Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Steven Falk FROM: Estelle Clemons
Interim City Administrator Interim Director, Human
Services Department
SUBJECT: Head Start Grant
Continuation Application FY 23-24
DATE: March 27, 2023
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
1. Authorizing The City Administrator To Apply For, Accept And Appropriate Head Start Basic Training And Technical Assistance, Early Head Start Basic And Training And Technical Assistance Grants For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 From The Us Department Of Health And Human Services, Administration For Children And Families, Office Of Head Start (DHHS/ACF), In An Estimated Amount Of Twelve Million Five Hundred Sixty- nine Thousand Two Hundred Sixty Dollars ($12,569,260), And Committing The Necessary 25% Local Match; And
2. Authorizing The City Administrator To Apply For, Accept And Appropriate A 5.6 Percent Cost Of Living (COLA) Adjustment And Quality Improvement Grant From DHHS/ACF To Offset Higher Operating Costs And Make Program Quality Improvements For The Head Start And Early Head Start Program For FY 2023- 2024; And
3. Authorizing An Estimated Offset Of Two Million Seven Hundred Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety- five Dollars ($2,709,795) For FY 2023 -2024 Central Services Overhead Charges; And
4. Awarding Grant Agreements To Fund Comprehensive Early Care, Education And Family Services To Community Service Providers Identified In Table 3 For FY 2023-2024 For A Total Amount Not To Exceed Two Million Seven Hundred- Thirty-Seven Thousand Three Hundred Sixteen Dollars ($2,737,316); And
5. Authorizing The City Administrator To Accept And Appropriate Additional Federal Head Start/Early Head Start Funds If They Become Available Within FY 2023-2024 And Amend The Grant Agreements Within The Limits Of The Federal Award.
Mar 29, 2023
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 2
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Oakland was awarded and accepted a five-year grant, for fiscal year (FY) 2021 – 2026, renewable annually. This report and resolution provide enabling legislation for the City of Oakland, Department of Human Services to apply for, accept, and implement a U.S.
Department Of Health And Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (DHHS/ACF), Office of Head Start continuation grant, with a May 1, 2023 extended submission deadline, in an estimated amount of $12,569,260, to serve approximately 622 pregnant women and low-income children, ages 0-5, and their families throughout the City of Oakland, with high quality early childhood development services from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, as part of the annual renewal grant award process.
The City of Oakland Head Start Program (the program) will continue to prioritize Early Head Start as the State expands universal pre-kindergarten funding for preschool-age children through Assembly Bill 22. The Head Start grant award funds 330 Early Head Start slots (children ages 0 to 3) and 292 Head Start slots (children ages 4 to 5), totaling 622 slots. The Oakland Head Start Program will provide full-day center-based program options, home-based program options, a modified home-based mobile classroom option, and family child care options.
The program will directly operate 12 existing center locations and one home-based location.
Three of the center locations, equating to 52 slots, were restored to full HS/EHS program operation through the approval of Council Resolution No. 88801 C.M.S . on September 1, 2021.
In addition, through the approval of Council Resolution No. 88940 C.M.S. on December 7, 2021, the city retains all existing filled positions to continue to support the program. These three sites do not receive federal Head Start grant funding.
Approval of this resolution will commit to allocate funding for the required Head Start/Early Head Start match for local in-kind contributions equal or greater to twenty-five percent (25%) of the total program costs as part of the FY 2023-2024 Budget Process. This resolution substantively plans the FY 2023-24 Head Start Budget. This includes planning for approximately $11.8 million in General-Purpose Fund support to maintain the programs at current service levels and prevent the elimination of filled Head Start positions. The final Head Start/Early Head Start budget will be reflected in the FY 2023-24 Proposed Budget.
The resolution also authorizes the City Administrator to enter into renewed grant agreements in FY 2023-2024 to provide Head Start related early childhood education services with long- standing early care and education partners: Brighter Beginnings, Peralta Community College District (Laney College and Merritt College Child Development Centers), Bananas Inc, as well as new partners to be determined through the City request for proposals process.
Finally, the resolution would also authorize the City to apply for the supplemental but required
5.6 percent COLA (cost of living adjustment), Quality Improvement (QI) funding award.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 3
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The City of Oakland has been a grantee of the Head Start Program since January 1971. In 2007, Congress enacted legislation that required, for the first time in the program's history, greater competition within communities for Head Start funding. The goal of the legislation and the subsequent regulations was to ensure that Federal Head Start funding is directed to the organizations most capable of delivering high-quality early education that puts children on a pathway to improved outcomes, school success, and opportunity.
In 2009, the City of Oakland became a direct grantee of the Early Head Start Program through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. This change enabled additional Early Head Start-eligible families and children ages prenatal through three years old to be served by the program.
