Head Start Self-Assessment: Your Foundation for Building Program Excellence

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Program Self-Assessment Booklet 3

Management Systems: Communication

Core Question to be answered by Self-Assessment team:

How effective is the grantee’s communication system in supporting the implementation of quality services to children and families?

Purpose:

Communication ensures the exchange of information that allows individuals to become fully involved in program activities and to make group decisions that promote a quality program. (Rationale for 1304.51(b), p.181).

This booklet will help you to assess if the program is meeting Federal Performance Standards relating to communications involving governing bodies, parents, policy groups, staff, partners in the community, and the community in general. Related Performance Standards include: 1304.22(a)(4); 1304.20(c)(1); 1304.22(b)(3); 1304.41(a)(1); 1304.51(b)-1304.51(f); 1308.4(l).

As you conduct your assessment of this program’s communication system, pay close attention to how information is shared:

• Among staff, governing bodies, and policy groups
• Between staff and parents
• With community partners and child care partners
• With delegate agency governing bodies, Policy Committees, and staff (where appropriate)
• With the public and news media

Helpful tools to support data collection in this area follow.

Review:

Ask the Head Start director and/or responsible manager to provide you with access to the following documents:

• Policies and procedures pertaining to communication systems
• Written communication among staff
• Meeting minutes
• Sample communications with families
• Policies and procedures pertaining to communication
• Communications with the governing body and policy groups
• Ongoing monitoring reports
• Sample communications with community partners
• Important data sources relevant to this area such as the PRISM report, PIR data, Community Assessment, strategic plan or short and long term program goals

Use the checklist below to assist your document review:

Does the program have written policies and procedures pertaining to communication systems?
Yes  No  Comment__________________________________________________________

Are communications with families provided in their primary language?
Yes  No   Comment__________________________________________________________

Is an orientation packet provided to new members of governing bodies and policy groups which explains their role and participation in shared decision-making?
Yes  No   Comment__________________________________________________________

Does the program have a way to communicate with staff such as memos, bulletins or electronic means such as e-mail or bulletin boards?
Yes  No   Comment__________________________________________________________

Does the program have a regular schedule of meetings:
For staff?                        Yes No
For parents?                   Yes  No
For policy groups?         Yes  No

Do governing body members and policy groups receive pertinent information in a timely manner in order to make informed decisions?
 Yes   No   Comment__________________________________________________________

Interview:

The Self-Assessment team member(s) may want to interview members of the Head Start management team, staff, members of the governing body or Policy Council, and Head Start families.

Questions to ask staff:

How do you find out what's happening in the program?
________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

What opportunities do you have on a regular basis to communicate with other staff, including supervisors?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

How do you foster effective two-way communication with families?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Are you able to communicate with families in their primary or preferred language?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

How does the program obtain information from each family in order to plan services for their child?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Does the program communicate with both parents when they live in separate households?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Questions for policy group and governing body members:

How are you oriented to your roles and responsibilities as a policy group or governing body member?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Is required information such as reports, federal policies, guidelines, program plans, policies and procedures and grant applications, shared with you? Is information received in a timely manner?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Questions for Managers:

Is there a system in place for staff to communicate regularly about services to children and families so that services become integrated and coordinated? Describe the system.
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

In what ways does the program seek information from families to plan opportunities within the program that meet their needs and desires?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

How is good communication ensured between the program and its community partners?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Describe the system for orienting new employees.
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

What is the process for parent orientation to your program and services?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Questions for Families:

How do you find out about what's happening in the program?
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Did you participate in an orientation to the program? Describe that experience.
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Incorporating Relevant Data Sources:

Additional observations, document reviews, or interview questions that this team may choose to add:
___________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

Include any key insights you may have learned from reviewing important data sources such as the PRISM report, PIR data, Community Assessment, strategic plan or short and long term program goals:
___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

Team Member Summary Worksheet

Summary of Results for Communication

Areas where the program is working well. Provide examples of program strengths or areas where the program exceeds Performance Standards:
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Areas where the program needs improvement:
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Additional areas of concern:
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

TEAM LEADER BOOKLET ANALYSIS

Booklet # ____________
Booklet Name: ______________________________________________________________________________

Program Strengths	Data Source
Specific Program Weaknesses and Areas to Strengthen	Data Source