Region 10 & Alaska Native T/TA
PIR Program Design and Management Conference Call

Transcript

Moderator: Louise Gill
June 1, 2006
11:00 am CT

Coordinator:

Excuse me. We'd like to remind all parties to today's call is being recorded. If you have any objections you may disconnect, and thank you.

You may begin.

Louise Gill:

Thank you.

Good morning, everyone.

Woman:

Good morning.

Woman:

Good morning.

Louise Gill:

Before we start, I just want to do a few little logistics, please place your phone on mute so that we can hear people who are trying to get their questions in and we don't have the background noise.

So to mute your phone, it's star-6. To unmute your phone it's also star-6.

Thank you.

Sounded like a lot of people doing that.

Renee is going to be on the computer this morning. So if you have questions that you have not already submitted and you are not able to verbally ask them, if you would send them in to Renee by email, she will get them in to me and we'll try to get these answered.

Her email address is Renee -- R-E-N-E-E -- andrae, A-N-D-R-A-E, @acs.hhf.gov.

I'm hoping that (Kim Keating) is going to be with us this morning from (XTRIA). She was supposed to, I don't know, (Kim), are you on the call?

Well, hopefully she'll be joining us in a few minutes.

And then (Dorothy) from the Region 10, (Dorothy Shields) from Region 10 program specialist will be joining us also. She's not here yet but she's on her way.

So today, we are going to be covering program design and management, those questions around those areas.

To assist me today, is Pat Brinkman who is the TA specialist for Oregon and Washington, and (Meagan Anderson Pira) and she is for the programs in Eastern Washington. So (Meagan) and Pat are you on board?

(Meagan Anderson Pira):

Yes, I am. This is (Meagan).

Louise Gill:

Hi.

Pat Brink

Man:

This is Pat.

Louise Gill:

Hi, Pat.

Pat's having a little trouble this morning with her voice. She's fighting the allergies like everybody else.

So she's going to be my backup and I'm going to try to cover her area with her assistance. So I appreciate you guys being patient with me.

To start off, I just want to clarify the purpose of this content area call.

We just wanted to provide the grantees with the necessary information and resources to ensure the accuracy and consistency of Region 10 and Alaska native programs reporting on their program information report.

We want everybody in our region in the program information report. We want everybody in our region and the programs that we worked with AIAN in Alaska to be consistent and accurate and everybody answering the questions in the same way.

So that's the purpose of doing this PIR training with program design and management. So I hope everybody has printed out the 2006 PIR, and that's what you're using today.

Now, I understand that the user's guide is available also. Is that true? I didn't go on this morning to see if the PIR user guide was on the Web yet.

(Meagan Anderson Pira):

Louise, this is (Meagan). Yes it is available now.

Louise Gill:

Thanks, (Meagan).

So you could either download either one but what we're using today mainly is the PIR. And we're going to go through the general program information Section A enrollment and program option. Section B program staff and qualification, and the last section, we'll skip down to special items ) (equipment.

((Crosstalk))

Louise Gill:

Okay, back to logistics. Please place your phone on mute and its star-6 to mute your phone, and to unmute is also star-6, so we can hear people and not hear background.

((Crosstalk))

((Crosstalk))

Louise Gill:

Okay, I'm still hearing background noise from somebody. If you could please mute your - thank you. Thank you so much.

Okay, so if you'll turn to Page 3 under general program information. There is nothing on this page that has changed this year, the only difference is on Question 16.

They are asking for the title of the approving official. So everything else is pretty much the same.

So the second part, the grant number and then the Head Start directory, early Head Start directory, information is the same. The agency described in this report. That's pretty much self explanatory.

Any questions on Page 3?

Okay, we'll move on to page 4, this first question is for grantees only the number of delegate agencies so its only if you have delegate agencies do you answer that question.

And then Question 19 is please select the phrase that best describes your agency.

Now there have been questions around this.

We're trying to get a clarification if you are a state university. We were told on the first day of PIR called that you were to market either private public, non profit or private for profit.

And the second day further discussion that a state university would be a government agency. So we are still trying to get clarification on that from (XTRIA).

So if you fall into those categories, and if you have what you marked last year on your PIR, I'd go ahead and put what you put last year because this question has not changed.

And if you weren't corrected last year, I don't think you'll have any problems this year.

Question 20, agency affiliation, that's pretty much, you know, whether you're religious or non-religious agency.

And then we move into enrollment program and options.

And this is the part that Pat Brinkman has been doing so faithfully and so she's going to assist me today so I hope I can stand up to her qualifications and her standards.

So this is on Page 5. Now what I want to point out is their definition of enrollment year. Now the PIR's definition and the regional definition is a little bit different. So remember, you're filling this out for the PIR.

So the enrollment year is defined as the period of time, not to exceed 12 months, during which a Head Start program provide sooner or home base services to a group of children and their families.

Now, programs with full year options should define an enrollment year. So even if you go year round, you've still got to cut off somewhere for the PIR. So you still need to determine your enrollment year.

And then programs with part year options should use the first and last dates on which classes and/or home visits begin and end to specify their enrollment year. So it gives you kind of an example.

Operating period, this is what you are reporting on.

So all the questions that you were going to go through on the PIR, the whole report is just for this operating year 2005 to 2006 enrollment year.

Okay, first question, your enrollment year, so hopefully, that's pretty self explanatory.

The second area is funded enrollment.

This is funded enrollment and so Question 2 and Question 3 are the same as they were last year along with Question 4.

So any questions on this page regarding enrollment?

All right, moving on, Page 6.

This is talking about your center based program, your home based programs, your combination models, your family childcare. They wanted to know your funded enrollment and your average annual days for the children.

And so it tells you how to calculate that and how to determine the average annual days.

Any questions on that?

All right.

Moving on, Page 7.

