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PUERTO RICO COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT FOR HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START

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2013-2014

P

UERTO

R

ICO

C

OMMUNITY

A

SSESSMENT FOR

H

EAD

S

TART AND

E

ARLY

H

EAD

S

TART

P

RESENTED TO

:

ACUDEN

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2 Executive Summary ___________________________________________________________ 4 I. INTRODUCTION _______________________________________________________ 13 WHAT IS ACUDEN ____________________________________________________________ 13 LEGAL AUTHORITY _______________________________________________________________________ 13 MISSION ________________________________________________________________________________ 13 VISION _________________________________________________________________________________ 13 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ______________________________________________________________ 14 GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION ___________________________________________________________________ 15

WHAT IS HEAD START? _________________________________________________________ 17 WHAT IS THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM? ____________________________________ 22 EARLY HEAD START -CHILD CARE PARTNERSHIPS __________________________________ 28 II. Importance of Early Childhood Development Programs _________________________ 30

III. Demographic Composition by Municipality and Region _________________________ 34

ELIGIBLE POPULATION _________________________________________________________ 34 CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY __________________________________________________ 37 UNEMPLOYMENT ______________________________________________________________ 44 HOUSING _____________________________________________________________________ 46 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ____________________________________________________ 46 IV. Supply and Demand analysis: Head Start and Early Head Start Enrollment Rates in Puerto Rico _________________________________________________________________ 52

METHODOLOGY USED AND TERMINOLOGY ________________________________________ 52 SUPPLY ______________________________________________________________________ 54 DEMAND _____________________________________________________________________ 67 V. Supply and Demand Analysis: Identifying underserved Populations _______________ 68

HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START ENROLLMENT RATES BY MUNICIPALITY _________ 71 HEAD START HALF-DAY CENTERS BY MUNICIPALITY ________________________________ 77 WAITING LIST BY MUNICIPALITY ________________________________________________ 79 VI. Special Needs ___________________________________________________________ 84

VII. Field Interviews _________________________________________________________ 94

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VIII.Needs of Children and Families: Key Overall Findings ________________________ 112

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) are currently the most important programs targeting young children on the Island. More than 36,000 eligible children receive services in Puerto Rico under the Head Start program. There are 45 Grantees, the largest being the Administration for Integral Child and Development (ACUDEN), organized under the Puerto Rico Family Department. Under ACUDEN and their Head Start delegated agencies the program serves more than 19,000 children, comprising over 50% of the population being served by Head Start island-wide.

Studies demonstrate a high correlation between early childhood education and economic growth.1 The

groundbreaking work of Nobel-prize winning professor James Heckman, from University of Chicago, along with a consortium of economists, psychologists, statisticians and neuroscientists, all coincide in the importance of early childhood development and its direct impact on economic, health and social development for individuals and society and indicate that it is the human capital development strategy with the highest return on investment. This makes an assessment of investment in early childhood

development paramount with respect to Puerto Rico’s current economic and social situation. The “eligible population” to participate in the Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) program includes children from birth to five years of age, as well as expectant mothers, who are from families with incomes below the US Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines. Additionally, children from homeless families, and/or receiving public assistance are eligible to receive services (section 645 of the Head Start Act).

An estimated 135,000 children plus some 12,000 pregnant women have been identified as eligible for these programs throughout the Island. Therefore, the 36,000 HS and EHS children participating

only cover 27% of the eligible children, indicating that they are being underserved; in other words,

the demand for services is significantly greater than the supply.

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With this in mind, and taking into account geographic, demographic and regulatory factors, Advantage provides the following recommendations:

1.IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND PRIORITIZE EXPANSION TO

HIGHNEEDSAREAS

Childhood programs by HS and EHS serve 27% of the eligible children population, indicating a gap in services. Therefore, to the extent that current funding could be increased, new funding should be directed towards the more underserved areas. On the other hand, to the extent that current funding could not be increased, a reallocation of resources among geographical areas would be warranted. To attend to the current need, ACUDEN should work with PR Government agencies to identify and align current state and federal funding allocated to early childhood development to assess potential overlap and opportunities for more efficient use of current resources. The proposed 2015 President’s Budget increases funding opportunities across many programs.

