The purpose of the Head Start State Collaboration Office (HSSCO) is to support the development of Head Start participation in multi-agency, public/private partnerships to benefit low-income children and families at the state and local levels.
With the above aim in mind, the HSSCO and its partners:
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build early childhood systems and widen access to comprehensive services and support for all low-income children.
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create partnership agreements and initiatives between Head Start and state programs or agencies to benefit children and their families.
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facilitate Head Start involvement in state policies, plans, processes, and decisions which affect the Head Start population and other low-income families.
The 2007 Head Start Act identified (or expanded upon those from 1998's reauthorization) eight priority areas for HSSCOs. The updated priority areas are:
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Child Care - including making full-working day and full calendar year services available to children.
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Health Care - including mental health.
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Welfare - including child protective services, services for children in foster care, and children referred to Head Start by child welfare agencies.
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Services Relating to Children with Disabilities.
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Community Service Activities - including the promotion of partnerships between Head Start agencies, schools, law enforcement, relevant community-based organizations, and substance abuse and mental health treatment agencies to strengthen family and community environments and to reduce the impact on child development of substance abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, and other high-risk behaviros that compromise healthy development.
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Services to Homeless Children.
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Family Literacy Services.
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Education - including reading readiness programs, programs offered by public and school libraries, services offered by museums, early childhood education and development for children with limited English proficiency, partnerships to promote inclusion of more books in Head Start classrooms, and professional development.
To get a greater sense of how 2007's eight priority areas have changed or developed since 1998, please peruse this side-by-side comparison describing the purpose, roles, and responsibilities of HSSCOs in 1998 and 2007. The "2007 Head Start Act" column also includes information on the new requirement that each state have an Early Childhood Education Advisory Council.
The HSSCO Collaboration Advisory Committee helps the HSSCO Director complete the above organizational objectives. The committee is comprised of representatives from Head Start, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations working on behalf of young children and their families. Current members of the HSSCO Collaboration Advisory Committee are:
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Linda Leonhart, Director Head Start Collaboration Office Department of Children and Families (DCF)
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Tim Nolan, Executive Director National Centers for Learning Excellence, Inc. |
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Anne Carmody, Child Care Program Specialist Bureau of Early Care Regulation Department of Children and Families (DCF)
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Jane Penner-Hoppe, KidsFirst Policy
Advisory |
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Shelley Cousin, Executive Director Wisconsin Head Start Association (WHSA)
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Gail Porath, Head Start Director |
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Jill Haglund, Early Childhood Consultant Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
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Laura Saterfield, Bureau Director Bureau of Early Childhood Education Department of Children and Families (DCF)
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Marcia Huemoeller, Executive Director Dane County Parent Council, Inc.
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Dick Schlimm, Executive Director Wisc. Community Action Program Assoc. (WISCAP)
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Lilly Irvin-Vitela, Executive Director Supporting Families Together Association
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Ruth Schmidt , Executive DirectorWisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) |
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Mary Maronek,
Coordinator
Ed. for Homeless Children and Youth Program
Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
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Ann Terrell, Early Childhood Division Director |
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Kath McGurk, Child Care Consultant Bureau of Early Childhood Education Department of Children and Families (DCF)
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HSSCO Collaboration Advisory Committee Meetings: The Committee meets four times annually to discuss its business and share relevant resources.
HSSCO Location: On July 1, 2008 HSSCO moved from the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to the new Department of Children and Families (DCF). The creation of DCF was announced in November of 2007 by Governor Doyle. The press release revealing the establishment of DCF outlines what services and programs DCF now manages. HSSCO will report directly to Secretary Reggie Bicha's office and will also be attached to the DCF Division of Early Care and Education. To learn more about DCF's organizational structure, please view the Organizational Structure PowerPoint prepared by the Department. Or, visit the DCF website at http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/.
Governor's Early Care and Education Council: The Head Start Act of 2007 required states to form State Early Childhood Advisory Councils. Wisconsin's Council will:
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Conduct a periodic statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and availability of early childhood education and development programs;
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Identify opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration and coordination among Federally-funded and State-funded child development, childcare, and early childhood education programs and services;
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Develop recommendations for increasing the overall participation of children in existing Federal, State, and local childcare and early childhood education programs, including outreach to underrepresented and special populations; and
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Develop recommendations regarding statewide professional development and career advancement plans for early childhood educators in the state.
To learn more about the Governor's Early Care and Education Council, visit its website at: http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/ecac/default.htm. At the site, you will find resources about the Council's structure, its membership, background information, current initiatives, meeting minutes, and more.
Annual HSSCO Needs Assessment: The Head Start Act of 2007 mandated that HSSCOs conduct an annual needs assessment that "addresses the needs of Head Start agencies in the State with respect to collaboration, coordination and alignment of services, and alignment of curricula and assessments used in Head Start programs with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early learning standards."
The first needs assessment survey of all Wisconsin Head Start/Early Head Start programs was carried out in 2009 and covered the 2008-09 program year. The results were used to developed the "Wisconsin Head Start Collaboration Office Needs Assessment Report: 2008-2009 Survey Results" and its Executive Summary. Both documents are available to the public and are posted below.
WI HSSCO Needs Assessment Report: 2008-09 Survey Results
Executive Summary--WI HSSCO Needs Assessment Report: 2008-09 Survey Results
Please contact the WI HSSCO Director for questions about the needs assessment survey, Report, or Executive Summary. Contact information is below.
To find out more about Head Start State Collaboration Offices, visit the Head Start National Resources Center.
Wisconsin Head Start State Collaboration Office
Linda Leonhart, Director
Dept. of Children and Families
Div. of Early Care and Education
G.E.F. 1
201 E. Washington Ave
PO Box 8916
Madison, WI 53708-8916
Phone:
608-261-2137
Fax: 608-267-7952
linda.leonhart@wisconsin.gov
Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners
Working Together to Transform Early Childhood Services
The Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP) seek to positively impact the lives of Wisconsin's young children and their families by improving early care and education, health, mental health, parent education, and family support services at the state, regional, and community levels. WECCP is a network of organizations and individuals dedicated to this goal and its members include state departments and both public and private agencies and associations.
WECCP envisions a Wisconsin where all children receive the services and family supports they need in order to attain their optimal developmental potential during the critical years of birth through age five. Wisconsin communities, agencies, associations, and state government will work together to provide a system of high quality comprehensive early childhood services for every child and family who wants access to them.
WECCP In-Demand Resources:
Wisconsin Early Childhood Career Guide
Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards
2010
June
1 - HSSCO Collaboration Advisory Council Meeting
8 - Governor's Early Childhood Advisory Council
16-17 - WHSA Summer Quarterly Meeting
August
5 - WECCP Videoconference
September
7 - HSSCO Collaboration Advisory Council Meeting
22 - Governor's Early Childhood Advisory Council