This is just they want to know the number of children who receive Head Start or early Head Start services at a child care center partner, just the number of children.

Thirteen is the number of children who were enrolled and Head Start early, Head Start program options that provided service for eight or more hours per day. So these are childcare partner questions.

And then down on page -- Question 14, this is a new question this year. This is the only new question that is on the PIR and it is total actual enrollment. So it says here includes preschool children, infants and toddlers and pregnant women in early Head Start programs.

So they want to know, for years, the Head Start grantees have been asking the bureau to please let us count all these families and children that we enrolled and they dropped. We want you to see how much we've been doing and so they finally listened and here is that question. So they want to know all the families that you enrolled.

Now I want to caution you, look at what they mean by actual enrollment.

Actual enrollment is the child, the mother or the early Head Start child that that has been enrolled in your program any link of time provided they have attended at least one class or for programs with home base options received at least one home visit.

So, this is where the difference comes in between what the region calls in enrollment and what the PIR. They just want to you to count here those children that you actually gave a service to.

So first date of service in a classroom or one home visit, so Bullet 2 and Bullet 3 also clarify that a little bit more.

Any questions around actual enrollment?

Okay, they put Question 15 back in here. When they first printed out the PIR before May 18, Question 15 has been taken out.

So if you're looking at a PIR that you printed out before May 18 of this year, you will not see this question but so you need to go back and download the current version.

So Question 15 is they do want to know the end of the month enrollment. And so they picked November, February, and April for those calculations and they want to know the month and they want to know the number of children, pregnant women enrolled. Now, under this area is comment section.

All throughout the PIR, you're going to have places that you can comment and then they're going to be questions that you don't have a comment section but at the end of the PIR, there is a general comment section.

So please, use those general comment sections when you have anything that you're just not quite sure that the bureau will understand that you're doing in your program. We can't encourage you to use those comment sections enough.

So any questions under actual enrollment?

Okay.

And moving on to Page 8 -- actual enrollment of children by age, Question 16. Question 17 is just for early Head Start programs only. They just want to know the actual enrollment of pregnant women.

Question 19 is around actual enrollment by type of eligibility. Now, there has been some discussion on this section and I can just share with you what we've discussed so far and what we kind of come to answers on.

The first question asked the number of children who were enrolled based on received of public assistance and they've give an example (TANF) or SSI.

You need to know what is public assistance in your state. Every state is going to be a little bit different. But for a general answer to this, public assistance is cash awards that your families received from(TANF), and it can also be, they can be receiving public assistance through childcare subsidies because the portion of (TANF) goes into childcare subsidies. And so therefore it is considered public assistance.

Now, the other category is SSI. There's been many questions about do we count families who are getting social security benefits. There are so many social security benefits that anyone in this country is eligible for. It doesn't matter what your income is.

The reason the performance standards and the PIR specify SSI is because those are the only benefits that are just for low income family. And so that is what makes those families automatically eligible for our program.

So if they tell you they're receiving widow's benefits or something else, I can't think of all the different ones from social security. Those are not SSI. So, another call might be helpful is for you to talk to your local social security but for our purposes for the PIR, it's just SSI benefits.

((Crosstalk))

Louise Gill:

Any Questions? Yes.

Woman:

How about SSD?

Louise Gill:

No.

Woman:

Thank you.

Louise Gill:

It's just SSI. SSD is something that falls under that SSA category. And anybody -- no matter what your income is, could receive SSD.

I hope this is clear as mud. I know it isn't, but this is the answers that I've been given so far.

And then, it asked you for your 100% of poverty families and then it asked for your over income families.

And then it asked for the number of children who enrolled due to a foster child, and foster children are automatically eligible also.

So if you have anything that you want to explain there, please use that eligibility comments section.

Any questions?

Woman:

Hello?

Louise Gill:

Yes.

Woman:

Did they have to be, you know, for the foster care, did they have to be under a licensed foster care home or can it be a family foster situation?

Louise Gill:

You know, I think they just need to say they're foster care that this is a foster care child.

Woman:

All right.

Louise Gill:

But, you know, I can get clarification from there.

I don't we've ever had to if someone came to us, even a grandparent, and they said to us that they have been given their grandchild and they're raising their grandchild. I believe we would consider that child to be foster care.

Now, I know that the state, when they designate parents to take care of foster care children, then you would have a more formal, you would have a state cash grant that those parents are receiving and so you would know exactly all the legal ramifications for that foster care child.

Woman:

All right. Thank you.

Louise Gill:

Yes.

Okay, Question 20, prior enrollment.

Of the total actual enrollment of children, the number of children who were enrolled in Head Start -- the early Head Start for the second year. So that's pretty, that's pretty easy. You guys will have that information.

All right, moving on to Page 9, now this page has kind of brought up several questions. Actually the question is on Page 10 but Page 9 gives you kind of a definition.

Now, the only two ethnicities that the PIR is concerned about is Hispanic or Latino, and I know there are tons of other ethnicities that are out there. But for the PIR report, we are only asked to track those two.

So if they say they are not Hispanic or Latino, then they're going to be in 21AII, non-Hispanic/non-Latino.

If you don't know what they're ethnicity is, put them into this section because you just don't know. They don't give you an other or an unspecified. So for ethnicity that's where you put them.

Race, on Page 10, they have gone through and asked for the races and there was a question last time that said what do we do with our families who are from Central America or Mexico. Where do we put them under race?

W

ell if you look at I, under B, it says they go under American Indian or Alaska native.

Now, this is just by definition and that's all we can go by.

I don't know whether, you know, we all agree with this, but for the PIR purposes, that would be where you put them.

If they don't know their race, if you don't know their race, you would put them unspecified. You just don't. Or if they give you some other race other than what is listed here, you put them in other.

(Janet Hanson):

Hello. This is (Janet Hanson) with (unintelligible). Can I have a quick Question?

