This page contains frequently asked questions regarding the PIR . Submit all new questions to the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES) Help Desk at help at hsesinfo dot org.

General

What does the term "since last year's PIR was reported" mean?

"Since last year's PIR was reported" provides a time frame to report on any services, staff changes, credentialing accomplishments, etc. that occurred since the prior year's PIR was submitted.

Include any services delivered to enrolled children and pregnant women and pregnant people after the end of the program year, provided they occurred before PIR submission. For example, a child transitioning into public school may be supported by family services staff to complete or continue medical treatments through the summer months, even though classes have ended.

Also include children who received services in preparation for their enrollment in Head Start or Early Head Start programs, such as Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment screenings. These screenings may have occurred before last year's PIR submission. However, these children were not included in that report and should therefore be included in the current year's report.

If no specific time frame is provided with a question, should we use "at the time of enrollment" or "at the time of the PIR report"?

Use the “during the program year” from the PIR. Report on services that directly relate to the PIR program year. This may not align with the start and end dates of classes or home visits. Programs have flexibility in reporting program services that occur before and after those dates.

For example:

• If a newly enrolled child receives a developmental screening before their first day of class in the PIR program year, include it in this PIR because it is tied to the program year.
• If a child completes a medical screening as they transition to public school following their PIR program year, include it in this PIR because it is tied to the PIR program year.

Note that programs do not report on program services for children and families enrolling in the next program year. These services will be included in the next year’s PIR.

The question on child turnover excludes turnover that occurs before the start or after the end of the program year (when the program is not in session).

Do we report on children whose enrollment slots are funded through other sources (pre-K, foundation monies, etc.)? In the past, we reported on these children. These slots are part of our required nonfederal match.

Those children should be included in the PIR reports, as the slots are part of the nonfederal match, and should be reflected on the recipient's Notice of Award (NOA).

A. Program Information

A.2–A.6 — Funded enrollment — funded enrollment by program option — children

If nonfederal funds contribute to a program option, such as expanding part-day Head Start hours to full-day services, would the children in this program option be counted under full-working-day?

Report funded enrollment in this section according to the program options the recipient was funded to serve. If nonfederal funds expand the hours of a particular program option, such as expanding part-day to full-day, and those funds are included on the recipient's NOA as match, report the option as full-day.

What is meant by center-based double session variation?

"Double sessions" are a type of center-based option. Specifically, double sessions are a variation in which a program employs a single teacher to work with one group of children in the morning and a different group in the afternoon.

Please note that the double session variation does not refer to a program that employs different teachers to operate one class in the morning and one in the afternoon, even if the same classroom space is used.

A.7–A.8 — Funded enrollment — funded enrollment at partner child care centers

We have formal and informal agreements with local child care centers to ensure enrolled Head Start children have access to quality care. However, we do not exchange funds nor consider these arrangements to be program options. Should we count children who attend these partner childcare centers?

Enrollment reported in this section should only include providers who have a formal arrangement with the Head Start program to provide services at the child care site.

A.10–A.11 — Cumulative enrollment — children by age and pregnant women

Under the “cumulative enrollment — children by age” section, do I report the ages of children at the time of enrollment or at the time of the PIR?

At the time of enrollment, use the age of the child as of the date used by the local school system in determining eligibility for public school. See Determining, verifying, and documenting eligibility, 45 CFR §1302.12 regarding determining age for eligibility.

Example:

Program Year: Sept. 1 – June 16

Local school system eligibility date: Dec. 1

• Jemal's birthday is July 31. He is 3 years old on the first day of the program year. Jemal is still 3 years old on Dec. 1, so he is reported in the 3-year-old category for the current PIR.
• Sarah's birthday is Dec. 12. She is 4 years old on the first day of the program year. Sarah is still 4 years old on Dec. 1, so she is reported in the 4-year-old category for the current PIR.
• Althea's birthday is Nov. 29. She is 4 years old on the first day of the program year. Althea is 5 years old on Dec. 1, so she is reported in the 5-year-old category for the current PIR.
• George was enrolled in Head Start services last year. His birthday is Oct. 1. He is 3 years old on the first day of the program year. George is 4 years old on Dec. 1, so he is reported in the 4-year-old category for the current PIR.

