A revision to a federal law two years ago may pay significant dividends for a local program over the next five years.
The national Head Start Act was revised in 2007 to allow Head Start programs nationwide to apply for additional funding through the Centers of Excellence Program, which recognizes quality Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Each state in the union selects one Head Start program to compete nationally, and Kansas’ representative is the Head Start program administered by the Girard based-Southeast Kansas Community Action Program.
While up to 50 programs will enter the national contest, only 10 will be designated as a Center of Excellence, which earns the program an award of $200,000 each year for five years. Steve Lohr, SEK-CAP executive director, said being selected to represent Kansas in the grant competition is the first step in the process.
“It was a pretty big hurdle just to get through the 29 Head Start agencies in the Kansas,” he said. “It would be a great opportunity for us, for southeast Kansas and for the entire state if we were selected.”
The next step, however, is not so clear. Linda Broyles, SEK-CAP deputy director, said there is thus far little information available regarding the guidelines for the national competition.
“We don’t have any idea of what the Request for Proposal is going to look like,” Broyles said. “We’re kind of in limbo right now, waiting for additional guidance.”
Regardless of what the national rules and regulations will be, Broyles said she is confident the local program has a chance at becoming a nationally-recognized Center of Excellence.
“I’m confident that we have a good program and that we’d represent Kansas very well in the national program,” she said. “We are honored by this recognition and look forward to submitting a successful national application.”
While announcing SEK-CAP’s Head Start as the Kansas designee, Gov. Mark Parkinson thanked the program for “a program rich with innovative approaches to meeting the comprehensive needs of the children and the families that you serve.”
SEK-CAP delivers Head Start and Early Head Start services to more than 900 children and families in 12 southeast Kansas counties.