Louise Gill:

Yes.

(Janet Hanson):

On the race category there for I, for the family from Central America or Mexico it also said and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Louise Gill:

Yes. And choose.

(Janet Hanson):

Correct.

So but if we have families that are from Mexico that are here, but they don't have any type of tribal affiliations or community attachment, we don't count them there, correct?

Louise Gill:

You know, I would still put them there.

(Janet Hanson):

Last year, we were told to place them under "Other."

Louise Gill:

Okay. So I'll do what you did last year. That's probably the best advice. If that's where you were told to put them and that went through okay, there is a comment section, and so I would advice that you get that comments, you know, put those comments in under these sections because this is a real tricky area because a lot of people don't know what they're race is. They don't know what their ethnicity is, but we still want to count them in some way.

So, just use your best judgment on that.

(Janet Hanson):

Thank you.

Louise Gill:

Thank you for that question. A very good question.

(Mike Schneider):

This is (Mike Schneider) from (unintelligible) Head Start in Oregon.

Louise Gill:

Yes (Mike).

(Mike Schneider):

Just about this Question again. I emailed (Kim Keating) about this about a month or two ago and I was told by her that for those people we're talking about from Mexico or South America. They should be counted as white.

Louise Gill:

Well, interesting. Thank you. Thank you for that information

Let me check with her. I don't doubt you, so you can either count them as white, you can count them as American Indian, or you can count them as other.

I really don't think its going to matter that much as long as they are counted.

It's just that we don't want to exclude any of the families that we are working with. We're trying our best to identify the race.

But if you do have a family from Central America, I think I would put them under American Indian (unintelligible) as the definitions did.

Okay. (Kim) you haven't joined us by chance, have you?

Okay, no?

I guess she would've spoke up if she'd been on the call.

Actual enrollment by primary language of family at home, this is kind of the same thing.

It's just whatever language they say to you is their primary language, that is what you would mark. And then remember down at the bottom, at the (sum) of A22 and A22I, through A22I must equal A14, so you have go all the way back to A14 and make sure that this number adds up to that number.

Okay. Moving on to Page 11...

Woman:

Ma'am, before you go on.

Louise Gill:

Yes.

Woman:

We have some families where the adult are primarily Spanish, but the children, they're identified as primary English.

Louise Gill:

Uh-huh.

Woman:

But on the PIR, it's family.

Louise Gill:

Okay. Here it's asking for the number of children using the following languages as primary language. So you would just be counting what the children use as their primary language.

Woman:

It says in the home. In the home it's Spanish, outside of the home, it's English. That's what I'm trying to get to, I'm sorry.

Louise Gill:

That's okay. So it's the primary language that they use in the home.

Woman:

All right. Thank you.

Louise Gill:

Uh-huh.

Okay, Page 11, and any comments, please put your comments under that section of language. That would be a good comment to put in to say the parent use one language in the home and one language out of the home, and the children do.

Okay, turnover and enrollment, Number 23, the total number of children and pregnant women in Early Head Start Programs who have dropped out at any time after classes or home visits began and did not reenroll.

So then it breaks it down - of the children, pregnant women who dropped out, the number replaced during the enrollment year. And then they want to know the number of children who are in class less than 45 days. And then the number of children who received services from Head Start of early Head Start that left the program before classes began or home base before you did - went home visit.

And it gives you a little foot note there it says, early Head Start program should include pregnant women.

Now, if you're early Head Start make sure you count those.

Okay.

So now we'll go to classes and group, and this is the same as it was last year and you guys know whether your double sessions, single session, family child care homes and so that's what this area is asking you for.

And it gives you a definition of what a class is, what a double session is. What if they referred to classrooms and centers, it's referring to actual physical space, and classes that are operated by a childcare center partner, that explains that.

Any questions there?

Woman:

Yes.

Louise Gill:

Okay.

Woman:

This is (unintelligible) from (EPIC), and I just wanted to know that in those questions about the classes, it talks about the staff (quals) here. And it says at least one teacher has, you know, the degree or whatever.

Louise Gill:

Okay now, are you on Question 24 or 25 or 26 or 27?

Woman:

Twenty four and 25.

Louise Gill:

Okay. Got it, it says under B.

If we have a staff person we say -- April 15 that our program ends, you know, May 30, it's difficult to recruit somebody and we will often put in a temporary person and kind of move up one of our people.

Woman:

Uh-huh.

Who do we count there? Maybe the teachers that was (listed) for the primary time had their degree and then maybe we had a teacher assistant there that had a CDA and they're doing really good and so for that month and a half of services or whatever, they are as a temporary teacher. Who do we count?

Louise Gill:

(The) primary teacher.

(Dorothy Shield) has joined us. She's the program specialist from Region 10. She's going to answer this.

Woman:

Okay. Thank you.

(Dorothy Shield):

I would count the teacher that had the most contact with the children. But what you have just conveyed to me would be a substitute teacher that came in at the end of the year?

Woman:

Yes.

(Dorothy Shield):

We would count the teacher that was with the children for the majority of the year.

Woman:

Okay. Thank you.

(Dorothy Shield):

Okay.

Louise Gill:

Question - thank you.

Okay moving on to Page 12, Question 28, they just want to know the number of centers.

And do not include family childcare homes or centers operated by partners -- childcare partners.

And then the last section is childcare, where they want you to answer the questions regarding your children that are in childcare.

And there is a childcare comment section so if something comes up and you feel like you need to clarify that a little more.

And then 30, they want to know the number of Head Start or early Head Start children enrolled who received a childcare subsidy, whether the care was provided through Head Start or another provider.

So out of all those children - the actual enrollment, they want to know all those children that received the childcare subsidy.

All right, Pat, is there anything that you would like to add to this section? Since I covered this for you - I went through it pretty fast.

