Q&A on Program Governance

Q: What individual or group determines the composition of the Policy Council/Committee and the method of selecting representatives of the community?
A: Section 1304.50 (a) of the Program Performance Standards gives the grantee/delegate agency the responsibility of establishing the composition of the Policy Council/Committee and the methods to be used in selecting representatives of the community. The policy group in an existing agency, and the interim group in a new grantee/delegate agency, must approve the procedure.

Q: Can a grantee or delegate agency place representatives of the community, including agency governing body members, on Head Start policy groups without approval of elected parent members of the group?
A: No. [See 1304.50(b)(1)]

Q: Who has the responsibility for training the Policy Council/Committee?
A: On-going training is the responsibility of the grantee/delegate agency. [See 1304.52(k)(4)]

Q: How long after the beginning of the operational year does a grantee/delegate agency have to establish a Policy Council/Committee?
A: All policy groups and Parent Committees must be established as early in the program year as possiable. This allows the policy group parents enough time to receive the full benefit of training and experience in the shared decision-making process. [See 1304.50(a)(3)]

Q: If an agency is both a Head Start grantee and delegate, or has more than one Head Start program, how is its policy group structured?
A: Every grantee has a Policy Council and every delegate agency has a Policy Committee. If an agency is both a Head Start grantee and delegate, there is only one policy group, a Policy Council, which also conducts some delegate-related business. [See 1304.50(a)(l)(i)(ii)]

Q: Can Head Start parents who are also staff serve on policy groups as voters?
A: In order to avoid any conflicts of interest, no staff member (or members of his or her immediate family) of the grantee/delegate agency can serve in that capacity. However, parents who occasionally act as substitutes may serve. [See 1304.50(b)(6)]

Q: Who should be involved in the policy group?
A: A minimum of 51 percent of the Council/Committee are parents of children enrolled in Head Start at the time of their election. The remaining members include local community representatives who are recommended by the grantee or delegate agency and approved by the policy group parents. [See 1304.50(b)(2)(3)]

Q: What is the limitation on the term of membership on a Head Start Policy Council/Committee, and why are there limits?
A: In accordance with 1304.50(b)(4)(5), terms of membership for parents and other community representatives are limited to a maximum of three one-year terms. Terms are limited to ensure that greater numbers of parents have access to the decision-making experience and that new ideas and community representatives are available to the program.

Q: Can low-income members be reimbursed for travel, meals and child care expenses that arise because of Council responsibilities?
A: Yes. [See 1304.50(f)]

Q: Can a policy group delegate its responsibility to approve or disapprove the hiring or termination of Head Start staff, including the Head Start director, to one of its own committees or to any other body of individuals?
A: No. The policy group may use a subcommittee to gather information to make recommendations to the full policy group, but the responsibility to approve or disapprove the hiring or termination of Head Start staff must remain with the full policy group. [See 1304.50(d)(l)(x)(xi)]

Q: What is a new grantee/delegate agency's role in hiring staff?
A: A new delegate agency initially has no official policy group, but is expected to organize and activate a policy group within two months from the receipt of the grant. Therefore, the grantee/delegate agency organizes an interim group made up of potential Head Start parents and community group members. This group is involved in program planning and must approve or disapprove the hiring of staff.

Q: Can grandparents of a Head Start child serve on policy groups if they are not the child's legal guardians?
A:
Yes, they can serve if they are the primary care givers or surrogate parents of the enrolled children. This can include anyone else who is not the biological parent of an enrolled child. [See 1306.3(h)]

Q: How should parents be included in the planning process of the local Head Start program?
A: The involvement of policy group parents in the planning process of the Head Start program includes, but is not limited to, encouraging parents to be involved in the development of the grant application and all other program plans to be used in implementation of goals. [See 1304.50(d)(e) and Appendix A] Parent Committees can also play an important role in providing opportunities for all parents to be a vital part of these functions.

Q: What is an impasse?
A: An impasse is a deadlock that occurs when a grantee or delegate agency and its policy group cannot reach agreement on a proposed action. Such impasses should be resolved at the local level to avoid disruption of services to Head Start children and families. In addition, Head Start agencies should have written internal dispute resolution procedures to resolve governing body/policy group conflicts. [See 1304.50(h)]

Q: Can parents be required to participate or volunteer in Head Start?
A: No. But staff can encourage parents to do so by focusing on the benefits to their children and family, as well as to the program. The home-based option expects parent participation. [1304.40(d)(2)]