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CHEAHA REGIONAL HEAD START A DIVISION OF TCR CHILD CARE CORPORATION2024-2025 Annual Report January 2025 Cheaha Regional Head Start925 North Street Talladega, AL 35160 256-362-1390

P Cover Page This report is made available to the public on the agency website. https://www.tcrchildcarecorporation.org/ . The report is updated annually in January and made available on the website upon approval of the Executive Board. Approved by the Board: January 14, 2025 Approved by the Policy Council; January 15, 2025

Purpose and Scope in alignment with the Head Start Performance Standards and The Head Start Act 1302.102 Achieving program goals (c) Using data for continuous improvement. (1) A program must implement a process for using data to identify program strengths and needs, develop and implement plans that address program needs, and continually evaluate compliance with program performance standards and progress towards achieving program goals described in paragraph (a) of this section. (2) Annually, a program must publish and disseminate a report that complies with section 644(a)(2) of the Act and includes a summary of a program’s most recent community assessment, as described in §1302.11(b), consistent with privacy protections in subpart C of part 1303 of this chapter. Sec. 644. [42 U.S.C. 9839] (a)(1) Each Head Start agency shall observe standards of organization, management, and administration that will ensure, so far as reasonably possible, that all program activities are conducted in a manner consistent with the purposes of this subchapter and the objective of providing assistance effectively, efficiently, and free of any taint of partisan political bias or personal or family favoritism. Each such agency shall establish or adopt rules to carry out this section, which shall include rules to assure full staff accountability in matters governed by law, regulations, or agency policy. Each agency shall also provide for reasonable public access to information, including public hearings at the request of appropriate community groups and reasonable public access to books and records of the agency or other agencies engaged in program activities or operations involving the use of authority or funds for which it is responsible. (2) Each Head Start agency shall make available to the public a report published at least once in each fiscal year that discloses the following information from the most recently concluded fiscal year, except that reporting such information shall not reveal personally identifiable information about an individual child or parent: (A) The total amount of public and private funds received and the amount from each source. (B) An explanation of budgetary expenditures and proposed budget for the fiscal year. (C) The total number of children and families served, the average monthly enrollment (as a percentage of funded enrollment), and the percentage of eligible children served. (D) The results of the most recent review by the Secretary and the financial audit. (E) The percentage of enrolled children that received medical and dental exams. (F) Information about parent involvement activities. (G) The agency's efforts to prepare children for kindergarten. (H) Any other information required by the Secretary.

Table of Contents About Cheaha Regional Head Start 4 Mission and Goals 5 Governance 6 Funding Sources and Budgetary Expenditures 7 Reviews and Audits 8 Enrollment and Waitlist 9-12 Health and Nutrition Services 13 Parent Involvement 14 Family Outcomes 5-16 School Readiness 7 -21 Disability Services 22 Teacher Qualifications 23 Results of the Self-Assessment 24

Introduction Cheaha Regional Head Start (CRHS), a division of TCR Child Care Corporation (TCR), offers quality, comprehensive services within our current service area. During the last 40+ years, CRHS has successfully expanded from serving less than 200 children to now serving 750 children and families in its six-county service area of Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Randolph, and Talladega Counties. CRHS strongly believes in its mission statement of Transforming walls into doors, as our challenges become opportunities to serve each other. CRHS realizes that by establishing high standards and school readiness goals, our children and families will leave Head Start better prepared for future success. Building on its strong history of providing quality early childhood services and the agency’s strong community partnerships within the service area, CRHS is uniquely qualified to continue to provide services within the service area. The agency has successfully expanded its Head Start services beginning in 1998 becoming the replacement agency for Community Action Agency of Anniston and successfully competing for Early Head Start (EHS) in 2001. This model of joint operation has ensured the continuity of care throughout the program from serving pregnant women to 4-year-olds in a high-quality program. C throughout the program from serving 4-year-4-quality program. 4

Mission and Goals MISSION STATEMENT Transforming walls into doors as our challenges become opportunities to serve each other. VISION STATEMENT Cheaha Regional Head Start is innovative in leading the way-providing a comprehensive program of quality through respect and nurturing of children and families while setting standards of excellence. Program Goals Program Goal 1: CRHS will st Goal 1:Goal 2:Goal 3:Goal 4:Goal 5:Goal 6:Transitions: CRHS will strengthen policies and practices that ensure children experiencing transitions are smooth and effective.Family Engagement; CRHS will provide more opportunities for families to engage in the centers, attend training, serve on boards/committees, and engage within their communities.Professional Development: CRHS will increase employee retention by evaluating, educating, and responding to employee wellness concerns within the program.Social and Emotional Development: CRHS will partner with parents, community agencies, collaborative partners to educate staff and parents on positive discipline techniques, effects of adverse family environments, challenging behaviors, and social emotional wellbeing both directly and indirectly.Math and Science: CRHS will enhance its educational services to improve the Math and Science skills of enrolled children to maximize their potential to enter kindergarten with a solid foundation for Math and Science success. .Nutrition: CRHS will partner with parents, community agencies, collaborative partners to enhance the nutritional knowledge and practices of our children and families by fostering healthy eating habits that support optimal growth, development and lifelong wellness. CRHS will p a r t n e r w i t h p a r e n t s , c o m m u n i t y a g e n c i e s ,

