The Designation Renewal System (DRS) holds Head Start agencies accountable for delivering high-quality and comprehensive services to the children and families they serve, and meeting program and financial requirements. The DRS establishes seven conditions to determine whether programs qualify for continued Head Start funding for five years without competing for those funds with other local agencies. Open competitions are held in communities in which a program meets one or more specified conditions. In this case, interested agencies may apply to provide Head Start services in that area through a funding opportunity announcement (FOA). Any agencies that do not meet one of the seven DRS conditions become eligible to receive a new five-year grant noncompetitively. The DRS was established in 2011 and revised in 2020.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as required by Congress, established the Designation Renewal System (DRS) to determine whether Head Start agencies deliver high-quality and comprehensive services to the families they serve.
Four reports provide evidence that, since the last reauthorization, quality in Head Start has increased across the country..
This standard outlines the basis for determining whether a Head Start agency will be subject to an open competition.
This standard identifies prohibitions for designating an alternative agency.
The alternative agency identified by the Indian tribe must establish that it meets all Head Start Act requirements and the standards for designation as a Head Start grant recipient.
Review the procedure for identifying an alternative agency when an Indian tribe's Head Start grant has been terminated, relinquished, designated for competition, or which has been denied refunding.
This standard describes the use of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS): Pre-K instrument in the Designation Renewal System to conduct observations.
Review the designation request, review and notification process.
This standard describes tribal government consultation under the Designation Renewal System for when an Indian Head Start grant is being considered for competition.
Find designation consideration requirements for a five-year period when the existing grant recipient is not delivering a high-quality and comprehensive Head Start program and is not automatically renewed.