In 2015, the City’s Human Services Department applied for all available funding (over $18 million). New Head Start regulations required expanding the program’s duration and hours of service, leading the program to replace part-day services with full-day Head Start and Early Head Start services. In addition, the proposal included an increased emphasis on coaching, school readiness, parent, family and community engagement, continuous quality improvement, and health and safety.
In June 2016, the City entered negotiations with the Head Start Regional Office for 86 percent of available funding, or approximately $15.9 million. The balance of the grant, or $2.6 million, was awarded to the YMCA of the East Bay to provide services along the MacArthur Corridor in the 94605 zip-code. In FY 2016-17, the beginning of a new 5-year project cycle (FY 2016-21), new program design changes were implemented. The new design helped create a more streamlined system of early care and education service delivery for children birth to age five and their families living in Oakland.
In FY 2020-21, the program successfully competed and was awarded Head Start/Early Head Start grant funding for a new 5-year project cycle from FY 2021-26. The award allocated $12,252,694 to provide 622 children and families with comprehensive early childhood services and 105.5 FTE staff. This grant award for FY2021-22 was $4,926,986 less than the previous year’s grant award of $17,179,680.
In FY 2021-22, the program began implementation of the new grant award, which included the total reduction of 52 slots across the Franklin, Tassafaronga and Arroyo Viejo sites. These sites would instead serve as a Home-Based program location, a Family Resource Center and an Inclusion site. However, in December 2021, City Council passed Resolution No. 88940 C.M.S., approving $1,836,000 in additional funding from the City’s General-Purpose Fund to restore the 52 Head Start/Early Head Start slots and all Head Start services at Franklin, Tassafaronga, and Arroyo Viejo centers.
The City of Oakland Head Start Program is one of three Head Start grantees serving Oakland children and families. The Spanish Speaking Unity Council (Unity Council) and YMCA of the East Bay also provide Head Start and Early Head Start services throughout the city. In Fiscal Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 4
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
Year 2020-2021, the Unity Council had around 368 funded slots and YMCA East Bay serves around 178 children and families.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The policy recommendation in this report advances the Citywide priority of Holistic Community Safety through expanded access to early childhood services in support of Oakland's most vulnerable families and children. City of Oakland Head Start consists of Head Start and Early Head Start programs designed to promote school readiness for children from low-income families. Early Head Start serves pregnant women and families with children under age 3. Head Start programs serve children and families between the ages of 3 and 5 years old. Program service delivery priorities are informed by a Community Needs Assessment that is updated annually.
Census data estimate that about 17,000 children ages 0 to eighteen in Oakland live below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), which is $30,000.00 for a family of four. This equates to about 21% of the under 18 population. Census data also show that the rate of families living under the Federal Poverty Level in Oakland are roughly double the rate county-wide. There are also significant differences in median income levels by race. In Alameda County, the median household income for African American residents is less than half that of White residents. Latinx residents make roughly 30% less than White residents.
1 It is estimated that there are roughly 30,000 children in Oakland under the age of five. Data from the Oakland Unified School District and Alameda County First 5 estimate that 6,525 children in Oakland ages three to five are eligible for subsidized care. Of these 6,525 eligible preschool- age children, 2,411 are not able to receive it due to the lack of subsidized child care slots available. The number of subsidized care slots needed for infant and toddlers is almost four times greater than the number of subsidized care slots for preschool-aged children. It is estimated that 9,733 infants and toddlers are eligible for subsidized care in Oakland. Of these 9,733 eligible infants and toddlers, 8,765 (almost 92%) are not able to receive it due to the lack of subsidized care slots available.
2 This is consistent with the Program’s previous Community Needs Assessment, though experts expect the entire childcare landscape to shift over the next five years as universal transitional kindergarten is implemented statewide.
