prospective employees or contractors due to delays in receiving background check results?

3. Rarely

4. Sometimes

5. Very Often

6. Always

18. Since January 2022, approximately what percent of classrooms has your program had challenges opening due to the length of the background checks process?

1. No classroom challenges due to background check delays

2. 1% to 25% of classrooms

3. 26% to 49% of classrooms

4. 50% to 74% of classrooms

5. 75% to 99% of classrooms

6. 100% of classrooms

7. Unsure

19. Since January 2022, approximately what percent of classrooms has your program had to close due to the length of the background checks process?

8. No classroom challenges due to background check delays

9. 1% to 25% of classrooms

10. 26% to 49% of classrooms

11. 50% to 74% of classrooms

12. 75% to 99% of classrooms

13. 100% of classrooms

14. Unsure

20. What other comments or reflections do you have about the background check process? [open ended question for comments]

C. Feedback QUESTIONS on recruitment and retention issues

We would like to ask you to reflect on your program’s experience with recruiting and retaining staff and how staff shortages might be impacting program services. As with the questions above, please consider all staff positions in your program, regardless of the funding source for those positions.

1. Please complete the following table to indicate for which staff positions you are experiencing a workforce shortage and the severity of this shortage. If your program does not have the specified position, please mark “Do not have this position”.

Definitions for this section:

• Low severity indicates it is a small problem. For example, there is relatively little turnover and/or few staff vacancies and anticipate minimal challenges filling these.

• Moderate severity indicates it is a moderate problem. For example, there are several staff vacancies and/or relatively high turnover, but only impacting enrollment to a small extent, and there are plans in place to address this and anticipate these issues can reasonably be resolved within the next few months.

• High severity indicates it is a severe problem. For example, there are several staff vacancies and/or relatively high turnover and impacting enrollment to a great extent; there are concerns that these issues cannot be resolved within the next few months.

Position	Experiencing staff shortages?			Severity of Issue
	Yes	No	Do not have this position	Low or None	Moderate	High	Do not have this position
Teachers
Assistant Teachers
Other teaching support staff (aides, floaters, etc.)
Home visitors
Family Service Workers
Mid-level Managers or Coordinators (i.e., Health Education, Disabilities, Family Services, etc.)
Center Directors
Other Management Staff
Other program support staff (i.e., cooks, custodians, office aides, etc.)
Bus drivers or monitors

2. Severity Ranking: For positions that you reported as having a moderate or high severity, please rank them in order starting with #1 as the position for which staffing challenges are most impacting enrollment (i.e., unable to enroll children due to lack of available staff). For any positions that were reported as low severity or that you do not have this position, you can leave them as unranked.

Position	Severity Ranking
Teachers
Assistant Teachers
Other teaching support staff (aides, floaters, etc.)
Home visitors
Family Service Workers
Mid-level Managers or Coordinators (i.e., Health Education, Disabilities, Family Services, etc.)
Center Directors
Other Management Staff
Other program support staff (i.e., cooks, custodians, office aides, etc.)
Bus drivers or monitors

3. Since January 2022, approximately what percent of classrooms has your program had challenges keeping open due to staffing shortages for any reason?

   1. No challenges keeping classrooms open due to staffing shortages

   2. 1% to 25% of classrooms

   3. 26% to 49% of classrooms

   4. 50% to 74% of classrooms

   5. 75% to 99% of classrooms

   6. 100% of classrooms

   7. Unsure

4. Do you have any additional comments you would like to provide on staff shortages in your program?

[open ended question for comments]

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