Collaboration Office

Collaboration offices – funded by a grant from the Administration for Child and Families – create a visible presence for Head Start at the state level and assist in the development of multi-agency and public-private partnerships among Head Start and other interested stakeholders.

Latest announcements and Management Bulletins from the Early Learning California Department of Education (CDE), Early Learning and Care Division (ELCD). (Click here)

COVID-19 contacts

• For CDE state-funded related questions regarding circumstances surrounding COVID-19 please use the designated email box: ELCDEmergency@cde.ca.gov
• For any OHS specific questions related to Head Start programs please check in with your Program Specialist. In addition please find up to date Head Start information on the ECKLC website: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/physical-health/article/coronavirus-prevention-response

The CHSSCO works closely with:

• Head Start California
• Administration of Child and Families Regional Office
• The Office of Head Start and the Child Care Bureau
• Head Start technical assistance providers
• CDE – Early Education Services Department, other state departments and other organizations and agencies in the child care and development community

To learn more about the CHSSCO office, visit the website

2020 Needs Assessment Results

As a grantee, the Collaboration Office creates and submits to the OHS Region 9 a final report including a needs assessment of the state work as do Head Start grantees that provide services to children and families. The Collaboration Office partners with the California Head Start Association to conduct the needs assessment including design the needs assessment, collecting information from the Head Start programs, analyzing results and drafting the reports. For the 2019-20 year, the needs assessment was divided into three micro-surveys, with no survey containing more than 15 questions. Advance emails to market the needs assessment were sent to all directors. Each survey was targeted to the agency staff person who would be most likely to have access to the data. View the results here.

Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP)

Video tutorial now available: Watch it now!
Recorded in April 2019, this 30-minute video will help answer some common questions about the DRDP, including site functionality, the current status of the tool, and what is coming next. Developed and presented by Tamarra Osborne from West Ed, in partnership with Stephanie Myers from the Head Start State Collaboration Office.

Preschool Development Grant

The California Department of Education was awarded a Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Learn more here.  The process involves gathering data will rely on several reports that have been produced. They include:

• Blue Ribbon Commission Report (April, 2019) Head Start California has published a summary of BRC Recommendations involving Head Start.
• Building California’s Future: Tackling the Facilities Challenge for Our Youngest Learners (Advancement Project 2019)
• Getting Down to Facts II (2018) See page 13: “Limited Access to High-Quality Early Education”

Stakeholder Input

WestEd is working this summer to collect input for the Preschool Development Grant from the field in a variety of venues. Those dates will be posted here as they become available.

The meetings of the California State Advisory Council on Early Learning and Care (SAC) is the venue where progress on the process will be shared, with opportunity for comment / input.

A draft of the PDG Strategic Plan will be ready in early September. We invite you to attend the sessions listed below to learn more and offer feedback that will contribute to finalizing the draft to be submitted to the federal Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families.

California Child Care Licensing

Videos for Parents and Providers – This website includes videos that explain licensing topics relevant to families and licensed child care providers.

Resources for CCL Analysts:

• Head Start Program Performance Standards
• Head Start Agencies – HS & EHS by county – EHS by county – HS by county
• Map of Head Start Programs
• Requirement & Regulation Side by Side
• Webinar: Supporting County Home Visiting – The Early Head Start Opportunity
• For CCL Analysts, an Overview of Head Start, provided by CHSSCO

Resources for Head Start programs with State Contracts

• The 2020-21 State Budget – An online digital and interactive budget summary
• ELCD Management Bulletins

The Head Start California/CHSSCO Partnership

Head Start California has a strong and collaborative relationship with the CHSSCO coordinating efforts to support Head Start programs in California:

• Solicit and collect information from Head Start agencies regarding their needs and challenges
• Disseminate information important to Head Start Programs
• Partner with Department of Social Services – Community Care Licensing to identify strengths and resolve licensing concerns that affect Head Start programs.

Contact the CHSSCO

Stephanie Myers, Director
Head Start State Collaboration Office
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 3410
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-323-9727
Email: SMyers@cde.ca.gov