All but four of the proposed increases are discretionary, indicating that Puerto Rico would need to compete for these resources. Early Childhood investment is an issue that crosses the bi-partisan divide. The Congressional Appropriations Committees are currently working on the final bills. In order to prioritize future investments in HS/EHS expansion, Advantage has identified areas with no or very low enrollment rates and all municipalities were rated in terms of service to the eligible population. Future expansions should target the areas with the highest need. The enrollment rates of each municipality (including HS, EHS and Pre-K) were compared with Puerto Rico’s average enrollment rate. To enable an appropriate comparison, an enrollment index was developed. For this index, the Puerto Rico average is equal to 1.00. Each municipality was then divided by the Puerto Rico average. Thus, indexes above 1.00 imply enrollment levels above the Puerto Rico average, whereas indexes below 1.00 are the municipalities with enrollment levels below the Puerto Rico average. This index allows ACUDEN to identify areas that are particularly underserved and those where the community is better served. The graphic below identifies in the lighter shades of green the areas with the estimated highest service need according to percent of eligible population not being served.

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2.RE-ASSESSMENT OF SERVICE SCHEDULE AND IMPROVED SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING

SERVICES ACCORDING TO PARENTAL NEED

When limited financial resources are combined with long waiting lists, half-day programs

should be implemented. Some municipalities fit this description.

According to HS Program Performance Standards (45 CFR 1301-1311) “classes must operate for

a minimum of three and one half to a maximum of six hours per day with four hours being

optimal.” “A Head Start grantee implementing a center-based program option may operate a

full day variation and provide more than six hours of class operations per day using Head Start funds.” “Head Start grantees may provide full day services only to those children and families with special needs that justify full day services or to those children whose parents are employed or in job training with no caregiver present in the home.” “Grantees may charge for services which are provided outside the hours of the Head Start program” which may allow working parents to pay for services beyond the allowable six hours of service.

In accordance with these Performance Standards and PR economic development policy priorities, Advantage recommends that priority for entrance to HS/EHS programs continue to be given to eligible families who are employed or in a job training program with no caregiver at

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home. This includes a more stringent process for determining which parents are, indeed, working

full-time such as requiring annual submission of parents’ W-2 forms (wage and tax statements) as part of the child’s enrollment process. In sum, special considerations should be taken to accommodate parents working full-time, particularly single mothers (and fathers).

Even the “full day” version of Head Start programs in Puerto Rico usually offers services from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Switching to two shifts of 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. allows the program to serve a much larger group of eligible children. It could also provide working parents the alternative to pay for services beyond the Head Start time period in order to span an eight hour work schedule. Working families should be given priority to the morning shift. This seems to be the socially optimal alternative when faced with financial constraints. This practice of half-day programs has already been established by ACUDEN in more than 40 centers.

It is worth pointing out that some families opt for the alternative of the “Child Care Program” because it offers services up to 5:00 p.m., which is more in line with the needs of working parents. An additional initiative to support labor participation by HS parents could be to provide them with “Child Care Program” funding (as vouchers or grants to HS agencies) to provide complementary services allowing for an eight hour work day. Pre-K programs also offer working families the attractiveness of long hours plus convenience in case they have other children in school.

This recommendation also entails increasing flexibility and support for ACUDEN delegate agencies in providing service and presentation of service hours options (including provision of home based and family based services) for parents who are not fully employed. This increased flexibility and reduced hours of services for parent’s not currently employed has the potential of freeing up resources to service the eligible population that is currently not being served, hence, serving a larger population in the aggregate.

3.CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

To appropriately serve children with special needs enrolled in HS and Early Head Start (EHS) programs, there is a need to efficiently allocate all the resources designated for this purpose. This includes integration, bonding and braiding of funds and services provided through IDEA Parts B and C. This includes the revision of policies to better identify children with special needs earlier,

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when interventions are most efficient and effective. Community Survey’s identified particular concern about special-needs children in the category of speech impairments. However, with rates of special needs children that are twice those observed in the mainland US, diagnosis issues need to be analyzed, particularly improving monitoring of child’s progress to identify children who have overcome their special needs and continue to receive benefits.

