Policy Council Basics provides an overview of Head Start’s structure, helping parents grow as leaders and decision-makers.

Parents are key to the success of Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The Policy Council gives parents a seat at the table to make that difference. Policy Council Basics provides an overview of everything from Head Start’s federal structure to grant recipients’ fiscal responsibilities, helping parents grow as leaders and decision-makers.

Course Information:

• Start Date: On-Demand
• Course Level: Beginner
• Requirements/Prerequisites: None
• Target Audience: Parents and Families
• Course Meeting Times: None
• Completion Timeline/Duration: One month

Course includes:

• Online, Self-Paced Content
• 3 Hours of Course Material
• Video Content
• 3 Months of Access to Online Course
• Discussion Forum
• Digital Badge
• Certificate of Completion

Topics:

• Introduction
• Head Start History
• Robert’s Rules of Order
• Fiscal Responsibilities
• Dollar per Child Fundraising
• The Governing Body
• Policy Council and Policy Committee

Learning objectives:

• Assess the role and responsibilities of Policy Council within Head Start programs and illustrate the composition of Policy Council.
• Break down the history of Head Start from its conception to today.
• Evaluate the guiding principles of Robert’s Rules of Order and explain how to enact some of the most common actions in a group meeting setting according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
• Outline the roles and responsibilities of a Head Start Governing Body and examine the Head Start Governing Body member requirements.
• Identify the goals of NHSA’s Dollar per Child Campaigns and collect strategies and resources for running a Dollar per Child Campaign.
• Examine the Head Start Act and how it relates to Head Start fiscal information and identify common types of Head Start funding.
• Outline the necessary steps and responsibilities for a Head Start grantee and collect resources relating to Head Start fiscal responsibilities.

Head Start Alignment:

This course supports programs in meeting the 1301.3 Policy council and policy committee requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) in which programs must “establish and maintain a policy council responsible for the direction of the Head Start program at the agency level, and a policy committee at the delegate level.”

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Course Author

Rosalba Barragan

Rosalba Barragan is the vice chair of the National Head Start Association’s Board of Directors. She is a mother of three and a Head Start parent. Rosalba began her Head Start journey as site committee president, PAC representative, Policy Council member, and parent liaison to the Board of Directors for Neighborhood House Association. She was then elected as a parent representative to the Region 9 Head Start Association and the National Head Start Association. Rosalba is passionate about high-quality early education and believes it to be vital that all children, no matter their background and socioeconomic standing, receive the best services possible.

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