1 Federal Update & Reauthorization Conversation WSAHS&ECEAP Summer Directors’ Retreat Yasmina Vinci, NHSA Executive Director July 9 and 11,

Our vision is … To lead. To be the untiring voice that will not be quiet until every vulnerable child is served with the Head Start model of support for the whole child, the family and the community. To advocate. To work diligently for policy and institutional changes that ensure all vulnerable children and families have what they need to succeed. 2

Our mission is… to coalesce, inspire and support the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education. We are compelled to fulfill this mission by the promise of all the possible outcomes: 3 one powerful, united Head Start voice; a collegial, collaborative Head Start field, one that is a valuable and valued partner and resource to early childhood development and education; nonpartisan support of increased Federal commitment to Head Start; and, ultimately healthier, empowered children and families and stronger, more vibrant communities.

The Situation Today All in all – it has been a very good beginning of 2014 for Head Start. Programs continue to recover from sequestration as they begin FY 15 operating budgets Big new federal investment Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start-Child Care partnerships States and communities are investing in pre-K and ECE in general, but questions remain about role of Federal government – and role of HS Block granting has arisen again as a counter to Obama proposal and by states who want the Head Start dollars Proliferation of “conversations” and suggestions by think tanks and influential individuals for “innovative solutions” to the alignment of Head Start with state early childhood systems 4

The Situation Tomorrow Politics –Elections in 2014 and 2016 –Congressional Champions, especially in light of retirements Strong Start –Where does POTUS go from here? –How far does Harkin/Miller push and what is the counter from R’s? Block Grant Proposals –Lee/Salmon Bills introduced –Alexander Bill counter-proposal failed –House Action on CCDBG? EHS/CC Partnerships –Implementation and future expansion Role of States –Future of Race To The Top (Pre-K and Early Learning Challenge) 5

Head Start – Riding the Wave 6 Head Start in 2014 FY 2016 Sequestration Block Grant proposals 2014 Elections Future of Strong Start Implementation of Partnerships DRS

NHSA’s Top Advocacy Priorities 7 Head Start Funding Preventing resumption of sequester in 2016 Leading the creation and implementation of EHS expansion and EHS-CC Partnerships Positioning Head Start in the President’s Plan and Strong Start legislation DRS mitigation Reauthorization Preparation

FY 2015 Appropriations CONTEXT Sequestration was avoided in Murray-Ryan Deal (Dec. 2013) Topline levels of funding remain relatively flat from FY 2014 Many additional pressures within bill with significant increases in growing budget items – Veterans spending, undocumented youths, CIMS etc. Child Care regulations are set to come out this year, but unclear if additional funding will come with them TIMING Senate Appropriations com. marked-up FY 15 Labor H bill in early June Desire to use regular order in House – unclear if politics will allow it EXPECTATIONS Some sort of Continuing Resolution or extension likely due to elections Flat funding over FY 2014 levels would be victory Increase in COLA would be huge victory 8

Head Start Funding FY FY Funding Level (thousand $’s) Federal Fiscal Year

NHSA 2015 Priorities 10 Item FY13 Post Sequestration FY14 Enacted FY15 President’s Budget Request FY15 NHSA Request TOTAL $ 7,573,194,006$ 8,598,095,000$ 8,868,389,000 Base Funding - Head Start/Early Head Start $ 7,573,194,006$ 8,073,095,000$ 8,193,389,000 $ 8,243,389,000 *(Workforce Quality Improvements) $ 0($100,000,000) ($150,000,000) Birth to Five Expansion $ 0 $100,000,000 Early Head Start/Child Care Partnerships $ 0 $ 500,000,000$650,000,000$500,000,000 Designation Renewal Transition Fund $ 23,561,221$ 25,000,000 Opportunity/Growth/ Security Initiative $0 $800,000,000** *Included under base funding **Not included in base budget calculation

EHS – CC Partnerships FOA released on 6/6/2014 Proposals due back in August NHSA’s support and leadership –Convening of Provider and National Orgs –Work with Capitol Hill –Resources for grantees Great victories –Expansion/existence of EHS –Designation Status –# of children “mandated” 11

Strong Start Mark-up 12 Strong Start passed on party lines by HELP committee Many changes suggested by NHSA included –Parent/family Engagement –Comprehensive Services –Mixed Delivery –EHS-CC Partnership Language Alexander counter proposal failed on party lines He sought to block grant Head Start, Child Care, Title I, IDEA pt. B, and a few additional programs Head Start advocacy effective! Next steps on SSA are unclear From left Sens. Alexander (R-TN), Enzi (R- WY), Harkin (D-IA), and Franken (D-MN)

