REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 3, 2026
FROM
ARLENE MOLINA, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Policy Council Members to Attend the 2026 National Head Start Association Parent and Family Engagement Conference
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve travel and related expenses for two Preschool Services Department Policy Council members to attend the 2026 National Head Start Association Parent and Family Engagement Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, at an estimated cost of $6,304, from December 14, 2026 through December 17, 2026.
(Presenter: Arlene Molina, Director, 945-6478)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The cost for two Preschool Services Department (PSD) Policy Council (PC) members to attend the four-day National Head Start Association (NHSA) Parent and Family Engagement Conference (Conference) will not exceed $6,304. 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 the PSD 2026-27 budget.
|
Expense |
Total |
|
Registration ($869 x two members) |
$1,738 |
|
Child Care ($40 x four days x two members) |
$320 |
|
Child Care ($20 x three nights x two members) |
$120 |
|
Air Travel ($268 x two members) |
$536 |
|
Airline Bag Fees (Roundtrip $90 x two members) |
$180 |
|
Breakfast ($22 x three days x two members) |
$132 |
|
Lunch ($23 x four days x two members) |
$184 |
|
Dinner ($36 x three days x two members) |
$216 |
|
Lodging ($282 x three nights x two members) |
$1,692 |
|
Airport Parking ($20 x four days x two members) |
$160 |
|
Mileage Traveler 1 (Roundtrip to/from airport 14 miles x 0.76 cents) |
$11 |
|
Mileage Traveler 2 (Roundtrip to/from airport 86 miles x 0.76 cents) |
$66 |
|
Taxi (Roundtrip to/from airport and hotel $63 x two members) |
$126 |
|
Contingencies (15% for increases in airfare, hotel costs, etc.) |
$823 |
|
Total |
$6,304 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PSD operates federally funded Head Start (HS) and State Preschool Programs (SPP), serving more than 2,000 children in locations throughout the county. HS and SPP 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 HS Program 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 composed of parents of enrolled children and community members known as the PC; 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.
The NHSA will host its 2026 Conference from December 14, 2026 through December 17, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. The annual conference is a national professional development event specifically focused on strengthening partnerships among HS parents, families, and staff to support children’s development. The 2026 Conference theme, “Harmonizing for Head Start: Relationships That Inspire, Connections That Transform,” emphasizes the importance of building trust, understanding family needs, and creating meaningful and lasting connections between families and HS programs.
The Conference provides HS parents, staff, and family engagement professionals opportunities to participate in educational sessions, peer-to-peer learning, networking, and communities of practice addressing areas relevant to the administration and delivery of HS services. The Conference communities of practice include family engagement; education; eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance; health; data; fiscal operations; human resources; new directors; and parents. The Conference sessions provide participants with opportunities to learn from HS professionals from across the nation, exchange promising practices, identify strategies for addressing common program challenges, and obtain resources that may be shared and implemented within local HS programs.
Participation in the Conference will support PSD’s continued efforts to strengthen parent and family engagement practices and enhance staff knowledge of strategies that promote effective partnerships with families. Information, resources, and promising practices obtained through conference participation will be shared with PSD staff and incorporated, as appropriate, into program planning, staff development, parent engagement activities, and continuous quality improvement efforts. Attendance will also provide PSD participants with opportunities to engage with other HS programs and professionals regarding emerging practices and approaches for improving services to children and families.
Two PSD PC members were selected to attend the Conference at the August 17, 2026, PSD PC meeting. The PSD PC members are parents with children enrolled in HS Programs selected to attend HS conferences as required by PSD PC Bylaws. Under the PSD PC Bylaws, Article VIII - Meetings, reimbursement of childcare costs is allowed when a PSD PC member participates in a PSD PC related activity such as conferences and meetings.
Upon completion of the Conference, the PC members will report back to the PSD PC and share relevant information, resources, and promising practices with parents at their respective school sites. Travel is scheduled for Monday, December 14, 2026 through Thursday, December 17, 2026, to accommodate attendance at the Conference.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 24, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 387-4351) on October 13, 2026.