Partnership Profile: Bellevue, Washington
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While every partnership looks different, there are several existing models that can serve as a guide.
This profile focuses on Bellevue College and Puget Sound Educational Service District Head Start in Bellevue, Washington. In this partnership, Head Start subcontracts to a community college to provide services on campus.
Subcontracting Head Start services to the community college
Some community colleges may choose to operate their on-campus early childhood education program themselves as a subcontractor of the Head Start program for a certain number of slots. The college may serve non-Head Start children as well by blending and braiding funding sources. In this model, the community college is responsible for enrolling children and directly running the program.
Fast Facts
Head Start website: www.earlylearningwa.org / www.bellevuecollege.edu/childcare/headstart/
College numbers: 23,092 total students (12,076 full-time and 11,016 part-time)
Child Development Center capacity: 190 slots
Head Start slots: 10 children
Partnership Overview:
Bellevue College (BC) is one of five college and community college subcontractors of Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) Head Start so that the colleges can provide early learning services themselves on their own campuses.
Bellevue College hires its own staff, but in this unique hybrid subcontracting partnership, PSESD provides Head Start funding, program implementation support like coaching, monitoring, and ensuring high-quality delivery of Head Start program services and requirements. PSESD Head Start subcontracts 10 enrollment opportunities to BC with a set cost-per-child negotiated between the two organizations. The college braids Head Start funding with other sources, such as state subsidy and college funds, to serve both Head Start eligible children and other children. BC early childhood students can do their practicum and class work in the on-campus child care center.
Head Start Operations
PSESD operates a variety of services, including Head Start, Early Head Start, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP - Washington’s state pre-K program), child care, home visiting, and family child care. These various models implement full-day/full-year, school day/school year and part-day/school year.
While BC hires the teachers, family support staff and operates the center on a day-to-day basis, PSESD provides support including coaching, technical assistance, professional development, data management, monitoring, fiscal, and strategic planning. PSESD also assigns a team of education, family engagement and health and safety coaches as well as disabilities and mental health consultants.
The Details
PSESD and BC work together to negotiate a cost-per-child based on an annual budget that supports the contracted, funded enrollment level and the cost to implement Head Start in a high-quality child-care setting. Head Start funding is braided with child care subsidies, available through the state and college. All classroom and operational costs are built into the annual budget, and cost is allocated in consideration of other funding. PSESD assigns a fiscal grant accountant to BC, to support various budgetary needs and fiscal compliance. BC invoices PSESD each month based on allowable expenses and cost allocation.
Additionally, BC and PSESD incorporate a budget line item called “continuity of care” into the annual budget. This is funding to ensure that children and families will be able to remain in class and care if, for some reason, they lose their subsidy. This line item provides security to both providers and families while families apply for funds to replace the child care subsidy.
Benefits and Strengths:
Provides a Head Start option for parent students who are Head Start eligible
Provides full day and full year options for Head Start eligible children and families
Families who are not eligible for Head Start can still be served on campus
Expanded hours and flexible schedules can be made available to meet family needs, particularly for parenting students.
Variety of services and funding sources can improve enrollment
Challenges:
Cost allocation can be new for some organizations and may need additional support to implement in alignment with Head Start and federal regulations.
This structure can be complex and successful implementation requires strong partnership and commitment