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Head Start PRISM Review - Getting Ready
 

Bushwick United Head Start has been identified as one of the seventy one delegate agencies in New York City selected for a planned partial review of operations on July 12 and 13.  This review which is guided by the Program Review Instrument for Systems Monitoring (PRISM) is being conducted by a federal team and will primarily focus on the fiscal and early childhood development (ECD) aspects of our operations.    

 

 
 

The purpose of the monitoring process is to identify and accurately describe those areas for which the program is out of compliance with Federal regulations and other program requirements.  As such, if Bushwick United Head Start meets some but not all components of a given requirement, we expect that the review team will present a written citation of those components for which we are out of compliance.

As we understand it, the principal purpose of the PRISM review is to report on the problem areas identified (i.e., “exceptions” to compliance) and not on our program strengths.  While this may be a useful method to identify potential areas that need strengthening, the opinion of Bushwick United Head Start is that it presents a bias in evaluation.

         
   

The bias stems from the fact that the PRISM is an instrument that guides the monitoring of systems.  In our opinion, true objectivity is achieved if equal weight is given to reporting on those systems that meet and exceed the head start performance standards, the code of financial regulations, the objectives of the program and any other criteria determined by the federal government, grantee, sponsoring board and other stakeholders.  It is difficult to objectively evaluate a system (for example a financial system) that has been implemented and managed by a comptroller with advanced degrees in economics and accounting and intimate knowledge of financial management, compared to one that has been set up by  bookkeeper with just the basic knowledge of bookkeeping. 

 

The opinion of this agency is that the PRISM is important and timely.  As we get ready for the day and a half of review activities, we are working to ensure that our agency continues to remain at the top of the best performing head start delegates in the New York City Area.  Our systems, policies and procedures are well documented and easily accessible.

 

When asked about suggestions to our sister agencies, the common response by members of staff is quite simple. "Just make sure that you comply with the regulations that govern your program, you never lose sight of the vision and mission of your agency and you place the welfare of the children within your program at the forefront of whatever you do.  Follow these guidelines and you will continue to make a difference to the community that you serve".

 

 

 

 

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