SEK-CAP stands to benefit from changes in law

In 2007, the Head Start Act was revised and a new opportunity became available to Head Start programs across the nation, including the Head Start program administered by the Girard-based Southeast Kansas Community Action Program (SEK-CAP) inside the new Fort Scott Preschool Center. Each program became eligible to make application for funding as a Center of Excellence through a program that will recognize Head Start and Early Head Start grantees that are performing at the highest levels of quality.

"The Center of Excellence program is a way to provide head start programs with ways to develop and disseminate information and their practice to other head start programs across the nation," SEK-CAP Deputy Director Linda Broyles said.

According to the Center of Excellence program guidelines, excellent and effective programs are those that have achieved and are actively building upon full compliance with the Program Performance Standards. Programs eligible to submit applications are implementing comprehensive, innovative, and targeted approaches to enhance program services. The programs must be producing positive, measurable outcomes for children's school success, families supporting children's learning, and increased staff competency.

Each state was asked to initiate a competitive application process and then select the eligible grantees to move forward to the federal competition. A program designated as a Center of Excellence will receive an award of $200,000 each year for five years. Only 10 awards will be made nationally through a competitive process, and SEK-CAP is Kansas' representative in the competition.

"We were excited about this opportunity and quickly developed an application for the state of Kansas to consider," Broyles said.

Broyles said that programs that are awarded money must use at least 15 percent of the funds to distribute information to other head start programs nationwide.

In his letter to SEK-CAP, Gov. Mark Parkinson thanked the agency for its participation and for administering "a program rich with innovative approaches to meeting the comprehensive needs of the children and the families that you serve."

Parkinson added that he "is pleased to announce that the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program, Inc., Head Start/Early Head Start is eligible to apply to be designated as a Center of Excellence in accordance with the Centers of Excellence Program."

Upon learning that SEK-CAP was designated as the sole Kansas representative in the national process, Broyles said that agency officials are awaiting instructions and the Request for Proposal from the Office of Head Start.

"We are honored by this recognition and look forward to submitting a successful national application," she said.

Broyles added that SEK-CAP officials aren't sure yet about the next step in the process.

"We don't know what the application will look like," she said. "We don't know the amount of time it will take to develop the application. We're just waiting for more information from the national office ... now we just want to write a good application."

SEK-CAP delivers Head Start and Early Head Start services to more than 900 children and families in 12 Southeast Kansas counties.