As EHS develops into a significant effort, ACUDEN will increase its involvement with the Health Department which manages the IDEA Part C – Early Intervention Services Funds. These are intended to identify and attend to the needs of children with developmental delays who are 0-2 years old. These funds could be bundled with EHS initiatives in order to enhance their effectiveness. Improved identification and monitoring of children with special needs can be achieved through coordination with local MiSalud/Medicaid/CHIP independent physician associations (IPAs), particularly Federally Qualified Health Centers, which are covered to provide developmental screening (including Ages and Stages Questionnaire). Currently, few Independent Physician Organizations are submitting claims for developmental screening (which is intended to be performed at well-baby/well-child visits) indicating the need for increased monitoring of compliance with this measure which may require additional action from the Health Insurance Administration (ASES).

4.HIGH-LEVEL COORDINATION BETWEEN THE PR DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY,

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

AND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

There is currently little coordination between the PR Government Agencies that receive federal funding for early childhood development with regard to the allocation of resources, which inevitably creates an overlap in the services provided to the eligible population. To more effectively serve the eligible population, it is recommended that agencies that administer such programs engage in a formal coordination process focused on aligning funding opportunities described previously and data systems to appropriately serve the population Island-wide.

Improved integration across the before mentioned services by blending and braiding targeted awards to the highest quality providers will improve the system’s capacity to identify and serve children with the greatest need, transition eligible children out of poverty and create efficiencies produced by

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overlapping and uncoordinated service provision to the target population freeing up funding for increased access.

5.INVEST IN QUALITY SERVICES

ACUDEN has at its disposal the Puerto Rico Quality Improvement Rating System (QIRS) “Pasitos” to assess higher quality providers. This framework measures process best practices and can include family outcome measures to enhance the evaluation process. Family outcome measures may include those related to changes in children’s skill level and behavior, percent of children screened for developmental delays, percent of children overcoming developmental delays and families overcoming poverty, among others.

QIRS scores should be mandatory and financial allocation processes should incorporate these scores in the adjudication process. By directing resources to high quality providers, ACUDEN is best positioned to succeed at its mission and more effectively use limited resources.

6.EARLY HEAD START

President Obama’s “Pre-K for Everyone” initiative promotes a massive expansion of the pre-K program in the United States (and Puerto Rico). As the supply of public education services to four-year-old children grows, an effort should be made by ACUDEN to reallocate its resources toward a younger population. Enrollment rates for EHS remain low and there are still 35 municipalities that do not have an EHS program. This would avoid duplicating DE’s efforts in serving the pre-K population.

Since the cost of operating an EHS center is significantly higher than a HS, ACUDEN should focus its efforts on alternative service delivery systems such as home based and family based programs, specifically, home visiting programs.

Additionally, from a policy perspective, this action would result in more eligible children in Puerto Rico receiving early childhood services from an earlier age which has been demonstrated to reduce the number of children with special needs and increase school readiness.

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Re-directing funding to EHS centers, as opposed to home visiting programs, could reduce the number of total children served by the ACUDEN program because EHS rates/requirements for children are higher and more resource intensive than at HS centers. However, due to the increase in federal funding for pre-K services to the local education agencies (LEAs), children would continue to receive services indicating that ACUDEN’s shift towards EHS would not signify a reduction in children served on the Island.

Additionally, to the extent that additional resources could be obtained, increasing the number of EHS centers would better position ACUDEN to maintain and potentially increase its global budget.

7.EARLY HEAD START -CHILD CARE PARTNERSHIPS

In January 2014, the US Congress assigned $500 million for the "The Early Head Start - Child Care Partnerships" which is eligible for organizations in Puerto Rico to compete. This funding presents the opportunity to provide more high quality early learning options in the different communities. The benefits of these partnerships are access to full day, full year high quality care and early education, comprehensive services, integration of EHS standards in childcare providers and expanded EHS services.

The Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership model seems as a possible alternative to expand Early Head Start services in Puerto Rico. With more childcare providers meeting the Early Head Start program performance standards, more children from more communities will benefit from full day, full year, high quality care and early education services. However, it seems that meeting EHS centers program standards requires financial commitments inconsistent with the local market.

ELIGIBLE POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS

Although the population under five years of age as a whole has been declining, the percentage growth of eligible children and expectant mothers within the total population has actually increased. Based on estimates, by the end of 2013, the percentage of eligible children within the group five years and younger, will have grown to 62% (from 56% in 2009). In other words, two opposing trends are observable: A decrease in the total group composed of children under five years of age

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and an increase of the eligible population within this group. While there are fewer children under age five in Puerto Rico, their families are actually getting poorer.

While the annual decrease rate for the population under five years of age was 3.3% between ACS surveys (2005-2009 and 2007-2011), the annual decrease rate for the eligible population was 1.0% during the same period.

Puerto Rico has a much higher rate of unemployed parents who have children under six years of age than the U.S. (the only data available for this characteristic found was for children under six years of age, in the Kids Count data, as well as in the American Community Survey five-year estimates in the U.S. Census data). As of 2011, Puerto Rico’s unemployed parents for this group reached 29%, while in the U.S. the unemployed parents only reached 10%. Additionally, according to Kids Count, Annie C. Casey Foundation, the percentage of single-parent families (68%) in Puerto Rico is more than double that of families with both parents (32%).

Data shows that in Puerto Rico, the number of children with special needs registered with the DE is double that of the U.S., at 27% and 13%, respectively. This data suggests that for every child with special needs registered in the U.S., there are two children with special needs registered in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico rate is so high as to bring into question issues of diagnosis and the need for revisions to appropriately monitor and track student’s progress.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

As part of the Community Assessment report, key interviews were held with 165 family members of children currently enrolled in the Head Start program, as well as with 56 Head Start centers’ staff such as teachers, teacher assistants, social workers and executive directors of several central offices. These descriptive interviews were held over a three-week period, from October 2013 to April 2014. A total of 64 centers were visited (61 HS centers and 3 EHS). In addition, a visual appraisal was made of the centers that were visited.

Family members interviewed overwhelmingly expressed a high level of satisfaction with the services provided by the HS program. They also concurred on the high level and quality of these services. In general, interviewers perceived a solid commitment from most of the parents and family members with the HS program. The perception is that this commitment is stronger in centers located in rural communities than those in urban areas.

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The teachers who were interviewed were extremely satisfied with the HS program and the services that are provided to the community. According to them, the HS program is one of the best in terms of addressing the needs of children, including those with special needs. Many of them classified their experience as HS teachers as gratifying and pleasant.

Interviewers learned that in some HS centers located close or within public housing projects where violence is rampant, for example in one of the Guánica centers visited and the Torres de Sabana center in Carolina, children are taught gunshot drills where they lie on the floor as soon as they hear gunshot sounds. More common drill practices are the fire and earthquake drills. In other communities, agriculture is a very big part of the local culture, as is the case in the Alturas center in Orocovis, where they have a “Club de Pequeños Agrónomos” (Little Farmers Club).

Creative Curriculum Gold (CCG), an evidenced based curriculum for preschoolers, is used in almost all the local HS/EHS programs. CCG features research-based content and daily resources that are fully aligned with the state early-learning standards. Using exploration and discovery as a way of learning, the curriculum enables children to develop confidence, creativity and lifelong critical-thinking skills. Children are encouraged to explore the environment and learn from hands-on experiences.

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I.

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS ACUDEN

LEGAL AUTHORITY

The Administration for Integral Development of Childhood (ACUDEN in Spanish) was created in July 28, 1995 under the Reorganization Plan No. 1, as amended, as a procedural and operational component of the Department of the Family. The agency has the power to administer and develop all aspects related to these federal programs: Head Start, Title IV, Subtitle A, Chapter 8, Public Law 97-35, Sub-chapter B and those established by the Childcare and Development Block Grant Fund Act, Title VI, Subtitle A, Chapter 8, Public Law 97-35, Sub-chapter C, transferring these powers from the Families and Children Administration to the new Administration, ACUDEN.

