The Uniqueness of the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Uniqueness of the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program’s Family Engagement Strategies

Cleo Rodriguez, Jr., Executive Director, National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Assoc. (512)913‐3165 ∙ cleojr@unitedcorpuschristichamber. com Bill Castellanos, Child, Youth and Family Services Division Director (805) 544‐4355, ext. 220 ∙ bcastellanos@capslo.org Elizabeth “Biz” Steinberg, Chief Executive Officer (805) 544‐4355, ext. 100 ∙ esteinberg@capslo.org Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County (CAPSLO) 1030 Southwood Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 www.capslo.org

Presenters

The Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO)

Mission

The Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo is committed to eliminating the causes of poverty by empowering low‐income individuals and families to achieve self‐sufficiency through a wide array of community‐based collaborations and programs

CAPSLO has been a Community Action Agency since

• 1965. CAPSLO achieved and received the Award of

Excellence in August of 2016 and provides the following programs:

• Adult Day Services
• Child, Youth, and Family Services (includes Head

Start, Early Head Start, Migrant & Seasonal Head Start programs, and Child Resource Connection )

• Energy Conservation/Weatherization Services
• Community & Family Support Services
• Health and Prevention
• Homeless Services
• Supportive Services to Veteran Families

Community Action Partnership Leadership Team

Mission

By advocating for resources, creating partnerships, and affecting public policy, the National Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Association works to ensure that quality comprehensive services are available to all eligible farmworker children and their families.

National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association (NMSHSA)

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• Ohtli Award, received from the Consulate in

Mexico for the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association efforts with intern programs

• Summer Intern Mentoring Program
• Open to former Migrant and Seasonal Head

Start Children

• Currently enrolled juniors or seniors in college
• Are active students in this community with

proven potential

• 7 week internship includes stipend, housing

and work placement in DC area

• Program has finished 6 years now.

Applications open soon for 2018

National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association

NMSHSA Receives the Ohtli Award for the Internship Program

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Historical Perspective

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

The Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) program is one of the largest community based service providers in the nation, providing a wide range of services to more than 30,500 migrant and seasonal children, ages birth to compulsory school age, and their families each year. The MSHS program provides education and support services to low-income children of migrant and seasonal farm workers and their families.

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Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Eligibility Criteria

• Income below federal poverty guidelines
• Birth to compulsory school Age
• The entire family must have moved within the last 24 months in search of agricultural work
• 51% of income from agriculture within the last 12 months‐families must meet this

requirement each year

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Definitions: The term “migrant and seasonal Head Start program” means;

• A. With respect to services for migrant farmworkers, a Head Start

program that serves families who are engaged in agricultural labor and who have changed their residence from one geographical location to another in the preceding two year period; and

• B. With respect to services for seasonal farmworkers, a Head Start

program that serves families who are engaged primarily in seasonal agricultural labor and who have not changed their residence to another geographic location in the preceding two year period.

• C. Handout on definition upon request

(Head Start Act, as amended 10/27/98)

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Bringing Family Engagement Forward

• Former parents receive numerous opportunities for growth
• Many former agricultural workers pursue careers in other areas
• 98% of classroom pre‐school teachers have a college degree
• 54% of classroom infant and toddler teacher have a college degree
• Remaining 46% have a CDA and currently enrolled in an AA degree program
• Internship
• Work Experience
• Entrepreneurial opportunities – i.e. landscape, construction, etc.

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Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) provides comprehensive child development services to farm worker families:

• Families work in various sectors of agriculture.
• Work is physically demanding and requires special

skills.

• Workers receive low wages and are exempt from
• ver time pay. Most farm worker families earn

less than $10,000/year.

• Farm workers usually do not receive health

benefits, yet agricultural work makes them susceptible to heat stress, exposes them to pesticides, and requires they work in hazardous conditions.

• Families must migrate from state to state to follow

crop cycles

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

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MSHS programs are different from other Head Start programs:

• They are designed to meet the unique challenges

and opportunities faced by migrant children and seasonal farm worker families.

• The nature of farm labor requires full day services,
• ften from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 6 days a week.
• Many MSHS programs operate from May to

October when labor is needed in the crop fields.

• Many of the families are on the move for much of

the year and need services at different times, in different states and locations.

• Families must be employed in agriculture to

receive services.

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

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MSHS programs:

• Strive to provide coordinated services to mobile

families as they migrate

• Ensure that academic and medical records are

transferred with families when they move

• When possible, assist in placing children in another

MSHS program at their next destination

• Partner with other social and health service
• rganizations and agencies
• Are an important resource for families and provides

a critical service to the agricultural industry

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Migrant families face many challenges, including:

• Lack of affordable housing
• Literacy in primary and secondary language
• Gangs
• An increase in single parent families
• Limited quality family interactions due to long work days/hours
• Discrimination faced in the workplace, public policies, and in broader

society

• Immigration status/laws
• Advocates for migrant and seasonal farm workers provide strong support,

but enhancements and integration of services is needed.