Pat Brink

Man:

No, I think you did a great job. Thank you.

Louise Gill:

Thank you Pat.

Woman:

I have a Question.

Woman:

Yeah.

Woman:

In the childcare subsidy area, if you check no up above, it will not let you enter a yes or no on a child's subsidy area. Is that a default?

Louise Gill:

Ask me that question again. I'm sorry. Somebody walked in to give me another question.

Woman:

In the area where you check no up above for childcare homes - if they needed a service, down below it will not let you check the subsidy area yes or no. Is that a default?

Pat Brink

Man:

It doesn't ask for a yes or no it asked for number of children.

Louise Gill:

Right. So you're saying if you put a zero?

Woman:

No, on the (extreme left) it ask for - if the child received subsidy or not.

Louise Gill:

Yeah, that's Question 30.

Woman:

If you put in an N or a Y - that if you check N up above if they receive the care - any care -- home care through the Head Start Program, if you check no, it automatically puts the N all the way down and will not let you put anything in the subsidy area.

Louise Gill:

Well I guess that's because you're saying that child did not go to childcare so you can't receive a subsidy unless you go to childcare.

Woman:

Okay. But it won't let you put an N or anything in it.

Louise Gill:

Well that's because it just wants to know the number that received.

Woman:

Okay, thank you.

Louise Gill:

Yeah, you wouldn't put an N or - and I wouldn't think you would put in N or a No but I can't see the screen so...

So it's just asking for numbers I would think that you would need these numbers...

Woman:

Louise, excuse me.

Louise Gill:

Yes?

Woman:

I think maybe she was talking about (asking child plus).

Louise Gill:

Yes.

Woman:

Okay.

((Crosstalk))

Woman:

We can't address ChildPlus.

Woman:

Thank you.

Woman:

Okay.

Louise Gill:

Yeah, I don't know in ChildPlus. But I do know there is a way to upload and download from ChildPlus in this to the report. But I would really call the (XTRIA) TA people and that number is in that quick study on outer reports so that's a very good Question for calling (XTRIA).

Woman:

Okay. Thank you.

Louise Gill:

Yeah.

Okay, so now I'm going to turn it over to (Meagan). (Meagan) would you introduce yourself and...

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Good morning I'm (Meagan Anderson) and I'm a TA specialist working with Eastern Washington Programs and I will be covering on Section B, Program Staff and Qualifications.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

That begins on Page 13.

Woman:

(Hello)?

(Meagan Anderson):

And Question Number 1, ironically, can be a little bit tricky. It is the number of all staff members. And this is regardless of the funding source or their salary or the number of hours worked. They want to know the Early Head Start and Early Head Start staff and then contracted staff.

Their definition on contracted staff, are individuals who are not Head Start or Early Head Start employees that the program has contracted with to provide an ongoing service. Include collaboration partners.

And we had a long discussion the other day about what collaboration partners are. We are asking for clarification from Xtria. I think – though, in general you're going to have to make a decision about who your collaboration partners are who are providing services to your Head Start families for you.

And it should include the staff of any partner organizations that provide Head Start or Early Head Start services as part of a partnership.

And for collaboration partners, report only staff members who provide direct services. Do not include consultants, volunteers, student interns or trainees.

Woman:

Will this include the childcare centers?

(Meagan Anderson):

Yeah, if there are any contacted childcare.

Woman:

Repeat that -- I'm sorry, ma'am.

(Meagan Anderson):

Are you talking about childcare centers that you've contract with?

Woman:

Right.

(Meagan Anderson):

Yes it would.

And you would put that in column two under contracted staff.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Is there another Question?

Woman:

What about - how about school district?

(Meagan Anderson):

Can you be more specific?

Woman:

Yes, just one second.

((Crosstalk))

Woman:

OT's and PT's

(Meagan Anderson):

Yes.

It is my understanding if they are providing some of the disability services then yes you would count them.

Woman:

Okay.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Is there another Question? I can sort of hear you, but not totally.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Then 1A - is there another Question?

Woman:

Yeah - I apologize. Can you please go give some examples of contracted staff?

(Meagan Anderson):

Well, a contracted - see it's pretty broad.

It's both contracted staff and collaboration partners. So you're looking at people or organizations that are providing services that fall under Head Start or Early Head Start Services.

So it could be OT's and PTs, if your school district or whomever holds the disabilities contract. It could be a childcare center, it could be bus drivers through a school district or another agency that's providing busing.

Woman:

It could be a nutritionist.

(Meagan Anderson):

It could be nutrition - oh yeah, please don't limit it to the list I'm giving. I'm just making things up.

Louise Gill:

We do have this - (Meagan) I'm sorry - this is Louise.

(Meagan Anderson):

Yeah.

Louise Gill:

We have submitted this question to Xtria because - on Thursday last week the question came up. But what do we do about - okay, so say we have a contract with a new health agency. Who - how many of those employees do we count?

Do we count all the employees in that agency or do we count just the people who provide direct service?

So my interpretation is - it say's in Number 2, who provide direct service. That's my interpretation but I just want you guys to know that I've sent this Question to Xtria.

I wouldn't think that you would count the receptionist as in the mental health agency or the bookkeeper or the custodian that comes from the mental health agency to clean their building.

But you would count those that come in and do direct service. But I - there will be clarification on this. If that helps any.

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay. Other - thank you Louise. Thanks...

Louise Gill:

Yeah.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Are there more questions?

Louise Gill:

We have a question that just came in...

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay.

Louise Gill:

...asking that same thing as I was answering and it says, do we include custodians or maintenance in long-care contracts?

No. They do not provide direct service to our Head Start children.

Okay.

(Meagan Anderson):

So Number 1A is the number of total staff who are current or former Head Start parents and B, of the total staff, the number who left and were replaced during the year.

