Some Head Start Programs May Require Family Co-Pay

RISON - Some families could have to start paying a co-pay for their children to attend some of the programs offered through the Cleveland County Head Start program, director Laura Stanfield told the Cleveland County School Board Monday night.Stanfield told the board during its regular monthly meeting that the School Readiness Assistance Program, which she described as a federal funding program administered through the state, is lowering its reimbursement for the infant/toddler and afterschool programs offered through Head Start.The Cleveland County School District serves as the administrator for the Cleveland County Head Start program, which has programs at the Rison and Woodlawn school campuses.Stanfield said families who fall below the 40 percent threshold of the State Median Income (SMI) will not be affected by the change while those in the 40-60 percent and greater than 60 percent SMI thresholds will have to have to pay a co-pay for the programs.Based on the current enrollment, Stanfield reported one student at the Rison center and four students at the Woodlawn center would have to pay the co-pay under the new guidelines. She noted that the local Head Start program is responsible for collecting the co-pay.Here is how the new reimbursement program breaks down for various programs funded through the School Readiness Assistance Program and the co-pay requirement. It is based on a daily rate: Infant to 12 months - The reimbursement is being reduced from $36 to $28.80 per child for those families below 60 percent SMI. Those below 40 percent will not have a co-pay while those in the 40-to-60 percent SMI range will have a $7.20 co-pay. The reimbursement for families above 60 percent SMI will fall to $25.20, requiring a $10.80 co- pay.Toddlers 12 to 36 months - The reimbursement is being reduced from $35 to $28 per child for those families below 60 percent ...