Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP

Recent Legal Developments in the Head Start World

Edward T. Waters, Esq.Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP

2001 L Street, NW

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 466-8960

www.feldesmantucker.com

Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP

Head Start Reauthorization—Senate Bill

Recompetition every 5 years

Underenrollment Sanctions

“Special” Rules for Head Start

Increasing burdens on outcomes, measures and so on.

Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP

Hot Issues:Head Start Salaries

Administration’s latest attempt to disparage the Head Start Program

Media fanfare: e.g., San Antonio, KC Mo.

ACF’s Head Start Survey of Salaries and Other Compensation

Inspector General/GAO Audits

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Hot Issues:Head Start Salaries, cont’d

Prudent Steps in Setting Salaries: Establish a formal

process for setting salaries

Wage comparability studies on a periodic basis

Documentation: showing what you did

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Hot Issues: Other Topics

Underenrollment Document Efforts Notice to ACF

Health Care requirements Review

Requirements Facilitate Access Demonstrating

Compliance

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Hot Issues: Other Topics

Union Organizing Neutrality is

not Required Review use of

Federal funds

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From the Bench: Recent Head Start Cases

NHSA v. HHS – Round 1

NHSA v. HHS – Round 2

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From the Bench: Recent Head Start Cases, cont’d

Federal cases: Dubbs v. Head Start,

(10th Circuit July 2003) Parental consent

forms inadequate in securing consent for on-site medical examination of HS children.

Parents Not Explicitly Informed of Exams

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From the Bench: Recent Head Start Cases, cont’d

Excerpt from Dubbs:

The failure to secure parental consent in this case “appears to be the product of sloppy draftsmanship (with respect to the consent forms) and carelessness (with respect to notice) . . .”

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Lessons LearnedDubbs:

Secure Parental Informed Consent: State law specific Generally: provide all

relevant information so parent can make “informed” decision including timely notice

Update parental forms at least once a year

Language appropriate forms

Only do what consent forms explicitly allow!

Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP

From the Bench: Recent Head Start Cases, cont’d

DAB case: Rincon San Luiseno

Band of Mission Indians:

$106,524 disallowed for failure to meet non-federal matching requirements and failure to properly document expenditures

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From the Bench: Recent Head Start Cases, cont’d

DAB case: Council of the

Southern Mountains: $11,635 disallowed

for improper documentation of costs (costs which otherwise might have been allowable)

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Lessons Learned:

Program planning

Documentation