• Exposed to environmental toxins such as pesticide Migrant and Seasonal

children are exposed to other health and safety risks faced by children in

• poverty. Access to health care and portability of Medicaid from state to

state can have a significant impact on the health status of Migrant and Seasonal

• One training and technical assistance office provides services to all

Migrant and Seasonal programs located in 38 states.

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

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• Migrant and Seasonal Head Start families
• ften draw strength from:
• Devotion to their families
• Support from extended family members
• Strong beliefs, a sense of pride, and

cultural awareness

• Strong work ethic and an eagerness to

succeed

• Encouragement of educational

advancement for increased professional development

• Development of family goals which fosters

access to community resources

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

CAPSLO Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

National Representation for Community Action and Head Start

National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (NMSHSA) as Board Members

Staff also participate/Bill Castellanos President of the NMSHSA

National Head Start Association for Region 12

Includes Friend, Director, Staff, Parent (Biz, Bill, Ivette, Theresa)

National Community Action Partnership

First Vice President/Biz Steinberg

National American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Collaboration office

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CAPSLO MSHS:

• Provides services in the 9 counties of Fresno,

Kern, Monterey, Orange, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties

• Receives funds to serve 2,610 children under

base, supplemental, and Early Head Start– Child Care Partnership grants

• Serves pregnant women, infants and

toddlers, preschool children, and their families

• Operates center‐based and family child care
• ptions
• Is a National Head Start Association Program
• f Excellence

CAPSLO Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

CAPSLO Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Funded Enrollment by Program Option

• 5 days/week – full day

(Center Based Option) 28,000

• Home based option

N/A

• Family Child Care (FCC) Option

2,017

• Pregnant Moms

80

• Child Care Partnerships

2,714

CAPSLO Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Advocacy – Leadership Opportunities for Parents

• Leadership Opportunities – Represent PC at CAPSLO Board of

Directors Meetings.

• Mentor Opportunities for parent leaders working with CAPSLO

Board Members.

• Opportunities to attend National Conferences.
• Parent Membership at National Level. CAPSLO has had 2 parent

representatives on National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association (NMSHSA) Board.

• Public Policy Forum – NMSHSA parents visit their Congressional

Representative during these events.

• Parents’ voices have championed the ongoing Head Start Funding

for Migrant & Seasonal Head Start – Nationwide

• Parent Scholarships
• Plate of Bounty – Parent Award

Advocacy

• MSHS acknowledges parents as

their children’s first and primary

• teachers. The program provides

resources, trainings, and other growth opportunities that help parents:

• Become stronger advocates for their

children

• Develop personal, professional, and

leadership skills

• Five year program goals are based
• n Community Assessments which

report the challenges, strengths, and demographics of the communities parents are a part of.

CAPSLO Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Congresswoman Julia Brownley visiting a CAPSLO Center

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Shared Governance Training

• Trainer Jerry Gomez – Past Region 9 Manager for OHS
• 1 Day Joint Training on Shared Governance
• Translation Services are Provided
• Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Policy Council,

Regional Head Start Policy Council and Board of Directors participate together

CAPSLO Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

CAPSLO Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Policy Council

• 39 reps (including delegate) from each of the 9 counties serve on Policy Council
• Representation from 29 centers from 9 counties; and family child care options in 9

counties

• Prepare calendar for the year’s meetings, planning, budget etc.
• Organize training for the Policy Council and oversee training at the parent committee level
• Policy Council Meetings
• Video Conference in 9 Counties for Policy Council
• Meetings are held April – October
• Executive Committee Acts on Behalf of the body the remaining months.
• CAPSLO Board Meetings
• Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month (off July)
• Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Representatives attend as many Board Meetings as

feasible.

CAPSLO Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Board/Policy Council Structure

• Tripartite Board for Community Action ‐ IM82
• 1/3 Publicly Elected Officials
• 1/3 Private Sector
• 1/3 Low Income Representatives
• Head Start Requirements for Board
• 1 Member Current or Former Head Start Parent
• 1 Member Legal Background
• 1 Member Early Childhood Education
• Liaison Board Involvement
• Participation at Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Policy Council

Farm worker families continue to work hard for one primary reason:

to give their children a better life.

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Questions

Bill Castellanos, Child, Youth and Family Services Division Director (805) 544‐4355, ext. 220 ∙ bcastellanos@capslo.org Cleo Rodriquez (512)913‐3165, cleojr@unitedcorpuschristichamber. com Elizabeth “Biz” Steinberg, Chief Executive Officer (805) 544‐4355, ext. 100 ∙ esteinberg@capslo.org Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County (CAPSLO) 1030 Southwood Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 www.capslo.org

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