Include those who left during the enrollment year and any non-operating summer months before the enrollment year begin.

And then it's - there's a little note that says, if you know, report it also for contracted staff.

((Crosstalk))

Woman:

Hello, I have a Question.

(Meagan Anderson):

Yes?

Woman:

On 1B where you say, of the total staff, the number who left and were replaced, I'm assuming on that were replaced means that a permanent person not a temporary substitute. Is that correct?

(Meagan Anderson):

Right.

Woman:

Okay, so that has to be the permanent individual that has to be replaced with a permanent individual.

Woman:

Yes.

Woman:

Okay, thank you.

(Meagan Anderson):

When you're counting your total staff - above - the only time that you count a substitute if they were a substitute for an extended period of time, either like maternity leave or an extended leave.

Than - then you would be counting your total staff but not necessarily in that question of staff who were replaced.

Does that make sense?

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay.

On to volunteer information.

Question Number 2. The total number of persons providing volunteer services to your program and you want to include classroom and non-classroom volunteers, but only count each volunteer once.

And of the volunteers who are current or former Head Start parents.

Okay. Moving on to Page 14.

Here we are doing education and salary of management staff.

And it begins with the executive director and regardless of whether they're receiving Head Start funding because it will give you a place to tell the percentage of salary funded by Head Start.

So start with your executive director - the level of education, number of years in that position specifically and then the annual salary regardless of the funding source and then the percentage funded by Head Start.

And you're going to do that for your Head Start or Early Head Start program director of child development and head manager, head health services manager and family and community partnerships manager.

And there is a salary comment box under that section and you may want to include comments there.

Are there questions there?

Okay. Moving on to Question 7, disabilities manager.

This is - on average how many hours per week does the person with lead responsibilities or disability services devote for one - devote to that role?

In some cases, it's going to be 40 and in some cases it's going to be a split position and you'll have to calculate that.

Any questions for that question?

Okay.

Moving on to Page 15, qualifications of child development staff.

And the staff that they're looking at are teachers, assistant teachers, home visitors, family childcare teachers, child development supervisors and home based supervisors.

And an early childhood degree is an associate, baccalaureate or advanced degree in early childhood education or related degree is an associate, baccalaureate or advanced degree with a program of study that included six or more courses in early childhood education or child development.

And a question came up in the past if you have a person that did not have an early childhood degree or related degree they would...

Man:

Sorry.

(Meagan Anderson):

...unfortunately, unless they fall under CDA, would not be counted.

(Meagan Anderson):

So, do you have any questions on that section?

Woman:

I do.

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay.

Woman:

I have a question. We have a number of supervisors who provides Head Start and Early Head Start, and last year, there were quite a few errors (parts) for that. Because the - the main error was stating that we had too many supervisors - I believe it was for the number of positions.

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay. Do you know under what section that fell? With that...

I'm trying to find it. So far, we haven't hit the supervisor section except under the salaries.

Woman:

Okay.

Can you repeat the question there please?

(Meagan Anderson):

I'm trying to find out where on the PIR you're - what question you are talking about.

Woman:

It was (B-8) - after the error that I got last year.

(Meagan Anderson):

B8?

Woman:

Eight.

(Meagan Anderson):

Total number of child development staff by category?

Woman:

Right.

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay, you wouldn't be counting any supervisors in this section, only teachers, assistant teachers, home visitors, health and family childcare teachers. So you just want to put the number underneath that category.

So if you have home teachers that would fall under Column 1...

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Did that make sense?

((Crosstalk))

Woman:

...Column 5 is actually child development supervisors.

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay, you're right. Then under child development supervisors then you would count them if they provide any child - thank you - any child development supervision, you would count them there.

Woman:

So that would include my current head teacher?

(Dorothy Shields):

No, it would not count...

Woman:

Hello?

(Dorothy Shields):

Okay, this is (Dorothy Shields)...

Woman:

Thank you (Dorothy).

(Dorothy Shields):

...I am a Program Specialist here in Region 10 and if you're talking about home based supervisors you would not count them as lead teachers in the classroom.

Meagan Anderson:

But what about Number 5, (Dorothy) which is child development supervisors?

(Dorothy Shields):

Child development supervisors I would think would still apply to the previous question when you're talking about supervisors when you're looking at 6-4 which says child development and education managers under supervisor - under management staff.

((Crosstalk))

(Dorothy Shields):

...child development supervisors...

((Crosstalk))

(Dorothy Shields):

...but, I'm trying to think what that would be.

Meagan Anderson:

I just found a clarification.

Woman:

Uh-huh.

Meagan Anderson:

Under the qualifications for child development staff, under teachers it does require all lead teachers and co-lead teachers and in column five people that are primarily supervisors and not teachers.

Woman:

Right.

Meagan Anderson:

Management level.

Woman:

Right.

Meagan Anderson:

Okay.

(Carol Weaver):

Excuse me, this is (Carol Weaver) at (unintelligible), what we count there would be our child development coordinators...

Meagan Anderson:

Yeah.

(Carol Weaver):

...those that are providing technical assistance...

((Crosstalk))

Meagan Anderson:

Yeah, those would be the type of people that you put in Column 5.

((Crosstalk))

Meagan Anderson:

And not your lead teachers. Your lead teachers would still be under Column 1.

Woman:

Okay. And we also had an error come up because our teachers or assistant - or assistant teachers are our family advocates they are also our home based visitor.

Meagan Anderson:

Okay. My understanding on this question - but we'll send it into Xtria, is that assistant teachers - you'll count them as assistant teachers here.

And you won't count them as home based visitors because that's more of a home based program question for Early Head Start or Home Based Head Start.

Woman:

We have that.

Meagan Anderson:

Okay.

But they - and then - if they also are a family service worker an assistant teacher and a family service worker you'll count them under the family service worker later in this section.

