MCC.4.3.010 Head Start and Early Head Start

The Head Start and Early Head Start is an important part of the ever-growing educational system of the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe and supports the statement of philosophy of the Ojibwe Code for Long Life and Wisdom. Within the Head Start/Early Head Start program, the Tribe hereby commits itself to an early extended involvement in our children's educational and social development. The Tribal Governing Board hereby establishes and empowers the Lac Courte Oreilles Head Start and Early Head Start to carry out the intent of this ordinance as further defined herein:

(a) The Policy Council shall oversee the implementation of the Head Start Program Performance Standards established at 45 CFR § 1304.50, for which this Head Start/Early Head Start (HS/EHS) Policy Council is created. The Policy Council must perform the following functions directly:

(1) Serve as a link to the Parent Committee, grantee agency governing bodies, public and private organizations, and the communities they serve to foster greater community participation and use of common resources.

(2) Assist Parent Committee in communicating with parents enrolled in all program options to ensure that they understand their rights and responsibilities and the opportunities available in Head Start, and to encourage their participation in the program.

(3) Assist Parent Committee in planning, coordinating, and organizing program activities for parents with the assistance of staff, and ensure that funds set aside from program budgets are used to support parent activities (Parent Advisory Funds).

(4) Assist in the recruiting of volunteer services from parents, community residents, and community organizations, and assist in the mobilization of community resources to meet identified needs.

(5) Establish and maintain procedures for working with the grantee or delegate agency to resolve community complaints about the program.

(6) Revise as necessary the budget while program is in operation.

(b) The general functions of the Lac Courte Oreilles Head Start/Early Head Start Policy Council in the oversight of the implementation of the Head Start Program Performance Standards established at 45 CFR § 1304.50, are to work in partnership with key management staff and the Tribal Governing Board to develop, review, and approve or disapprove the following policies and procedures:

(1) All funding applications and amendments to funding applications for Head Start/Early Head Start, including administrative services, prior to the submission of such applications.

(2) Procedures describing how the governing body and the appropriate policy group will implement shared decision making.

(3) Procedures for program planning, program's philosophy, the long-range and short-range goals and objectives, to develop ways to meet them within the HHS guidelines.

(4) The composition of the Policy Council and the procedures by which policy group members are chosen within HHS guidelines.

(5) Criteria for defining recruitment, selection, and enrollment priorities, in accordance with the requirement of 45 CFR § 1305.

(6) The annual self-assessment of the grantee agency's progress in carrying out the programmatic and fiscal intent of its grant application, including planning or other actions that may result from the review of the audit and findings from the federal monitoring.

(7) Review the agency's procedures to ensure that an annual independent audit is conducted, in accordance with 45 CFR § 1301.31, and copies of the audit are available to them.

(8) Program personnel policies and subsequent changes to those policies, including standards of conduct for program staff, consultants, and volunteers.

(9) Decisions to hire or terminate the Head Start/Early Head Start Director and any person who works primarily for the Head Start/Early Head Start Program. To make recommendations to the Tribal Governing Board to approve or disapprove final selections.

(10) To recommend revision of the Policy Council By-Laws when deemed necessary.