Community Progress Council Inc
Grant: $256,707 - Administration for Children and Families - May. 29, 2009
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Award Description: ARRA Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), and Quality Improvement Funding consistent with the provisions of Section 640(a)(5) of the Head Start Act. ARRA COLA funding is being used for the following purposes: 1. To increase wages of all Federal Head Start employees by 1.84% in addition to 3.06% COLA in base budget funding meeting required 4.9% wage increase specified by Office of Head Start (OHS). 2. To meet increased rent charges by facilities. Intended Outcomes: 1. Increased ability to compete in the job market and to attract and retain well-qualified staff thereby improving the quality of Head Start. 1. Meet the demand for increased rent at current facilities. The Quality Improvement Funding is being used for the following purposes: 1. Part Ai - To provide a 4.9% COLA increase for education personnel, family services workers and child counselors paid through other funding sources. 2. Part Aiii - To provide education and professional development to education personnel, family service workers and child counselors. 3. Part Bi - To support staff training, child counseling, and other services necessary to address the challenges of homeless children, limited English proficient children, children from families in crisis, and children exposed to chronic violence or substance abuse. 4. Part B2ii - To ensure that physical environments of Head Start programs are conducive to providing effective program services to children and families and are accessible to children with disabilities and other individuals with disabilities. 5. Part BV - To increase the program hours of operation. 6. Part Bviii - To provide a 4.9% COLA increase for all other Head Start staff other than education personnel, family services workers and child counselors. Intended Outcomes 1. Increased ability to compete in the job market and to attract and retain well-qualified staff thereby improving the quality of Head Start 2. Meet and exceed the minimum education requirements for education personnel, family service workers and child counselors as specified in the Head Start Act 2007 3. Increased ability of all staff to address the challenges of homeless children, limited English proficient children, children from families in crisis, and children exposed to chronic violence or substance abuse 4. Provide for relocation of Head Start classrooms to fully handicapped accessible facility. 5. Extend the hours of operation for eleven Head Start classrooms from four days per week to five days per week. 6. Increased ability to compete in the job market and to attract and retain well-qualified staff thereby improving the quality of Head Start
Project Description: Quarterly Activities 1. All staff received a COLA wage increase of 4.9% through a combination of base budget funding, ARRA COLA and ARRA Quality Improvement funds. Increases were effective the first day of individual employee?s program year. 2. Rent contract increases are currently being negotiated. 3. 27 Staff currently enrolled in post secondary education: Child Development Certificate - 4 Associated Degree - Early Childhood Education - 11 Bachelors Degree - HDFS, ECE, psychology - 10 Masters Degree - education - 2 27 staff attended or are registered to attend various trainings and professional conferences, including parent as teachers, recognizing and reporting child abuse, leadership, and diversity. 4. All staff attended training to increase their knowledge of homelessness and its effect on children and families, including the recognition of signs of homelessness, mental health, physical health, and educational impact. Due to the current economic conditions, staff recognizes that homelessness has become a circumstance that knows no socio-economic, ethnic, or geographic boundaries. A team building exercise gave all staff the opportunity to recognize and appreciate how each individual is critical to our success in addressing the needs of all of homeless children, limited English proficient children, children from families in crisis, and children exposed to chronic violence or substance abuse. 5. The Head Start Director is working with realtors and contractors to assess the feasibility of renovation and relocation to available facilities. A 56 cubic foot refrigerator and a 56 cubic foot freezer have been purchased to be placed in an existing kitchen to upgrade the appliances. At the time of relocation, these appliances will be moved. 6. Eleven classrooms, affecting approximately 220 children and 27 staff, expanded service days from four days per week to five days per week beginning September 8, 2009.
Jobs Summary: Approximately 5 full time job equivalents were created when all staff received a COLA from ARRA funds. 2. Approximately 6.4 full time job equivalents were created by the expansion of eleven head start classrooms. These include 11 teachers, 11 assistant teachers, 2 cooks, 2 assistant cooks and 1 cook aide. CALCULATION: Definition: Full Time Standard: CPC's base full time equivalent is 30 hours per week. Head Start staff work varying schedules from 14 hours per week to 40 hours per week. For purposes of these calculations, if the staff member?s regular schedule is less than or equal to 30 hours per week, 30 hours per week is used as the full time standard. If the staff member?s regularly scheduled work week is more than 30 hours per week the staff member?s regularly scheduled work week is used as the full time standard. 1. The calculation for full time equivalents for the COLA increase was calculated by multiplying the full time standard for the employee times the number of weeks worked resulting in the total full time hours for that position. Then the total hours worked (adjusted for leave pool) is divided by the total full time hours. The result is multiplied by the appropriate ARRA COLA percentage to give us the full time equivalent of COLA funds for this employee. EXAMPLE: Full Time Standard - 31 hours per week Total weeks worked - 5 Actual hours worked adjusted for leave pool - 163.87 ARRA percentage - 1.84% 31 x 5 = 155 total standard hours worked for the period ended 9/30/09 163.87 / 155 = 1.05723 x 1.84% = .01945 full time equivalent 2. The calculation for the full time equivalents for the expansion wages was calculated by taking the total hours worked after the expansion less the total hours worked before the expansion, times the number of weeks worked, divided into the Full Time Standard before expansion. EXAMPLE: Total hours worked after expansion - 35 per week Total hours worked before expansion - 31 per week Total weeks worked - 5 35 - 31 = 4 additional hours per week. 4 hours x 5 weeks = 20 total additional hours worked, 20 hours / 31 hours = .6452 full time equivalent. (Total jobs reported: 11)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
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