Aligned ”means “ aligned with the new five year grant cycle. A key feature of the aligned system is that with either of the two types of reviews described, certain “events” will occur during the first three years of the five-year cycle. The Head Start Key Indicators – Compliance Review, or HSKI-C review, will be a screening for compliance review based on 27 key indicators. Only programs who meet all conditions will be eligible for a HSKI-C reviews and these are:

1. No deficiencies or non-compliances during the most recent review (even if you fixed the non-compliances.
2. No fiscal findings during the past two reviews.
3. No audit findings.
4. No significant program changes (e.g., change in leadership).
5. Positive RO input.

Programs receiving a HSKI-C review also will have an Environmental Health and Safety screening/review and randomized CLASS observations in their HS programs and a Comprehensive Services and School Readiness Observation/Checklist/etc. in their EHS programs.

All other programs will have a series of events during the first three years of their five-year grant cycle that comprise a comprehensive monitoring. These include the following: The Environmental Health and Safety Checklist in every single classroom in every single site; Fiscal Integrity/ERSEA review, including sampling of files for eligibility determination; and Management Systems and Program Governance Review at different point and times throughout their first three years.

All programs have been sent a letter which will tell the program whether they will be in the HSKI-C pool or the comprehensive monitoring pool. The letter also will tell them in what year each event will occur. This is a big change in the way programs are monitored.

For more information, T/TAS is hosting the two trainings listed below, and is ready to come onsite to train your staff on the ways of the Federal Review (Monitoring) process. To discuss onsite training, call T/TAS at 800-882-7482 or send an email to ttas.info@wku.edu.

Oct 28-29, 2014 - Know What to Do for Your Federal Review... Getting Ready on the Program and Fiscal Levels

Nov 5-6, 2014 - Know What to Do for Your Federal Review... Getting Ready on the Program and Fiscal Levels

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J. Christopher Watkins, MA, MBA
Management & Finance Specialist
Email: james.watkins@wku.edu