$900K to go to PSS’ Early Head Start program

The CNMI Public School System is the sole awardee from the insular area to be included in the $500 million Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grants. These grants are part of President Barack Obama’s “Early Learning Initiative,” and will be used by PSS to bolster their preschool program.

According to federal programs officer Tim Thornburg yesterday, the “main grant” amounts to $917,000. He added that there were two supplemental grants on top of this, with their amounts to be finalized by the end of the week.

The incoming funds will be administered on a rolling basis, with all monies disbursed by the end of March this year.

Last December, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the first wave of preliminary guarantees for the grant. Guam, American Samoa, and other insular areas did not appear on this list.

According to HHS, the grants “will allow new or existing Early Head Start programs to partner with local child care centers and family child care providers serving infants and toddlers from low-income families.”

The grant was competitive, with all 50 states and the five territories of the U.S. reportedly applying for the grant. Earlier, it was reported that PSS was aiming for some $95,000 under the program, a lot less than the eventual award of $900,000.

But since then, it was suspected that the CNMI would receive the full amount for the region, as they may have been the region’s sole applicant.

In a statement on Monday, Education Commissioner Dr. Rita Sablan called the grant a “validation” for PSS schools and teachers. She was notified of the achievement on Dec. 29.

“[PSS continues] to ensure that optimum services and opportunities are afforded to our public school students, to our parents and this community,” she said.

“This award is another validation of our schools, administrators, staff and personnel, and our parents and stakeholders support to ensure that our children receive the utmost educational opportunity while enrolled in our public schools.”

PSS’ Early Head Start was developed to serve 80 infants and toddlers, as reported in September. With the grant, the program may “co-locate” and build on the current Head Start capacity, according to Thornburg.

Forty-nine U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the CNMI, and Puerto Rico were named as recipients of the award.