((Crosstalk))

Meagan Anderson:

But - so they're assistant teachers in the classroom and they're home based visitors?

Woman:

No.

Meagan Anderson:

And family service worker? They do all three?

Woman:

No. They're family service...

Meagan Anderson:

Uh-hum.

((Crosstalk))

Meagan Anderson:

So they do assistant teaching and family service...

Woman:

Yes.

Meagan Anderson:

Well there's an opportunity to actually count them both as the assistant teacher and in the family service section. Later, but not here in the home based visitor.

((Crosstalk))

(Janessa Hanson):

Hi I'm sorry, this is (Janessa Henson) and I'm with - we have an Early Head Start Region 10 program.

Meagan Anderson:

hi.

(Vanessa Henson):

Just for clarification. Our home visitors do provide curriculum to the families that they serve during the home visit and they are the only - or the primary teacher that those families have. So - but they are home visitors so are you...

Meagan Anderson:

Right.

(Janessa Hanson):

...saying that we should count them in the teacher column and also in the home visitor column?

Meagan Anderson:

No.

Woman:

No.

Meagan Anderson:

In your situation you will count them on this question under home based visitors.

(Janessa Hanson):

Thank you.

Meagan Anderson:

Later in the - in a few more pages they ask about family service workers - I believe and then you will count them again as you're family community partnership staff, because otherwise, it would look like you didn't have any at all.

Okay?

(Janessa Hanson):

Yes, thank you.

Meagan Anderson:

Okay.

More questions in this section?

Woman:

Yeah, I have a question.

Meagan Anderson:

Okay.

Woman:

Just to clarify - real fast.

Meagan Anderson:

Okay.

Woman:

So you're saying our home based visitors are the same as our family service workers? We should count them in both section. Maybe I should wait till we get to that.

Meagan Anderson:

No, no, no, that's okay. Yeah, I am kind of jumping ahead but it is confusing so let's talk about it.

Woman:

Because right now I don't have anybody in my home based visitor because I kind of - make teachers and then in the family service section I counted, you know, the ones who go on home visits and everything like that.

Meagan Anderson:

Okay.

So - I'm sorry, I dropped my phone.

Woman:

Oh.

Meagan Anderson:

So what you're saying is that you count them as teachers and then your teachers also provide family service home visits.

Correct?

Woman:

Right.

Meagan Anderson:

Right. So here you're counting in whichever teachers less appropriate teacher or assistant teacher...

Woman:

Okay.

Meagan Anderson:

...and then we'll count them as a family partnership employee later.

Woman:

Okay.

Meagan Anderson:

Okay?

Woman:

And then do I add - so it's okay that my home based visitors section's in a blank?

Meagan Anderson:

Right.

Woman:

Okay.

Meagan Anderson:

If you don't have a home base program then you will leave that section blank.

Woman:

Okay, perfect. Thank you.

Meagan Anderson:

You're all asking really good questions.

Okay, any other questions here?

Okay. Moving on to the next page -- Page 16.

At the top your total - your child development staff of a childcare partner.

So this particular question is just asking for the number of staff in your childcare center partner. If you have that.

Okay, Number 12, average annual teacher salary by level of education.

This part is a little bit tricky.

Underneath the section, it states that report the average annual salary for teachers with each listed degree or credential parts.

Even if part or all their salary is not funded you're going to report the average salary - the actual salary not the pay scale and in that users guide, it explains that if you have staff that only worked nine months, you do not annualize.

And I know that that will make your salaries look low and you may want to comment in the comment section at the end of the whole PIR about that.

But it does state, please do not annualize for a nine-month period.

You're just going to put them in there with the average salary so if you have - (there) - four people - four teachers and this is just teachers - associate degree teachers. Some are nine months some are twelve, the four teachers you will add up their salaries and you'll divide it by four, and that's your average annual salary.

Are there questions there?

Okay. Average salary of direct help development staff

((Crosstalk))

Meagan Anderson:

Hello?

Woman:

Hi.

Woman:

Could you repeat that again - what you were just - this statement that what's this made about computing the salaries?

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay. And it is in the User's Guide. So please look there.

But I mean, I'm going to find it here, just one moment. You're asking for the average annual salary. And it says, report - not the pay scale, but the actual teacher's - the actual salary.

And they're looking at classroom teachers, not assistant teachers, not home visitors, not family childcare teachers, just teachers. And it says when that - that when someone only works 9 months. I'm trying to find the section - there it is.

Column 1, report the average annual salary, report the full salary. And do not annualize the salary to 12 months.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

When someone only works 9.

Louise Gill:

So (Meagan), if - for those of who have your guides, this is Louise, it's on Page 36 of your User Guide, explains how to do this.

(Meagan Anderson):

Thank you.

I still have the old user's guide that...

Louise Gill:

That's okay.

(Meagan Anderson):

But the comment is the same. Okay.

Did I answer your question?

Okay.

And then moving on to average salary of direct child development staff.

Woman:

Well, here they put in the money?

(Meagan Anderson):

And -- yes.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

So there's the teachers, the assistant teachers, and the home visit of home based visitors. So this gives you there. And again, it's their annual salary, and then their average hourly rate.

And again, do not annualize to 12 months, if they only worked 9, you use their 9-month salary.

Okay?

Any other - any questions there?

Okay.

We're moving on to ethnicity and race of child development staff. We have the same challenges we have with families. So people are either Hispanic or Latino or not for their ethnicity.

And then for race, again we have that Question put into Xtria because we've heard a lot of answers of what to do with Hispanic or Latinos.

Louise Gill:

(Meagan), can I interject? (Mike) sent me the e-mail. And thank you, (Mike), for doing this, from Xtria?

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay.

