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Training and Technical Assistance System
ACF-IM-HS-10-01

INFORMATION MEMORANDUM

TO: Head Start and Early Head Start Grantees and Delegate Agencies

SUBJECT: Training and Technical Assistance System

INFORMATION:

Since 1965, Head Start programs have served millions of children and families across the country. In order to promote positive, sustained child outcomes for the children served in Head Start, the Office of Head Start is redesigning the National Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) System.

Developing National Centers of Early Childhood Excellence

OHS will create five new National Centers of Early Childhood Excellence designed to provide targeted information on critical aspects of the Head Start program. The five new National Centers include: National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning; National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness; National Center on Program Management, Design, and Fiscal Operations; National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement; and National Center on Health, Nutrition, Dental, and Mental Health. These five centers, along with the existing Early Head Start National Resource Center, will be charged with providing information about current research and best practices, as well as other professional development materials. These resources will be made available to Head Start grantees as well as other early childhood education teachers and program managers and to those who provide training and technical assistance to Head Start grantees and others. The goal is to infuse evidence based practices into all early childhood education programs, including but not limited, to Head Start.

Improving the State Training and Technical Assistance System

The goal of the State Training and Technical Assistance System is to create a seamless, easily accessible team of professional development providers at the State and local level, who can work with Head Start programs to improve the quality of teaching and other services. In the coming months, OHS will work to improve the current system to better meet local program needs, including encouraging the State technical assistance providers to promote or build local resource coach networks and other tools for ensuring that programs can meet Performance Standards and provide effective learning experiences for children.

As Head Start grantees, your organizations form the most critical component of Head Start's National Training and Technical Assistance System. At least 50 percent of all TTA dollars are provided directly to grantees. Head Start grantees have the discretion to use this money to establish agreements with community or national experts, institutions of higher learning, or private consultants in order to make improvements identified by your organization. The Office of Head Start is committed to providing clear and specific information about what will be available via the other two components of our National TTA System in order to maximize the use of these funds. Over the course of the coming year we must work together to make sure the three strands of our TTA system work together seamlessly to ensure we accomplish the goal of raising the quality of teaching and learning for all our children. I am confident that, if we do that, together we will meet the goal of improving outcomes for all our children.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Patricia McMahon at the Office of Head Start at patricia.mcmahon@acf.hhs.gov or 202-205-5792.

/ Yvette Sanchez Fuentes /

Yvette Sanchez Fuentes
Director
Office of Head Start

See PDF Version of Information Memorandum:
     Training and Technical Assistance System [PDF, 25KB]