Table 1: Socio-Demographic Characteristics of the City, County, and State Characteristics City of
Oakland
Alameda
County
California
Total Population, US Census 2022 433,823 1,648,556 39,029,342 % Children Under 5 6.0% 5.3% 5.7%
% Children Under 18 19.6% 20.1% 22.4%
% in Poverty 13.5% 9.4% 12.3%
Median Income (2017-2021) $85,628 $142,800 $101,600
1 Healthy Alameda County: Retrieved from https://www.healthyalamedacounty.org/demographicdata?id=238§ionId=936 2 2021: Alameda County First 5 Early Childhood Education Community Needs Assessment. Accessed here:
http://www.first5alameda.org/files/2021%20Alameda%20County%20ECE%20Needs%20Assessment%20FINAL.pdf Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 5
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
Characteristics City of
Oakland
Alameda
County
California
Unemployment Rate, as of Dec.2022 2.8% 2.7% 4.1%
African American 22.7% 10.7% 6.5%
American Indian/Alaskan Native 1.0% 1.1% 1.7%
Asian/Pacific Islander 16.4% 34.8% 16.4%
Hispanic/Latino 27.0% 22.4% 40.2%
White 28.6% 29.2% 35.2%
Two or More Races 8.4% 5.6% 4.2%
Foreign Born (2015-2019) 26.5% 32.9% 26.5%
Language Other than English Spoken at Home 39.6% 46.0% 43.9% Single Parent with Children (2021-22) 31% 19% 22.4%
No High School Diploma (2019-20) 15.3% 11% 15.8%
Source: US Census Bureau, 2016-2020 and 2017-2021 and American Community Survey 5- Year Estimates and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economy at-a-Glance Oakland-Fremont-Hayward
Oakland remains one of the most racially diverse cities in the country. Based on Census American Community Survey estimates, in 2020, roughly 35% of residents identify as White, 27% are Hispanic/Latino, 23% are Black/African American, 17% are Asian, and 8% are Multi- racial. These numbers only changed slightly in 2022, with an increase of 1% in the population of multi-racial residents, and a 1% decrease in both Asian and White residents.
As reported by the 2022 Point in Time Count conducted by EveryOne Home, the number of unhoused residents in Oakland increased by almost 58% to a total number of 5,055 residents from 2019 to 2022. There are a disproportionately high number of Black/African American residents experiencing homelessness compared to the overall Black/African American population in Oakland. In 2019, 18% of those experiencing homelessness were families with minor children. In 2022, 9% of those experiencing homelessness were families with minor children.
3 The ballooning number of single residents experiencing homelessness and more accurate reporting of transitional aged youth homelessness contribute to a larger number of people counted as homeless in 2022 compared to 2019. This means that while the proportion of families experiencing homelessness is lower in 2022 compared to 2019, it does not necessarily indicate that less families are experiencing homelessness. Almost one third of all families experiencing homelessness reported that eviction, foreclosure, or an increase in rent was the primary contributor to their homelessness.
4 In June 2022, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) reported that roughly 50% of Oakland families with children received SNAP/CalFresh. CDSS data also show that during the month of December 2021, 4,637 children in Alameda County lived in families receiving CalWORKS Public Assistance. In November 2022, this number increased to 5,024. Considering the decrease in population county-wide, this indicates that the proportion of families receiving
3 2022. EveryOne Home 2022 Oakland Point in Time Count. Accessed here:
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/asr1451/viz/TableauAlamedaCounty-HDXandSurveyData/CityHDX 4 Ibid.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 6
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
CalWORKS has gone up over the last year. In Oakland, over 2,000 children ages zero to five in Oakland were part of families receiving CalWORKs Public Assistance.5
As of February 1, 2023, the Alameda County Department of Public Health reported 2,046 deaths due to COVID-19 in Alameda County. 587 (or 29% of county-wide deaths) were attributed to Oakland residents. The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted low- income families of color in Oakland, particularly in zip codes where Head Start sites are located and program participants live.6 In a recent survey conducted by First 5 Alameda County, the average number of community assets in the top five residential zip codes of Head Start program participants (zip codes 94601, 94603, 94605, 94606, and 94621) was lower than in other Oakland zip codes.
7 One of the most significant impacts of COVID-19 was the significant number of site closures or sites that reduced hours of care compared pre-pandemic, decreasing the child care options and availability within the county to serve children. Data from the Alameda County First 5 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment report that the pandemic not only limited access to childcare, but also health check-ups. In Alameda County, nearly 40% of children missed a health check-up during 2020 due to the pandemic.
8 Data also suggest that the pandemic
contributed to an increase in homelessness experienced by families. In the 2022 Point-In-Time Count, 16% of Alameda County residents experiencing homelessness cited COVID-19 as one of the causes of their homelessness. The pandemic also greatly limited access to support for children with special needs. Alameda County First 5 reports that “28% of children with a special need were not able to access professional help during COVID-19.9
Program Description
The City’s Head Start program will submit a continuation application to the Office of Head Start, by the May 1, 2023 extended submission deadline, that allows the city to continue providing free, high-quality, comprehensive early education programming to low-income children and families so that children start school ready to succeed. Learning environments promote social and emotional development, growth, and abilities, including self-regulation and social expression. Oakland Head Start learning environments also promote early learning experiences and school readiness skills in the development and learning domain areas of physical health and development; approaches toward learning; communication, language usage, and literacy, and cognition and general knowledge.