Louise Gill:

This is what Xtria said. To answer your question, should only count Hispanic children from Mexico as Native American if they are from and indigenous population in Mexico, example, Mayan.

The majority of Hispanics from most areas or North, Central, and South America will not fall into the indigenous Native American category. And more than likely fall under white.

If not from an indigenous group or black, example black Cubans, since Hispanic is an ethnicity according to the US census, and in the Department of Health and Human Services, and other government agencies are being required to ask for both race and ethnicity, the Head Start Bureau is hoping the number of unspecified children by race will be lower in this year's PIR.

Since this is the second year that both race and ethnicity data are being collected this way, I hope it will be easier for your program staff to count for children by race.

I can appreciate this, and has required some adjustments. Thank you for your continued effort. Now this came from Xtria last year.

No wait - this year. Sorry.

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay.

Louise Gill:

This came from Xtria in March 13, 2006.

(Meagan Anderson):

Thank you.

That, yeah, clears that up.

Louise Gill:

Just a little bit.

Woman:

A little bit. It just adds more to it. So what indigenous country, you know?

Louise Gill:

Indigenous tribe.

Woman:

Yeah.

Louise Gill:

Indigenous tribe. Okay.

Woman:

Sorry.

(Unintelligible) So the majority of our Mexican staff will fall under what? Unless they are from an indigenous regional people.

Woman:

Right.

Woman:

Can I just comment on that for...

(Unintelligible) Sure.

(Carol Luis):

This is (Carol Luis)again. I'm talking with families. I'm talking with field staff. We kind of found that a lot of the Mexican families really - I think are probably multi-racial or bi-racial.

((Crosstalk))

(Carol Luis):

They're a combination of, you know, indigenous people, and white. And so - and that's one other possibilities right now. I didn't mean to confuse the issue.

(Louise Gill):

You know, and you're so right, (Carol). This is just up to your interpretation.

(Carol Luis):

Yeah.

(Louise Gill):

The best of you guy's ability. I really wouldn't swear on this section.

(Carol Luis):

Yeah. Thank you.

Woman:

Thank you.

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay.

And language in child development staff. This item refers only to non-supervisory child development staff. And as what teachers, assistant teachers, home visitors, and family child care teachers.

And they just want to know who - how many are provisioned in the language other than English. That one I think is easy.

Teacher turnover, and again, this applies to teachers only, not assistant teachers, not home visitors, not family child care teachers. And they want to know the number of teachers who left the program during the operating year.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

The number that left because of higher compensation, changing field or other, and then the number of vacancies that remained unfilled for a period of 3 months or longer. And the number of teachers hired during the year due to turnover.

Okay?

I don't think anyone has been offered expansion in a while but does not include staff that we're added due to expansion. Are there questions in this section?

Okay.

Qualifications for family and community partnership, and supervisory staff.

This is the section I was talking about where sometimes an assistant teacher will be counted here as well or a teacher, and sometimes home visitors will also be family and community partnership staff.

Because they want to know in this section who is - what their qualifications are, and the total number of staff, (spoken) in the family workers, and family-community partnership supervisors.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

And they have some degrees listed - a related degree. A related field to social work is psychology, family studies, counseling, family development, family systems theory, working in the resource of development.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay. And then 24 is how many staff do not have a degree in a related field at all. And then Question Number 25 is number of family workers with the following years of experience in this position.

My understanding is that this can be this position and another Head Start also from checking.

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

You can include prior experience that they might have as a family worker in another program as well. Okay. Are there any questions?

((Crosstalk))

(Meagan Anderson):

Okay. That's the end of Section B. Thank you. You asked a lot of really good questions.

Louise Gill:

Thank you, (Meagan).

Okay. I'm going to get you - this is Louise again. If you guys would turnover to Page 30 of the PIR, we're going to go through just this one page of special items.

So the first part if this is on transportations.

And what I want you guys to remember is this is for your operating period.

And the reason I'm saying this is because Question 55 asked, do you lease any of the buses used by the program? And then 56 asks, do you contract with the transportation provider?

So we had a grantee that was on last week. And they asked so what if we're leasing to own?

Well, the answer for this year is what are you doing this year?

If you're leasing it during this operating period, you would mark that yes, you lease. If you own it this year, but you've leased in the past years, but you finally leased enough and now you own it, then you would mark no.

Okay?

And then under, do you contract with the transportation provider to transport some or all of your enrolled children?

There was a question that came up to say what about when we contract for field trip? And I've submitted that question to (EXTREA). My interpretation, and (Dorothy), I need your help on this, my interpretation is this is your day to day transportation. Since this is asking for enrolled children.

Yeah, I know we contract a lot of times to do field trips. But I'm thinking, and do you agree, (Dorothy)?

(Dorothy Shields):

I would agree. This is for transportation. I would believe that this is - the intent is for how you transport children to and from services on a regular basis to your centers, and not for your children to - for a one time field trip.

Louise Gill:

Okay.

So do you guys have questions regarding transportation?

Woman:

We have one question.

We have some agreement with the school district to transport some of our children in special - for special needs. Is that right?

Man:

Yeah. Or if it's just more of convenience - how to contract, and if there's an exchange of payment, it's more a collaboration than a contract.

(Dorothy Shields):

But if it's a collaboration, I would still count them. I would still say yes that you contract for transportation because you have - do you have an inter-agency agreement even though there is not funds exchange?

Man:

Yeah.

(Dorothy Shields):

Okay. Then I would answer yes to this question because you are having someone else regularly transport your children in an arranged agreement between you and them.

Even if there are no funds exchange, I would still say answer this question yes under those conditions, because they're providing a regular service to you to transport the children to and from the centers or wherever they are getting their services.

Woman:

Okay.

Woman:

All right, thank you.

(Dorothy Shields):

You're welcome.

Louise Gill:

Okay. Any other Questions on transportations?