MISSION

The agency’s mission is to guarantee that children in the early stages of development have access to care as provided by the federal Head Start and Child Care programs. Participation of the child's parents and relatives in the educational process is highly encouraged.

VISION

The agency’s vision is to effectively contribute to children’s early development by providing them with the cognitive and social-competence tools that support the full development of their present and future capabilities and potentials, and be the lead provider in the development and implementation of innovative early-childhood educational strategies, starting at the earliest developmental stages.

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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Administration for the Integral Development of Childhood, referred to from now on as ACUDEN, is one of the programmatic components of the Department of the Family and is comprised of the following organizational units:

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

ACUDEN’s main office is located in Old San Juan and is represented in 10 regional offices of the Department of the Family in the following municipalities: Aguadilla, Arecibo, Bayamón, Caguas, Carolina, Guayama, Humacao, Mayagüez, Ponce and San Juan2.

2http://www.acuden.pr.gov/

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ACUDEN is the Island’s top recipient of federal funding from the Head Start program; these funds are then sub-awarded to 21 Delegate Agencies including, 19 municipalities and two are non-profit organizations (one is a consortium). The Delegate Agencies are depicted in the following map. The areas depicted in beige do not have organizations that are ACUDEN HS sub-awardees; these include Mayagüez (Mayagüez, Añasco, Las Marías, Maricao and Hormigueros), Ponce and San Juan (San Juan, Bayamón, Guaynabo, Bayamón, Naranjito, Comerío, Aguas Buenas, Caguas and Gurabo).

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W

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The Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start Programs (EHS) are intended to enrich social competence and school readiness in children from 0 to five years of age, from low-income families. Currently, this program sponsors, administers, delegates and supervises preschool educational and multi-disciplinary support services to over 36,000 children and their families under the 45 agencies, or Grantees, that serve children from 76 (out of 78) municipalities in Puerto Rico3 (to see a complete

list of all Grantees, please see the Appendix). Sponsoring agencies include municipalities, municipal consortia and/or other non-profit organizations.

The parents and the communities served by the HS and EHS programs actively participate and make decisions through their rule-making bodies, established by each Grantee and the Policy Council at the central level. A specialist group comprised of central level and the five regions of the Department of the Family creates policies and procedures for all ACUDEN delegates and makes sure these delegates comply with federal and state regulations. In addition, the Department of the Family regulates all child care centers for licensing and minimal requirements.

In Puerto Rico, ACUDEN is the largest Grantee in charge of administering federal funding for the HS and EHS programs, and the third largest in the U.S. ACUDEN is responsible for eighteen thousand (18,110) children enrolled in HS and EHS programs across sixty-four municipalities, including Vieques and Culebra4. ACUDEN also offers Early Head Start services for infants and/or

care centers and to pregnant women promoting prenatal health, strengthening early-childhood development and better health for families in general. There are currently four ACUDEN EHS centers, serving 96 eligible children and expectant mothers as of 20135.

OBJECTIVES

The ACUDEN Head Start and Early Head Start program has set forth the following objectives: (1) Strengthen parenting relationships through the prevention of the intra-familial violence program, “A Man's Promise.”

3Administration for Integral Child Care and Development (ACUDEN); and U. S. Department of Human Health and

Services, Administration for Children and Families of Head Start.

4 http://www.acuden.pr.gov/ 5 http://www.acuden.pr.gov/

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(2) Provide individualized education and nutritional, health, mental health and family counseling services to all Head Start and Early Head Start program participants.

(3) Ensure that all facilities used as Head Start and Early Head Start centers comply with all the federal and state requirements that govern the offering of infant, care and pre-school services. (4) Recruit, train and supervise a highly qualified staff that ensures the offering of adequate services and promotes the positive interaction between Head Start and Early Head Start program adults and children.