Table 2 presents the overall program slots funded for the City of Oakland and early childhood education partners for center-based, home-based, and family child care Early Head Start/Head Start services in FY2023-24. In August of 2022, St. Vincent’s Day Home, informed the City of Oakland Head Start that they would not be entering into the grant agreement for FY 22-23 to
5 SSI Recipients by State and County. Accessed here: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_sc/ 6 Alameda County Public Health Department. COVID-19 Data by Geography. Retrieved from https://covid-
19.acgov.org/data.page?#cases
7 New York Times Tracking Coronavirus in California: Latest Map and Case Count. Updated on October 19, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/california-covid-cases.html 8 2021-2022. Alameda County First 5 Kindergarten Readiness in Alameda County 9 Ibid.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 7
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
serve 46 Head Start slots. The Informational Memorandum published on September 23,2022 providing an Oakland Head Start Program Update for FY22-23 provides additional detail of the St. Vincent partnership. The program will identify a new partner through the City’s request for proposal process. Table 3 shows the funded slots for all City of Oakland direct service sites.
Table 2: Grantee (City) and Partners Funded Slots
Early Head Start/ Head Start
Grantee & Partners
Early Head Start
Funded Slots
Head Start
Funded Slots
Total Program
Funded Slots
Grantee
City of Oakland 181 184 365
Partner Agencies
Brighter Beginnings Home Based
Program 120 20 140
New Partners (Formerly St.
Vincent's Day Home slots) 15 31 46
Peralta Community College -
Laney College Children's Center
48 48
Peralta Community College -
Merritt College Children's Center
16 16
Bananas, Inc. Family Child Care
Partnership 26 33 59
Subtotal Partner Funded Slots 161 148 309
Total Program Enrollment
Proposed 342 332 674
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 8
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
Table 3: Program Year 2023-2024 Funded Slots by City of Oakland Sites
Name of City of Oakland Site (Grantee) Funded Slots
Brookfield 9600 (HS) 32
Lion Creek Crossing (EHS/HS) 24
San Antonio CDC (HS) 24
Sungate (HS) 24
Manzanita (HS) 16
Franklin (HS) (City Funded) 16
Tassafaronga (HS) (City Funded) 24
Mobile Classroom Program (EHS/HS) 24
85th Avenue (EHS/HS) 34
Arroyo Viejo (EHS) (City Funded) 12
Broadway (EHS) 24
Home-Based Program (EHS) 59
Home Based-Pregnant Families Program (EHS) 10
San Antonio Park (EHS) 18
West Grand (EHS) 24
Grantee Total Funded Slots 365
Partner Total Funded Slots 309
Total By Program
Head Start (HS) 332
Early Head Start (EHS) 342
Overall Program Slots 674
Program Services in FY 2023-2024
Oakland Head Start/Early Head Start program will continue to operate the following program service options in FY 2023-2024:
a) Full-day, Center-Based Head Start and Early Head Start services, operated by the City of Oakland (the Grantee) and Partners,
b) Home-Based Head Start and Early Head Start services, operated by the Grantee and Partner Agency, to provide education, developmental and family services at homes and at the Home-Based centers,
c) Pregnant People and Expectant Families Program that offers health and nutrition, in addition to pre/postnatal and early parenting classes, newborn home visits and transition of infant to the Early Head Start Program by the Grantee and Partner Agency,
d) Family Child Care Partnership (FCC) Program operated by the Grantee in partnership with BANANAS, Inc. Resource and Referral Agency to work with licensed family child care providers throughout the city to provide Head Start comprehensive services,
e) Mobile Classroom Program operated by the Grantee that offers early learning education, child development, and family services in a mobile vehicle classroom setting at family shelters and other locations where unhoused families can be served, and Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 9
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April 11, 2023
Core Program Service Areas in FY 2023-2024
City of Oakland Head Start program delivers services to children and families in core areas of early learning, health, and family well-being in each of these program options. The program model includes family leadership and advocacy with the Parent Policy Council and a Parent Committee at every site, ensuring that the program goals and services are responsive to and driven by community voice.
Early Learning and Development
The program will continue to promote children's readiness for school with individualized learning experiences through relationships, play, planned and spontaneous instruction. The program encourages development in all areas that include social skills, emotional well-being, language and literacy skills, mathematics and science concepts.
Early learning experiences also include the cultural and language heritage of each child and family. Parents, grandparents, foster parents, and other primary caregivers are recognized as children's first and most influential teachers. Their knowledge of their children is central to each child's individualized approach. Oakland Head Start works with families, Oakland Unified School Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 10
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April 11, 2023
District (OUSD) and other entities to facilitate a smooth transition to kindergarten for each City of Oakland Head Start child and family.
