Head Start Programs Evaluate
Ways to Meet Mandates

By Shanna Thompson | Associate Editor

The legislation includes a provision that extends the date by which all Head Start children must be transported in school buses or allowable alternative vehicles until June 30, 2006. The bill also allows waivers to be granted for the mandated use of child restraint systems and the bus monitor requirement if an agency "demonstrates that compliance with such requirements will result a significant disruption to the Head Start program or the Early Head Start program and waiving such requirements is in the best interests of the children involved."

Leading up to the deadline and signing of the bill, local head Start agencies evaluated how to best meet the transportation mandates prescribed by the law. Strategies ranged from identifying money to pay for the requirements to cutting services, the latter opening the possibility of programs failing to meet funded enrollment.

Some regions like those served by the Migrant and Season Head Start programs, reported that most but not all of the local agencies were in compliance due to planning prior to the deadline, said Nancy Netherland, a content specialist in the area of program design and management. The 66 programs serve more then 30,000 children in 36 states who live in mostly rural areas and whose parents work on farms and in food processing plants.

"Transportation of children in rural areas is the hallmark of our region," she said. "Only a few of our agencies report that they will not be in compliance, but our region has been working on compliance since 1996 and has tried to stay ahead of the curve."

While planning ahead and spreading expenses out over time was key, one of the problems is that now as fleets age and the need for quality improvement money for buses grows, the funds aren't there.

The impact of cutting back or eliminating transportation for migrant children could create an inability to meet funded enrollment in Head Start programs because migrant farm workers often have only one vehicle, which the parents use to get to work, sometimes before dawn, said Netherland.

"Programs are being asked to do more and more with the same amount of money," she said. "They will be looking for efficiencies and cost savings in the short term, but if funding doesn't keep up with rising costs, then what?"

Among Head Start agencies in other regions, the response to the compliance deadline is varied with some prioritizing locations where transportation is vital and others cutting the service all together.

"In Nebraska , we know that some Head Start agencies have met the transportation requirements," said Eleanor Kirkland, director of the Head Start-State Collaboration Office. "But I know that many grantees are eliminating transportation services due to vehicle costs, increased requirements, liability issues, and issues related to formal partnerships with school districts, child care, and other community programs."

To meet compliance mandates, Central Nebraska Community Services, which covers 21 counties, spent approximately $3,900 to order 30 child restraints at $130 each for its Head Start transportation program. But a lack of buses also required the agency to discontinue transportation in three locations deemed to have the least amount of need in 2005.

"We have 25 classrooms but only have 15 buses," said director Sue Obermiller. "We are concerned that the lack of buses could affect our average daily attendance since we are a very rural community."

Educare of Omaha responded to the cost of meeting the regulations by opting not to provide transportation, instead investing the money into programming. The Head Start agency found that most of their families have fairly reliable transportation, said project director Gladys Haynes, with about 1 to 2 percent of the more than 200 families dropping out each year due to a lack of transportation.

Still, the cut back in bus service has impacted Educare's ability to take field trips with costs doubling and tripling, since smaller-capacity buses equipped with the required seat belts must be utilized instead of the agency's large buses, which don't meet the requirements.

Buses operated by Head Start Child & Family Development Programs, Inc. in Hastings were expected to be in compliance with the regulations by Jan. 6, said executive director Deb Ross, although transportation was discontinued in two of the largest counties - Adams and Hall - due to the compliance mandate and the costs of the additional buses that would have been necessary.

To meet the regulations, the organization spent more than $500,000 in new buses, retrofitting expenses and bus monitors.

"These regulations have had a tremendous impact on our programs, partnerships and budgets," Ross said.

Source: School Transportation News, February 2006. All rights reserved.