then the reliability of child development assessment data by g, behavior management and interventions practices. 5 Governance The Governing Board The TCR Board of Directors serves as the governing body for CRHS, overseeing the fiscal accounting of all Head Start funds, as well as monitoring effectiveness and progress in meeting local program goals and implementing federal requirements. Policy Council The CRHS Policy Council consists of parents and community members elected from parent committees within each center. The Policy Council members represent family concerns and approve financial expenditures and annual program planning. Both governing bodies are trained in Head Start governance responsibilities, as well as fiscal and program policies and procedures.

6 Funding Sources and Budgetary Expenditures

7 Reviews and Audits From January 06, 2025, to January 8, 2025, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) conducted a Focus Area One (FA1) monitoring review. This report contains information about the recipient's performance and compliance with the requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) or Public Law 110-134, Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007. The program has not received the official report from this review as of this Annual Report. The annual audit was completed for the fiscal year September 30, 2023, and there were no adverse findings. !"#$%$&'$%$(#)**+,-#.+/012Personnel-)$7,512,490 Fringe)Benefits-)$1,631,101 Travel-)$50,000 Equipment-)$0.00Supplies-$364,715 Contractual-$57,520 Other-$1,335,634

8 Enrollment

Program Totals = 750 100% Funded enrollment at submission of this report Monthly Percentages of Eligible Children Served 9 Enrollment by Income August 202498.13%September 2024100%October 202498.93%November 2024100%December 2024100%

10 0

11 Waitlist by Income

12 Health Services Cheaha Regional Head Start and Early Head Start programs maintain a Health Services Advisory Committee to support children’s healthy development. The HSAC is an advisory group composed of

local health providers who represent a wide variety of local social services agencies. They include pediatricians, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, nutritionists, and mental health providers. Head Start staff and parents also serve on the HSAC. Effective partnerships are key to the success of this approach. HSACs help programs to make decisions about health services and strengthen the communities where Head Start families live. Nutrition Services CRHS encourages good nutrition by working with parents, staff, and local nutritionists to address the nutritional needs of all children, especially those with special dietary needs. Additionally, all classrooms eat meals in family-style settings. 13 Parent Involvement Early)Head)Start-Head)Start)Health)Services0125250375500Has)ongoing)health)insuranceCurrent)PhysicalsCurrent)Vision)ExamsEarly)Head)Start-)Enrollment)266 Head)Start)Enrollment-)484

CRHS’s Head Start program provides families with opportunities to be a part of their child’s learning development in numerous ways. To incorporate Family Engagement: •Monthly Parent Conscious Discipline training at each Head Start site •24/7 Dads Program to increase male participation •Workshops are conducted on topics such as: finances, employment, parenting, nutrition classes, etc. •Phone calls will be made, and surveys conducted to ensure the family’s well-being. •Learning Genie is an all-in-One Data Driven Family Engagement Suite featuring two-way communication with auto-translation, family engagement tool offered and encouraged to all families for increased communication, and engagement 14 Family Outcomes

Cheaha Regional Head Start provides tangible child development supports and resources that families and staff want and need. They work with families and Head Start and Early Head Start staff toward such goals. These include parents’ educational advancement, economic mobility, and other aspects of family well-being. Family outcomes are tracked in the ChildPlus data system. (see below) Early Head Start 15 Head Start

16 School Readiness

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Disability Services Cheaha Regional Head Start makes ongoing recruitment and enrollment efforts to ensure that children with disabilities and their families are enrolled and have access to high-quality early childhood services. Every effort is made to ensure that at least 10% of total funded enrollment slots are occupied by children eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The 10% requirement was met for the 2024-2025 program year and at submission of this report is at the 8.53% mark. •Early Head Start: 7 IFSPs •Head Start: 57 IEPs •Early Head Start pending evaluation: 18 •Head Start pending evaluation: 39 22

Teacher Qualifications 23 Results of the Self-Assessment 341/1*5,-#6781Masters)Degree-)3 Bachelors)Degree-)20 Associates)Degree-)29 Short)CerRficate-9CDA)-52 Enrolled-)23 Vacancies-5

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