REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 20, 2025
FROM
ARLENE MOLINA, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Travel by a Preschool Services Department Policy Council Member to Attend the 2025 First 1,000 Days Early Head Start Conference
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve travel and related expenses for one Preschool Services Department Policy Council member to attend the 2025 First 1,000 Days Early Head Start Conference in Santa Rosa, at an estimated cost of $4,000, from June 9, 2025, through June 12, 2025.
(Presenter: Arlene Molina, Director, 383-2078)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The cost for one Preschool Services Department (PSD) Policy Council (PC) member to attend the four-day First 1,000 Days Early Head Start Conference (Conference) will not exceed $4,000, which includes an additional day for travel, one day prior to the event. These travel costs will be funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in PSD’s 2024-25 budget.
|
Expense |
Total |
|
Registration |
$1,080 |
|
Child Care ($40 x four days) |
$160 |
|
Child Care ($20 x four nights) |
$80 |
|
Air Travel ($259) |
$259 |
|
Breakfast ($22 x three days) |
$66 |
|
Lunch ($23 x four days) |
$92 |
|
Dinner ($36 x four days) |
$144 |
|
Lodging ($250 x three nights plus $75 taxes and fees) |
$975 |
|
Airport Parking ($18 x four days) |
$72 |
|
Mileage (Roundtrip to/from airport 75 miles x $0.70/mile) |
$53 |
|
Taxi (Roundtrip to/from airport and hotel) |
$419 |
|
Subtotal |
$3,400 |
|
Contingencies (coverage for increases in airfare, hotel costs, etc.) |
$600 |
|
Total |
$4,000 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PSD operates the Federal and State funded Head Start Preschool (HSP), Early Head Start (EHS), and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership programs serving more than 2,000 children in locations throughout the county. HSP and State Preschool programs have been operating in the county since 1965. Since 1999, PSD has provided these programs through a combination of direct and contracted services. The Federal Head Start (HS) Regulations mandate the Board of Supervisors (Board), as a grant recipient, to establish two governing bodies that will share responsibility with the grant recipient for overseeing the delivery of high-quality services to enrolled children and their families. The governing bodies are the PSD Policy Council (PC), which is composed of parents of enrolled children and community members, and the PSD Shared Governance Board, which is composed of a member from the Board and members from other County departments with expertise in Early Childhood Education and Development, health, and mental health.
At the October 3, 2024, PSD PC meeting, one PC member was selected to attend the Conference. PSD PC members are selected to attend HS conferences as required by PSD PC Bylaws. The PC member will depart on Monday, June 9, 2025, the first day of the conference and will return on Thursday, June 12, 2025, the last day of the conference. Under the PSD PC Bylaws, Article VIII - Meetings, reimbursement of childcare costs is allowed when a PC member participates in a PSD PC related activity, such as conferences and meetings.
The Conference attendee will have the opportunity to be immersed in a transformative experience centered around the profound roles of cultivating and nurturing. Surrounded by passionate educators and leaders, the member will engage in meaningful workshops, inspiring keynotes, and collaborative discussions that reinforce EHS’s mission to be a beacon of hope. As the attendee explores strategies that support growth, resilience, and innovation, the member will gain tools and insights to better serve children, uplift families, and strengthen the community.
The member will participate in more than just professional development, this conference offers an opportunity to reconnect with the heart and soul of early childhood education - leaving the attendee renewed, inspired, and empowered to make a lasting impact. The PC member will report back to the PSD PC on the insights gained, enabling the member to share valuable information with fellow parents at their assigned school sites.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 21, 2025; Finance (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 388-0218) on April 25, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on April 28, 2025.