(Gail):

Yeah, I have a little follow up. This is (Gail) from the Department of Education in Oregon.

Louise Gill:

Hi, (Gail).

(Gail):

Follow up to that last question. When the transportation is arranged because of an (ISSP) and the area is doing that transportation because they say it's needed for the ISSP. I wouldn't say then that that - we would question that that would apply to the grantee arranging for that?

(Dorothy Shields):

If it's on an "as-needed" basis for a particular child, I would agree with you.

(Gail):

Uh-huh.

(Dorothy Shields):

Okay?

(Gail):

Right.

(Dorothy Shields):

If it's an arrangement for a single child to be transported, because of special needs, then I would agree with you to that. And I would have answered no then.

(Gail):

Yeah, great. Thanks, (Dorothy).

(Dorothy Shields):

But what they were - what - the previous, if I understood the previous question, it was for a preference for the family as well as for an arrangement to transport more than one child.

Is that correct, (Norman)?

(Norman):

I'm sorry. What was that again?

(Dorothy Shields):

When you were asking the question about your inter-agency agreement with a school district to provide transportation for some of your children because it was more convenient for the parents, and also for the program.

(Norman):

Uh-huh.

(Dorothy Shields):

Okay. It wasn't - as (Gail) just mentioned for an (ISSP) for a single child.

(Norman):

No.

(Dorothy Shields):

Okay, great.

(Gail):

All right. Thanks, Dorothy.

(Dorothy Shields):

You're welcome.

Louise Gill:

That's a great question. Thank you.

Okay. If we don't have anymore questions on transportation, we'll move down to federal interest in Head Start facilities.

And this is for again, just this operating period.

Number 57, it says, please confirm that an appropriate federal interest had been established by listing below every facility, which has been purchased, constructed or received major renovations using Head Start funds.

Now last week, we had a question come up to say, what about if we did an improvement to a playground? And the answer - I'm sorry. (Dorothy), do you want me - let me tell what the program specialist said last week. And then, (Dorothy), let's see - the program specialist said that unless it changes your contract with the Head Start, unless you're saying in you contract, and it changes your - oh, there's a name for it, (Dorothy). I'm sure you can help me here. I don't have it written down.

But unless it's in your grant, and not contracts, I'm thinking contracts with buses, but your grant with the regional office, then you would not count any kind of renovation you did to a playground.

(Dorothy Shields):

But let me just say that you have to go back to what's the description, what's the definition of a major renovation is. And you need to look at 1309 of that. Because my understanding of a major renovation is if it exceeds a certain dollar level, like $125,000 or more, it changes the footprint of the building.

Louise Gill:

Footprint. That's good.

(Dorothy Shields):

Okay. The footprint of the building, it changes or encompasses a load-bearing wall if you are taking a load-bearing wall out for an expansion - to expand the building.

So if you're changing the footprint of the building which means that you are expanding the building in some way. If you are taking a load-bearing wall, and it is involved in this expansion or renovation, then that's another definition of a major renovation.

The other definition that a lot of us get caught in is if you are changing the existing intended use of the building.

So if you're taking a home - say buy a house. And you're going to provide, you're going to change it into a center for some of these programs. And this is then a regular residential home. You are now renovating it to be an early childhood facility, you have changed the intent of the use of the building.

And that's where we get caught sometimes, because you're not changing the footprint. You're not going to exceed the dollar limit that is identified in the definition. And you're not expanding the building in any way, but you're changing the use of the building.

So therefore, you get caught in the definition of a major renovation.

But as far as the playground goes, I don't think that it would entail a major renovation.

Because normally in a - even if you're putting in a brand new playground, you're probably not going to get involved in that type of a situation where you fall into any of those definition.

Louise Gill:

All right. So any other questions? Any questions from the 3 sections that we covered today?

Well, if you do have questions, please feel free to e-mail those in, and we will get you the answers.

What our plan is, is that today is our last call - our last day of call.

And after we gather all our questions, and we get the answers, we will compile them, and send them out to all the grantees. So you've gotten some of them with our answers.

But now you're going to get the full package from the questions that have come up during the calls.

And that will be coming out within the next week or so as soon as we can get those answers.

The other thing I wanted to encourage you is that if you do have any questions, when you are reporting, please contact (EXTREA). They have technical assistants that can help you get through that part.

The other thing I wanted to say is if you want to comment that you just put it on your report, please print those out before you submit the report. That's the easiest way.

But it can be done after you've submitted the report, and the bureau and (EXTREA) have gotten your report.

There is a way to go in, and pull out your report with those comments. And if you contact the technical assistants, they would be glad to help you with that.

So other than that, I think that's all we have. Unless (Dorothy), (Meagan) or Pat, do you have anything else?

Woman:

I would just like to say thank you to the (TNTA) staff for coordinating, and putting on these series of meetings, and giving people the opportunity to ask these questions as you're going through, and inputting new data into the PIR.

It has been very educational to us here in the regional office.

And I hope it has clarified questions that the programs have.

Thank you very much.

Woman:

Thank you.

Louise Gill:

Okay. Well, I hope everybody has a great day.

And our next call will be at 11 o'clock.

And that is now. And so if you need to sit on the help component areas, please feel free to. It starts at 11:00. And I'm looking for my sheet with the telephone numbers which I had earlier.

And I've lost it in all my stuff.

So anyway, if you don't have that telephone number, please e-mail Renee, and she will get that to you, because I can't seem to locate it. And I don't want to keep people on the phone. But that's at 11:00.

And then at 1 o' clock, we will have education, disabilities, and family and community partnership.

So thanks everyone. Thank you for all your questions. This has been great. Talk to you later.

Woman:

Thank you.

Woman:

Bye, thank you.

Woman:

Bye.

Woman:

Thank you.

((Crosstalk))

END