Child Care and Development Block Grant Bill to reauthorize passed Senate – after 18 years, with unique bipartisan support Background checks required Other improvement provisions – but with no new money NHSA managed to cause a colloqui on the floor by Sens. Harkin and Mikulski to clarify the last-minute provision that could give states a chance to ask for waivers from other current laws that would interfere with their implementation of CCDBG (Head Start?) Hearing was in the House on March 25 on CCDBG – No clear next step 13

Other Issues Affecting Head Start Congress FY 2015 Funding CCDBG reauthorization MIECHV ESEA reauthorization Strong Start Act Higher Education Act Administration FY 15 Funding EHS – Child Care Partnerships Monitoring Performance Standards Race To The Top (ELC/Pre-K) Designation Renewal System ACA Implementation Head Start Reauthorization 14

Things to watch/do Parents/Alumni/Board/ in Town Halls and at campaign stops Strategic celebration of 50 th Anniversary of HS 2-generational approaches Outreach Tell the story Watch think tank chatter leading to policy changes – practitioners missing in the discourse Ryan’s tour Highlight innovations Be about solutions Lead – the time is now 15

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NHSA – not your mother’s association - leading and supporting state/local leadership Being a knowledge center about Head Start Convening the best field expertise Connecting the Head Start community’s wisdom and shared knowledge Learning communities Promoting and scaling best practices – Parent Ambassadors  First Advocates Watching perceptions of Head Start 17

Reauthorization - Status House – Focused on Higher Ed reform No indication if they will take up CCDBG Indication that they are starting to think about HS reauth Questions about DRS, Standards, and funds use Senate – Passed CCDBG with bipartisan support Dems focused on Strong Start, R’s planning a substitute alternate bill (HS/CCDBG block grant) Questions remain about Centers of Excellence, DRS, Standards Administration Focus is on Strong Start, but considering HS reauth Concerned about lack of funds, DRS, Standards, and Congress 18

Conversation in Long Beach - Overview 26 attendees representing each Head Start Region and many different types of programs Conversation focused on current environment and crosswalk of various inputs to identify… –Discordant themes, –Missing themes, and –Common themes Discussion continued onto changes that should be made to HS program and ECE System Notes have been circulated and will be used for document creation 19

Designing the Next 50 years of Head Start 1.Allowing for and incentivizing innovation (e.g. Innovation Fund, waivers) 2.Better use, agreement and definition of data (longitudinal) 3.Solve Designation Renewal System 4.Clearly identify the Role of Head Start in… 1.States 2.Education systems 3.Social service systems 4.Health systems 5.Encourage flexibility to best meet the needs of each community 6.Improve T/TA to be grantee-driven and supportive of other ECE systems 20

Designing the Next 50 years of Head Start 1.Expand eligibility, specifically rethink 1.Poverty guidelines, 2.Age range (b-5, p-3, etc.) 2.Restructure Collaboration Grants to better support grantees and be more effective within states 3.Revisit Cost Structure going to programs…as well as the overall funding formula 4.Develop a quality workforce and pay them a professional wage 5.Trade-off between consistency and flexibility in program models 6.Resolve the discrepancies across regional offices 21

Overarching Principles 1.All conversations should be inclusive of all voices of Head Start (specifically parents, rural, Migrant/Seasonal, and American Indian/Alaskan Native representation) 2.It is necessary and imperative that we all work to create one unified voice. 3.Difficult conversations will have to be had – but should be had internally before going to Hill, Administration, or other external stakeholders. 4.We must build and maintain bi-partisan support. 5.Gathering and experimenting with innovative ideas to remain true to our roots. 22

Where do we go from here? Long Beach helped identify some specific themes, goals, and changes to drive the next Reauthorization. These goals/changes still dependent on how we all view the overarching mission of the Head Start program. So, we need to figure out how we, as a community, are going to view the next reauthorization – What lens to view the goals/changes through? 23

Questions 1.What services do we focus on and provide the most effectively? 2.Whom exactly do we serve? (Age, Poverty, children mainly or children and families) 3.Other thoughts/takeaways? 24

Comparisons 25 DoorAgeCognitive vs. holistic focus Income Level Evidence backing Access 1.) EHS Focus B-4Holistic100%Yes Slight increase 2.) HS Pre-KB-5 Cognitive200 %MixedDecrease 3.) Back to our roots B-5 Holistic85%YesIncrease 4.) Push- up Model B-8Holistic100% Mixed/Loos e Decrease

Next Steps – listening, thinking, iterative drafting 1.Continued conversations with Head Start Leadership and entire community, seeking innovative ideas/paths 2.Return to notes/common themes from Long Beach in order to create a draft document outlining synthesis of lessons, vision, and goals 3.Take the document to each State Head Start community 4.Continue conversations with Policy Leaders 5.Continue conversations with target populations and state/regional associations 26

Thank you! 27 Yasmina