I subscribed to the NHSA's Government Affairs Update is a bi-weekly electronic publication providing comprehensive, timely, and insightful information on legislative issues facing Head Start. The focus in the electronic publication is on different issues concerning Head Start, such as funding, congress changes in policies, family’s needs, investments, parent’s trainings, workshops, and celebrating 45 years of Head Start.
I chose to study the policies and what I have learned is that head starts must have 10 percent of disabilities children in the program to receive full funding. This is an upgrade to the performance standards for Early Head Start and Head Start. I know that our program has found it difficult to find children with disabilities in the Early Head Start program due to most children have no diagnostics with a certain disabilities until they reach the age of three. However, there are exceptions and those exceptions have kept us well funded.
The international website I chose is from Australia: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/
This website has news related to same thing we experience in America is the high quality of education for families who cannot afford. The issue it speaks about is how to help the children, families, and communities as a whole to provide them with High quality and affordable childcare.
Neither the newsletter nor the website offered any information regarding the demographic or diversity issue topic for this week. However, in the national head start association newsletter it speaks about helping families overcomes the communication gap of dual language learners. Even though, the website in Australia focused on the children in poverty.
Resources:
Early Childhood Australia: The Australian Early Childhood Advocacy Organization. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/
National Head Start Association 2011 Policy Agenda. Retrieved from http://www.nhsa.org/files/static_page_files/E24F990F-1D09-3519-AD519E268A0F72F1/NHSA_2011_Policy_Agenda_020111.pdf
Hi Gwen, Your information was great to read. I too, spoke on Australia. However, we both talk about different issues. I could not find any information on Head Start. But, I was glad to read your information you found. I look forward to your next blogs. Thanks for the resources. Since we have the same country I will read your resources for more insight on the country. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteHi Gwen. I found the information that you obtained about Head Start extremely interesting. I had no idea that 10 percent of children with disabilities must be present in order to receive full funding. Sometimes I feel that all of the regulations associated with the Head Start program do have the potential to hinder the educational process.
ReplyDeleteGwen,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing information about Head Start. Some of my students attend Head Start either on the morning or the afternoon depending on when they attend my Prek class. Learning more about this organization is quite helpful.
Gwen,
ReplyDeleteI am very curious about the exceptions that you mentioned for children having differing abilities in order to meet the 10% standard for funding. What exceptions will they allow and how does that generally work.