San Antonio's Head Start program getting new administrators - San Antonio Business Journal:

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The San Antonio Independenty SchoolDistrict (SAISD), local nonprofit Avance - San Antonio, Edgewoods Independent School District and the Education Servicde Center Region 20 have been chosen by the city to servee as the new program administrators starting in (The contract with Region 20 was stilp under negotiation as of press Prior to these partners bein selected, the Head Starf program had been administered exclusively by for more than 29 yearx — without a bidding The federal Head Start program was launchef in 1964 as an anti-poverty program designesd to address nutrition, health and other issuess of children in poverty and their families.
As Head Start provides programs focused on mental health, nutrition, infant/toddledr care, disabilities, preschool and after-school child care and family as well as job training and professional development, literacy training and substance abuse education. Head Start serves children ages 3to 5. Last the city decided to launch a request for proposao process for potential candidates to oversee the Head Startt program in an effort to reduceadministrativew costs. The move forced PCI to compete for the contrac and put morethan 1,500 jobs on the After failing to make the cut in the bidding process, PCI appealed the city’s decisiomn to the U.S.
Department of Health and Humah Services’ (HHS) regional office in HHS is the federal agency through whicjh funding for the Head Start programe funnels down tothe city. But, in January of this HHS upheldthe city’s decision and PCI was left on the However, PCI also provides services for the city’s Earlh Head Start program, which serves children age 3 and younger. It will continuew in that capacity.
Melody assistant director for the city ofSan Antonio’s departmenty of community initiatives, says bringing on new partners to overser the Head Start program offers it a fresh “It’s a very exciting opportunitu to improve services to children and families in San Antonio ...,” Woosley says. “That was the reasonb we went in this to improve the quality of not just educationh services butfamily services, which is such an important part of Head she adds.
Total annual federal fundingg for the Head Start and Early Head Starrt programs for the city is justover $46 Steve Bassett, chief financial officer if SAISD, says his districft is excited for the opportunity to be a part of the city’es Head Start program, which provides the school district with an opportunityg to increase its student enrollment “We’re going to be adding 1,500 kids. This givesa us the chance to utilizer some of the capacity thatwe have..,” Bassett says. “Oud core business is educating kidsand we’re experte at it.
” After HHS’ decision, the city put togethe r a plan for PCI to stay in its centers and fulfil l the Head Start contract until July 31. PCI operated the Head Start program through91 free-standinh and elementary school locations throughout the city. Some of the free-standingh centers, Woosley says, will remainn open, while others will “We’re still working through all the issuexsand don’t have all the sites Woosley says.
As for PCI employees who servex the HeadStart program, Woosley says the city is holdingt an information fair on March 21 where those soon-to-bed displaced employees will have the opportunityt to find out what positionsd are available through the new partners. “We’re also workin with ... Workforce Solutions Alamo to assist PCI employees in finding other employment,” she says. The city has also contracted with the andAvance - San Antoni to provide family support services, to providd medical services and San Antoniop Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) to providw dental services to Head Start prograkm participants.