September HSSCO Newsletter

Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families sent this bulletin at 09/23/2013 03:19 PM PDT

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September 2013

Head Start Data Collaboration Project

The stakeholders of Washington’s Longitudinal Data System (P-20W) would like to include Head Start data to help inform research, policy and practice. Head Start Grantees serve more than 12,000 children in Washington state. Senate Bill 5034 (2013-15 operating budget) directs DEL to request federally funded Head Start grantees to voluntarily provide data to DEL and the Educational Research and Data Center (ERDC). DEL will partner with the ERDC, the Washington State Association of Head Start and Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (WSA), Region 10, and interested Head Start grantees to develop and implement processes for including Head Start data in the P-20W. So far there are 5 programs participating; Puget Sound ESD, Skagit Islands, Opportunity Council, Lewis County Head Start, and Tacoma Public Schools. The P-20 data warehouse combines de-identified child data from across agencies to allow analysis of experience and outcomes of Washington children across early childhood to career spectrum. You can learn more about the P-20W here: http://www.erdc.wa.gov/. For more information about the Head Start Data Collaboration Project, click here.

Low Cost Laptops for Low Income Families

With back to school around Washington in full swing, we thought it would be a great idea to pass along this information for families and providers. Comcast and CenturyLink both offer reduced price internet and laptops for low-income families. The CenturyLink program appears to have broader eligibility requirements but both programs could help providers and families who are not online obtain resources to do so. Here are the program details:

Comcast - http://www.internetessentials.com/

You may qualify if your child is eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program.

Partner Program – Educators, community organizations and others who want to spread the word.

CenturyLink - http://www.centurylink.com/home/internetbasics/?rid=internetbasics

Head Start Data Collaboration Project
• Early Achievers Expansion for Head Start and ECEAP Begins October 1

• Early Achievers Expansion for Head Start and ECEAP Begins October 1

It is a very exciting time for Early Achievers. We have completed a successful pilot with 9 grantees/contractors to test and refine Early Achievers participation processes for Head Start and ECEAP. We are now busily working to implement changes to the system which will faciliate smooth future particpation for programs including: adding grantee/contractor level functionality in MERIT so that grantees/contractors can view and support sites, implementing reciprocity policies that provide credit for quality controls already in place through Head Start and ECEAP performance standards and monitoring, and moving forward wtih the opportunity for Head Start and ECEAP to serve as Training Resource Centers within the Early Achievers system. You can find the full reciprocity pilot report and plan as well as the project summary here: http://del.wa.gov/care/qris/. Early Achievers participation will be open to all Head Start and ECEAP programs beginning on October 1st.

Early Learning Guidelines Available Online

The Department of Early Learning (DEL), in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Thrive by Five Washington, published the Early Learning and Development Guidelines (guidelines) for children from birth through third grade. The guidelines replace the Early Learning and Development Benchmarks, which were first created in 2005 to outline what children know and are able to do at different stages of their development.

The Guidelines are available in English and Spanish. Download an electronic copy here.

Hard copies of the Guidelines are free of charge, but people who order are responsible to pay for handling and shipping. Order them at myprint.wa.gov

• Increasing Head Start Participation for Children in the Child Welfare System

Children's Home Society of Washington in partnership with DSHS Children's Administration is leading a project funded by two year federal grant to explore and expand opportunities to utilize early education partnerships to expand protective factors and mediate the effects of adverse experiences of children and families involved in the child welfare spectrum from prevention to permancy. One of the actions that they have undertaken as a result of what they are learning is to modify CHSW's selection rating scale for enrollment to increase enrollment of children involved in the child welfare system. This document describes the proposed change (which has since been accepted) including rationale and is a great resource for other grantees who may want to consider reexamining policies in this area. To view the document, click here.

Washington Head Start Employees Eligible for Federal Loan Forgiveness

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue to work full time in Public Service Jobs. Under this program you may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining balance due on your William D Ford Federal Direct Loan Program after you have made 120 qualifying payments on your eligible loans after October 1, 2007. One of the requirements to be eligible for some options is that the program be listed on the state's low income schools list, which all of our Head Start programs in Washington are, including Tribal Programs. Click here for a fact sheet that gives general information about student loan forgiveness options: Click here for a list of low income schools that are eligible. You may also have a portion of your loan forgiven for teaching in an area of shortage and Early Childhood Education is an area of shortage for Washington State.

Head Start Directors Check Your Email!

Head Start Directors will also be receiving a separate email from us about entering Head Start sites into the Early Management System (ELMS). Please keep an eye out for this email as it includes important, time sensitive information.

Contact Us!

We're on the web! www.del.wa.gov/partnerships/head-start

If you have suggestions for future newsletter topics or feedback/questions regarding any of the HSSCO's activities, please contact DEL's HSSCO Project Coordinator April Messenger at (360) 725-3517 or April.Messenger@del.wa.gov

We spotlight programs that are doing special events or initiatives in our newsletters. If you know of a program that deserves a spotlight, please email us!

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