Health
The program will continue to focus on health and physical development, both crucial for early learning. The program will also continue to provide safe and healthy learning experiences indoors and outdoors. All children will continue to receive health screenings (including hearing, vision, and dental) and nutritious meals and snacks. The program will support and connect families with medical, dental, and mental health services to ensure children are receiving the care they need. The program will continue to ensure children receive support for building resiliency to cope with possible adverse effects of trauma and that families receive mental health consultation focused on each child's needs.
Family Well-being
The program will continue to offer parents and families services to support family well-being and to achieve family goals, such as housing stability, continued education, employment, and financial security. Oakland Head Start will continue to support and strengthen parent-child relationships and engage families in the learning and development of their child.
The Head Start program will continue to be available at no cost to children birth to age 5 from low-income families. Families and children experiencing homelessness and children in the child welfare system, including foster care, are a program priority. The program’s services will continue to be available to children with disabilities and other special needs and will work with families to identify and support new needs.
City of Oakland Head Start Program Goals and Objectives
In collaboration with Head Start staff, the Parent Policy Council and the Advisory Board developed and approved strategic long-term program goals and objectives based on community need in February 2022. This information is summarized in Table 4 below.
Table 4: City of Oakland Head Start Program Goals and Objective PY 2022-2026 City of Oakland Head Start Program Goals and Objective PY 2022-2026 Program Goals Measurable Objectives Progress
Goal 1: Family Well-
Being
Collaborate and partner
with families to support
family well-being,
parents’ aspirations, and
parents’ life goals to
create healthy, safe, and
secure environments for
Objective A: On an annual basis, collect
quantifiable data on the number of
families that are food or housing insecure
through the family outcomes assessment
that is collected three times per year.
Objective met
Objective B: By the end of the Head
Start grant cycle, develop a parent
advocacy component within the program
that pools resources and knowledge from
Beginning PY
2024-2025
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 11
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April 11, 2023
City of Oakland Head Start Program Goals and Objective PY 2022-2026 Program Goals Measurable Objectives Progress
young children to learn
and grow.
various parent advocacy groups within
the city.
Objective C: By the end of the Year 2,
implement a trauma informed approach in
the program that considers the social-
emotional needs of families.
Ongoing and in-
process
Goal 2: Community
Engagement
Facilitate meaningful
connections with the
community to enhance
the lives of children and
families.
Objective A: Conduct an annual review
of existing community partnerships to
assess how the program engages with
the partnerships as well as how the
partnerships are meeting the needs of the
program’s families
Ongoing and in-
process
Objective B: Work with Oakland Unified
School District, and other community
based ECE programs, to implement the
new Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK)
infrastructure within the city and county
by 2025 through actively participating in
monthly, quarterly, and annual meetings.
Objective met
Goal 3: School
Readiness
Provide high quality early
childhood development
programs designed to
help children realize their
greatest potential and
prepare for success in
school.
Objective A: By the third year of the
grant cycle, align the program’s school
readiness goals with the kindergarten
readiness expectations as defined by the
Kindergarten Readiness Assessment.
Ongoing and in-
process
Objective B: By the third year of the
grant cycle, conduct a Diversity Equity
Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)
assessment of the program’s strategies
for diversity, equity, inclusion, and
belonging in all educational settings.
Ongoing and in-
process
Objective C: By the end of the grant
cycle, develop formalized partnerships
that build a staffing pipeline of future
Head Start staff (e.g., developing a
quality workforce) and partners.
Ongoing and in-
process
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 12
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April 11, 2023
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY 2023-2024 Baseline Budget for Head Start has been updated to incorporate the changes that City Council requested through Resolution 88940 C.M.S. As a part of fulfilling the federal grant program’s requirements and City Council’s resolution, sufficient positions have been funded in the federal grant program or using General-Purpose Fund so that all current Head Start staff will remain employed. The FY 2023-2024 Baseline Budget also maintains the ongoing operation of the three (3) sites City Council directed to remain open: Arroyo Viejo, Franklin, and Tassafaronga.
The City plans to appropriate $24,464,072 to operate the Head Start program in FY 2023-2024, with $11,894,812 (49%) coming from the City’s General-Purpose Fund 1010, as part of the City’s FY 2023-2024 Budget Process. This budget will cover the salaries of the 105.5 FTEs approved from the federal grant program, 14 FTEs approved to run the 3 Head Start sites previously slated for closure in City Council Resolution 88801 C.M.S., and 14.51 FTEs approved in City Council Resolution 88940 C.M.S. to maintain their current jobs supporting the Head Start Program.
In adopting this Resolution, the City Council commits that the program will meet or exceed the required twenty-five percent (25%) local match of $3,142,315. For the portion of the Head Start program eligible for federal reimbursements, administrative costs will remain below the fifteen percent (15%) administrative threshold set by the Basic Head Start and Basic Early Head Start budgets. In-kind contribution funds will be budgeted to provide all required comprehensive Head Start and Early Head Start services in a high-quality, cost-effective manner and will be reflected in the continuation application to be submitted by May 1, 2023.
