[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 45, Volume 4]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 45CFR1304.51]



[Page 138-140]

 

                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE

 

CHAPTER XIII--OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

                           AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

PART 1304_PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR THE OPERATION OF HEAD 

START PROGRAMS BY GRANTEE AND DELEGATE AGENCIES--Table of Contents

 

                 Subpart D_Program Design and Management

 

Sec. 1304.51  Management systems and procedures.



    (a) Program planning. (1) Grantee and delegate agencies must develop 

and implement a systematic, ongoing process of program planning that 

includes consultation with the program's governing body, policy groups, 

and program staff, and with other community organizations that serve 

Early Head Start and



[[Page 139]]



Head Start or other low-income families with young children. Program 

planning must include:

    (i) An assessment of community strengths, needs and resources 

through completion of the Community Assessment, in accordance with the 

requirements of 45 CFR 1305.3;

    (ii) The formulation of both multi-year (long-range) program goals 

and short-term program and financial objectives that address the 

findings of the Community Assessment, are consistent with the philosophy 

of Early Head Start and Head Start, and reflect the findings of the 

program's annual self- assessment; and

    (iii) The development of written plan(s) for implementing services 

in each of the program areas covered by this part (e.g., Early Childhood 

Development and Health Services, Family and Community Partnerships, and 

Program Design and Management). See the requirements of 45 CFR parts 

1305, 1306, and 1308.

    (2) All written plans for implementing services, and the progress in 

meeting them, must be reviewed by the grantee or delegate agency staff 

and reviewed and approved by the Policy Council or Policy Committee at 

least annually, and must be revised and updated as needed.

    (b) Communications--general. Grantee and delegate agencies must 

establish and implement systems to ensure that timely and accurate 

information is provided to parents, policy groups, staff, and the 

general community.

    (c) Communication with families. (1) Grantee and delegate agencies 

must ensure that effective two-way comprehensive communications between 

staff and parents are carried out on a regular basis throughout the 

program year.

    (2) Communication with parents must be carried out in the parents' 

primary or preferred language or through an interpreter, to the extent 

feasible.

    (d) Communication with governing bodies and policy groups. Grantee 

and delegate agencies must ensure that the following information is 

provided regularly to their grantee and delegate governing bodies and to 

members of their policy groups:

    (1) Procedures and timetables for program planning;

    (2) Policies, guidelines, and other communications from HHS;

    (3) Program and financial reports; and

    (4) Program plans, policies, procedures, and Early Head Start and 

Head Start grant applications.

    (e) Communication among staff. Grantee and delegate agencies must 

have mechanisms for regular communication among all program staff to 

facilitate quality outcomes for children and families.

    (f) Communication with delegate agencies. Grantees must have a 

procedure for ensuring that delegate agency governing bodies, Policy 

Committees, and all staff receive all regulations, policies, and other 

pertinent communications in a timely manner.

    (g) Record-keeping systems. Grantee and delegate agencies must 

establish and maintain efficient and effective record-keeping systems to 

provide accurate and timely information regarding children, families, 

and staff and must ensure appropriate confidentiality of this 

information.

    (h) Reporting systems. Grantee and delegate agencies must establish 

and maintain efficient and effective reporting systems that:

    (1) Generate periodic reports of financial status and program 

operations in order to control program quality, maintain program 

accountability, and advise governing bodies, policy groups, and staff of 

program progress; and

    (2) Generate official reports for Federal, State, and local 

authorities, as required by applicable law.

    (i) Program self-assessment and monitoring. (1) At least once each 

program year, with the consultation and participation of the policy 

groups and, as appropriate, other community members, grantee and 

delegate agencies must conduct a self-assessment of their effectiveness 

and progress in meeting program goals and objectives and in implementing 

Federal regulations.

    (2) Grantees must establish and implement procedures for the ongoing 

monitoring of their own Early Head Start and Head Start operations, as 

well as those of each of their delegate agencies, to ensure that these 

operations effectively implement Federal regulations.



[[Page 140]]



    (3) Grantees must inform delegate agency governing bodies of any 

deficiencies in delegate agency operations identified in the monitoring 

review and must help them develop plans, including timetables, for 

addressing identified problems.



(The information and collection requirements are approved by the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0970-0148 for 

paragraphs (a) and (i).)



[61 FR 57210, Nov. 5, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 2314, Jan. 15, 1998]