A.16–A.21 — Cumulative enrollment — transition and turnover

Which children and pregnant women and pregnant people who left the program are not included in turnover?

Do not include the following:

• Enrolled children who left the program before attending at least one class
• Children or expectant people enrolled in home-based options who left the program before receiving a home visit

B. Program Staff and Qualifications

B.1 and B.3–B.19 — Total, management, child development, non-supervisory child development, family & community partnership, and education & child development management staff

Do we report on all staff, including staff who left the program, throughout section B?

Report as follows:

• For question B.1:
  Report on all staff, including staff who left the program.
• For questions B.3–B.15:
  If more than one individual held the position during the year, report on the staff person who is in the position at the time of the PIR. If the position is vacant at the time of the report, provide information on the last person who held the position during the year.
• For questions B.16–B.19:
  Only report on classroom teachers and home-based visitors who left the program during the year. For B.19, only report on classroom teachers and home-based visitors who were hired due to staff turnover.

When reporting on program staff, should we include all staff in the agency or only those directly involved with the program? We have a large multi-state agency with multiple funding streams and multiple Head Start programs.

Throughout Section B of the PIR, only report on staff who work in that Head Start program assisting its staff or delivering services to its children and families.

B.3 and B.10 — Child development staff — preschool child development staff qualifications (Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start [MSHS] programs) and infant and toddler child development staff qualifications (Early Head Start [EHS] and MSHS programs)

Where would we report teachers with bachelor's degrees in unrelated fields that have credits in early childhood education, but have not yet reached the level of coursework that would be equivalent to a major in early childhood education (ECE)?

B.3 — Preschool child development staff: do not report these teachers as having a baccalaureate degree in ECE or a related field in B.5.b. These teachers should be reported in B.3.e, "staff who do not have the qualifications listed," unless:

• The teacher holds a Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential or equivalent (report these teachers in B.3.d)
• The teacher has achieved an associate degree in early childhood education (report these teachers in B.3.c)
• The teacher has achieved an associate degree in a field related to early childhood education and coursework equivalent to a major in ECE with experience teaching preschool children (report these teachers in B.3.c.2)

B.6 — Infant and toddler child development staff: do not report these teachers as having a baccalaureate degree in ECE or a related field in B.6.b. These teachers should be reported in B.6.e, "staff who do not have the qualifications listed," unless:

• The teacher holds a credential or equivalent (report these teachers in B.6.d)
• The teacher has achieved an associate degree in early childhood education with a focus on infant and toddler development (report these teachers in B.6.c.1)
• The teacher has achieved an associate degree in a field related to early childhood education and coursework equivalent to a major in ECE with experience teaching infants and toddlers (report these teachers in B.6.c.2)

How do you count staff that are working toward a CDA and either an associate or baccalaureate at the same time?

Staff enrolled in more than one early childhood continuing education program, such as training and an associate degree program, would be listed under the highest early childhood education level they hold and the highest level they are currently enrolled in.

On the PIR for EHS, where do we report teacher assistants who meet the qualifications for teachers so that we can maintain the 1:4 ratio and maximum 8 group size requirements?

Report them as teachers in B.6.1. The term assistant teacher may be used by programs that employ a third person to assist the two lead teachers; this third person would be reported in B.8.2. The requirement that two teachers be available for every classroom of no more than eight infants/toddlers was implemented so that each staff person made directly responsible for four infants/toddlers in group care has the credentials, responsibilities, and status of teacher.

C. Child and Family Services

C.7–C.9 — Health services — medical services — children

Can medical treatment be provided by someone other than a health care professional?

Yes. Medical treatment must be a plan of care, based upon a diagnosis, conducted under the direction of a health care professional. While the individual providing the service (ex. administering medication, managing a child's diet within the center, etc.) does not need to be a health care professional, one must have initiated the plan and continue to be involved.

D. Grant Level Questions

D.6–D.8 Formal agreements for collaboration

If we have agreements for individual schools within a local education agency (LEA), should we count each agreement or the number of LEA agreements?

Count each formal agreement as one, even if multiple agreements exist within one LEA. For example, if there are formal agreements with an LEA and with three other schools, the total number of formal agreements would be four.

Last Updated: June 7, 2024