As stated above the General-Purpose Fund contribution to the program is expected to be $11,894,812. To operate the portion of the program that is federally reimbursed, the FY 2023- 2024 Baseline Budget includes General-Purpose Funds in an amount of $6,293,407 for FY 2023-2024 to cover administrative service operations, Internal Service Funds (ISFs) and the federal required match of 25%. These are all essential for program operation but not allowed by the Office of Head Start due to the federal grant’s administrative caps. To maintain the operating levels above what the federal grant reimburses, the remaining $5,601,405 of the General- Purpose Fund covers the operation of the Head Start program at the three City Council approved sites and the 14.51 current FTEs supporting the overall program, using one time funding.
In the following section, staff has prepared a series of tables to explain Head Start’s FY 2023- 2024 Baseline Budget and how it complies with City Council’s resolutions.
This section has been intentionally left blank.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 13
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Cost Summary
A. AMOUNT OF RECOMMENDATION/COST OF PROJECT for FY 2023-2024: $24,464,072
Table 5: Source of Funding for Head Start Program
FY 2023-2024
Source of Funding GPF Non-GPF
Federal Grant Revenue (FD 2128) $12,569,260
One Time GPF 1010 contribution to
cover Federal grant administrative
expenses 15% cap limit
$3,151,092
General-Purpose Fund 1010 Federal
Local Match Contribution
$3,142,315
GPF 1010 One Time Non-Federal
Contribution to implement C.M.S
88940 (see Table 6 for breakdown)
$5,601,405
Subtotal: Total GPF Contributions $11,894,812
Total Non-GPF $12,569,260
Total: Total Funds Needed $24,464,072
The total project cost is an estimated $24,464,072. The federal grant award is $12,569,260 and $11,894,812 is the total General-Purpose Fund Contribution. As Table 5 above shows, the General-Purpose Fund contribution consists of three key parts: Head Start’s full CSO Waiver, the City’s local match to the federal grant award for FY 2023-24, and the additional funding to implement Head Start according to City Council’s resolutions. Staff analyzed the Head Start operating needs and determined $5,601,405 would need to be allocated in FY 23-24 to implement the program accordingly; this allocation is one time funding and will be reassessed following an award of Measure AA funding requesting funding of the three sites. Administration intends to apply for 6.5 FTE to be submitted for funding in the Measure AA application. An additional 4 FTE can be funded by CCTR and CSPP reimbursement contracts. The remaining 8 FTE staff would still require continued funding by the City through GPF at a projected cost of $877,279 for FY 23-24 and $911,604 for FY24-25. The breakdown of this amount per City Council resolutions can be seen in Table 6 below:
Table 6: Non-Federal General-Purpose Fund (1010) Contribution Breakdown General-Purpose Contribution
Usage
Amount
Approved
FY 22-23
Amount
Requested
FY 23-24
Council Resolution
No.
Unallowable Federal Expenses-ISFs $262,589 $1,751,472 C.M.S 88717 – June 24, 2021
Supplement reduced federal funding
to retain 3 HS/EHS sites and serve
52 additional families
$1,836,000
$1,733,640 C.M.S. 88801 –
September 1, 2021
Retention of existing HS positions to
provide additional program support $1,944,225 $2,116,293 C.M.S 88940 – December 7, 2021
Total $4,042,814 $5,601,405
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Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
The Head Start/Early Head Start grant for program year 2023- 2024, beginning July 1, 2023, in the estimated amount of $12,569,260, includes proposed grant agreements, outlined in Table 7, with Brighter Beginnings for $1,117,601, New Partners To Be Determined following the RFP for $296,203, Peralta Community College for $399,301, and Banana’s, Inc. for $924,211 appropriated to the Human Services Department Fund (2128), Head Start Organization (78231), Head Start Project (1006668), and Early Head Start Project (1006678).
Table 7: Early Childhood Education Services Partners (Subgrantees) for FY22-23 Early Head Start/Head Start Partners
(Subgrantees)
Total Grant Agreement Amounts
Partner Agencies
Brighter Beginnings Home Based Program $ 1,117,601
New Partner (formerly St. Vincent's Day Home) $ 296,203 Peralta Community College (Laney College
Children's Center and Merritt College Children's
Center)
$ 399,301
Bananas, Inc. Family Child Care Partnership $924,211
Total $ 2,737,316
Implications
Head Start requires a Local Match of $3,142,315 (or 25% of the Federal award). The City will be exceeding this amount with the anticipated $11,894,812 for FY 2023-2024.
To deliver a high-quality program that accounts for essential program operation costs that are not eligible for federal reimbursement, the City will be dedicating $11,894,812 from the General- Purpose Fund to pay for these costs. This includes paying for the City’s Central Service Overhead charges. Staff requests the necessary full waiver of all Central Services Overhead charges projected to be an estimated amount of $2,709,795, due to the federal administrative cost caps, 25% required local match and the level of funding required, to adequately operate the program.
The program will submit a continuation application by the extended submission deadline of May 1, 2023 to the Office of Head Start that includes the City’s approved FY 2023-2024 Head Start Budget for review and the services City Council has authorized.
Staff anticipate that the Head Start program may also receive augmented funding. Some of that funding may be provided to specifically address COVID-19. As such, the language in this resolution allowing for the amendment of these agreements and the acceptance of additional funding without returning to Council, is critical to quickly respond to funding deadlines and Head Start families’ needs.
The program also receives State (California Department of Education State Preschool and California Department of Social Services General Child Care) funding to support classroom costs, which is usually awarded to Fund 2138. These State contracts are awarded on a Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 15
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
reimbursement basis and staff will return to Council with a State funding contract report for subsequent approval.
Funding Source Contract Name Maximum
Reimbursable Amount
Program
Served
California Department of
Education
California School
Preschool Program
(CSPP)
$3,364,765 Head Start
Sites
California Department of
Social Services
General Child Care
Program (CCTR)
$3,315,326 Early Head
Start Sites
In addition, the exact final configuration of grantee and partners slots may change slightly, and the program needs authority to adjust these agreements to meet Head Start families’ needs.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
Approval for submission of this report was provided by the Head Start Parent Policy Council and the Head Start Advisory Board, which are public meetings.
COORDINATION
The Office of the City Attorney and the Budget Bureau were consulted in preparation of this report and resolution.
PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
In FY 2016-17, the City of Oakland applied for and received a five-year grant to provide Head Start and Early Head Start services to 1,006 children. The City began significantly updating the program, adding early childhood education partners, expanding its services for children 0-3 years of age, and shifting most sites to full-day services.
Updates included renovating facilities to meet Early Head Start licensing requirements, on- boarding new partners, revising all job specifications to address new performance standards, and meet and confer with labor unions. In Year 3, FY 2018-19, the City participated in a two-part on-site monitoring review conducted by the Federal Office of Head Start. Part I consisted of a program review by a federal review team, from March 4-8, 2019, using the official Office of Head Start (OHS) monitoring instrument - the Head Start Focus Area Two (FA2) Monitoring Protocol to assess the program.
The FA2 Monitoring Protocol is divided into six program sections with 24 performance indicators and was used program-wide to review the grantee, early childhood partners, and delegate agency. Part II consisted of a program review by a second review team, April 15-19, 2019, who used an instrument adopted by the OHS - CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System), to assess classroom teaching practices, teacher/child interactions and environments.
Site and classroom assessments took place during both the March and April reviews.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 16
Life Enrichment Committee
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Results
On September 09, 2019, the Office of Head Start provided Oakland Head Start with the results of the Focus Area Two (FA2) Monitoring Review. Overall, the review team identified one Program Strength, seventeen Areas of Compliance; and seven Areas of Non-Compliance (ANC) and two Deficiencies (DEF). The City’s Head Start program was directed to implement a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) in year 4 (FY 2019-20), to strengthen the program’s foundation including the areas of Program Management, Data Management and Ongoing Monitoring. The program passed the CLASS review.
In FY 2020-21, year 5, the City’s Head Start program had a return/follow-up FA2 Monitoring Review and passed, allowing the program to compete for a new five-year grant award. In FY 2020-21, the Oakland Head Start program successfully competed and was awarded grant funding for a new 5-year project cycle, FY 2021-26.
In February of FY 2022-2023, year 2 of the new grant, the program had a Focus Area 1 (FA1) federal Monitoring Review (Attachment A) and passed the review without any findings.
Program Year 2022-2023 Performance Standard Measures To Date:
The Home-Based Program began in July 2022, and the Center Based Program began August 2022. The program delivered a two-week pre-service training period with staff that included COVID-19 protocol trainings for staff and families. Table 8 on the following page shows the current progress with meeting Head Start Performance Standards up to January 2023, including partners. Partners receive close support from City of Oakland and the Education, Family Services, Health, Mental Health and Disabilities, and Governance components are provided by City of Oakland Head Start program staff.
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Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 17
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
Table 8: January 2023 Head Start Program Performance Standard Measures
Head Start Early Head Start Current Total
Enrollment/Funded (No.) 222/332 282/342 504/674
Enrollment/Funded (%) (67%) (82%) (75%)
Daily attendance 78% 74% 76%
Medical Home 100% 99% 100%
Health Insurance 99% 99% 99%
Current Physical exam/Well-baby check 88% 63% 74%
Updated immunizations 98% 92% 95%
Hearing Screening 96% 90% 93%
Vision Screening
Growth Screening
96%
97%
90%
96%
93%
97%
Dental Home 97% 78% 94%
Current Dental Exam 77% 80% 78%
Nutrition Screening 94% 93% 93%
Developmental Screening (ASQ) 96% 96% 96%
Concerns Identified - ASQ Screening 53% 35% 44%
Behavioral Screening – (ASQ-SE) 97% 95% 96%
Concern Identified - ASQ-SE Screening 28% 21% 25%
1st Individualized Curriculum (DRDP) 95% 93% 94%
Initial Parent/Teacher Conference (IDP) 93% 93% 93%
Initial Home Visits 99% 99% 99%
1st Family Outcomes Assessment 100% 100% 100%
Referrals to the Regional Center of the n/a 4 4
East Bay (RCEB)
Referrals to OUSD Center for 13 n/a 13
Exceptional Children
Children enrolled with IFSP or IEP 27 19 46 (7%)
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: This grant creates more than 100 jobs for people directly employed in centers, plus additional jobs through its economic multiplier effect. Most of these jobs are held by Oakland residents. Additionally, the City’s family child care service delivery model in partnership with Bananas, Inc. provides additional choice to Head Start families who wish to place their children in a neighborhood Family Child Care (FCC) option. The program also helps strengthen, primarily BIPOC, female owned, family child care businesses by supporting sustainable, quality child care, family services and professional growth through funding, and additional Head Start and City resources.
Environmental: There are currently no direct environmental benefits or impacts from the Head Start and Early Head Start program to the City of Oakland. The program uses recyclable paper products.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 18
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
Race & Equity: The Oakland Head Start and Early Head Start program delivers comprehensive and high-quality services to 600-700 children and families who are approximately 98% Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), of which approximately 33% are Black or African American, 34% are Hispanic or Latinx, and 21% are Asian participants. Sixty-two (62%) of families’ primary language is non-English. The program staff are approximately 64% BIPOC and 59% of the staff are bilingual. Over 42% of families served are unemployed and 17% of families experienced homelessness during the previous program year.
Improving educational and family outcomes and eliminating racial disparities for this community is an explicit goal of the program. The range of services aims to be responsive and appropriate to each child and family's developmental, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage and experience.
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Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 19
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
1. Authorizing The City Administrator To Apply For, Accept And Appropriate Head Start Basic Training And Technical Assistance, Early Head Start Basic And Training And Technical Assistance Grants For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 From The Us Department Of Health And Human Services, Administration For Children And Families, Office Of Head Start (DHHS/ACF), In An Estimated Amount Of Twelve Million Five Hundred Sixty- nine Thousand Two Hundred Sixty Dollars ($12,569,260), And Committing The Necessary 25% Local Match; And
2. Authorizing The City Administrator To Apply For, Accept And Appropriate A 5.6 Percent Cost Of Living (COLA) Adjustment And Quality Improvement Grant From DHHS/ACF To Offset Higher Operating Costs And Make Program Quality Improvements For The Head Start And Early Head Start Program For FY 2023- 2024; And
3. Authorizing An Estimated Offset Of Two Million Seven Hundred Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety-five Dollars ($2,709,795) For FY 2023-2024 Central Services Overhead Charges; And
4. Awarding Grant Agreements To Fund Comprehensive Early Care, Education And Family Services To Community Service Providers Identified In Table 3 For FY 2023-2024 For A Total Amount Not To Exceed Two Million Seven Hundred-Thirty- Seven Thousand Three Hundred Sixteen Dollars ($2,737,316); And
5. Authorizing The City Administrator To Accept And Appropriate Additional Federal Head Start/Early Head Start Funds If They Become Available Within FY 2023-2024 And Amend The Grant Agreements Within The Limits Of The Federal Award.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Diveena Cooppan, Human Services Division Manager, Early Childhood and Family Services, at (510) 238-7186.
Respectfully submitted,
ESTELLE CLEMONS
Interim Director, Human Services Department
Reviewed by: Diveena Cooppan, Manager
Early Childhood & Family Services Division,
Head Start
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Head Start Program Grant Continuation Application FY 23-24 Date: March 27, 2023 Page 20
Life Enrichment Committee
April 11, 2023
Prepared by: Robyn Levinson, HHS Planner
Early Childhood & Family Services Division,
Head Start
Attachments (1):
A: Focus Area One (FA1) Monitoring Review Report