(5) Implement an appropriate scientifically valid curriculum for infant care centers and pre-schools that corresponds to the cognitive, physical, socio-emotional and linguistic development of Head Start and Early Head Start.

(6) Develop a planning and monitoring process that guarantees the offering of integrated services and the adequate use of the Head Start and Early Head Start program funds.

(7) Establish collaborative agreements with the primary health and mental health agencies to guarantee integrated health services for the children and families impacted by the program.

(8) Provide parents psycho-educational strategies to improve child-rearing patterns and train them in the adequate disciplinary and behavior management methods.

(9) Train Head Start and Early Head Start program staff to adequately and effectively manage child behavior in challenging cases.

(10) Implement the curriculum, “I'm Learning,” to develop good eating habits and promote physical activities in children in order for them to maintain an adequate weight and a healthy life style.

The ACUDEN HS and EHS programs serve the beneficiary families and children as their primary customers.

Additionally, the programs will develop and continue with the implementation of other initiatives such as:

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“Your Values Count” was designed to encourage wholesome values and family life; “Pasitos” (Baby Steps) the PR QRIS was developed to measure and report on the quality of the educational services offered; “Make Your Center Special” was designed to increase the availability of services for children with special needs; and “A Man's Promise” was designed for the prevention of intra-family violence. The programs will also improve home service quality or informal care through the implementation of the Developing Loving Environments Special Program (PAC); offer orientation to families on child rearing; provide educational and care services through Early Childhood Resources and Referral Centers (CENTRANA); and provide funding for Respite Centers in Ponce, Loíza, Moca and Camuy.

Federal programs under ACUDEN’s supervision include: Head Start, Childcare and Development Block Grant, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child and Adult Care Food Program, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)-Head Start, ARRA-Child Care and Development Block Grant.

Program Description

“Your Values Count” Encourage wholesome values and family life

Pasitos (Baby Steps) Measure the quality of the educational services

offered

“Make Your Center Special” Increase the availability of services for children with

special needs

“A Man's Promise” Prevention of intra-family violence

Developing Loving Environments

Special Program (PAC) Improve home service quality or informal care Early Childhood Resources and

Referral Centers (CENTRANA) Provide educational and care services Respite Centers Ponce, Loiza, Moca and Camuy

“I'm Learning”

Develop good eating habits and promote physical activities in children in order for them to maintain an adequate weight and a healthy life style.

Additional ACUDEN Programs

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FINANCING

The Head Start consolidated budget for fiscal year 2013-2014 saw a decrease of $9,437,000 from the previous fiscal year. It went from $126,030,000 to $116,593,000. The sources for the financing include: $1,951,000 from State Funds and $114,642,000 in federal grants. No contribution was made from the federal economic stimulus law, ARRA for this fiscal year. The following table presents the historic budget for the program.

State Stabilization "ARRA" Federal

Funds Funds Funds Funds

1665 HEAD START HEAD START HEAD START HEAD START

2005-2006 $1,611,000 $0 $0 $122,392,000 $124,003,000 2006-2007 $1,754,000 $0 $0 $118,755,000 $120,509,000 2007-2008 $4,494,000 $0 $0 $115,158,000 $119,652,000 2008-2009 $3,550,000 $0 $0 $128,739,000 $132,289,000 2009-2010 $1,815,000 $162,000 $11,259,000 $122,884,000 $136,120,000 2010-2011 $1,698,000 $386,000 $2,167,000 $121,998,000 $126,249,000 2011-2012 $2,108,000 $0 $0 $124,447,134 $126,521,934 2012-2013 $1,967,000 $0 $682,000 $123,381,000 $126,030,000 2013-2014 $1,951,000 $0 $0 $114,642,000 $116,593,000 Source: ACUDEN (2005-2013) TOTAL Fiscal Years BUDGET

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Combined with Child Care, the programs offer services to all the municipalities on the Island to approximately 42,850 newborns, infants, pre-K and school-aged children through a myriad of methods and strategies.6

In addition to funding HS and EHS programs, these funds enable the continuation of other programs, such as “Tus valores cuentan,” aimed at strengthening wholesome values and a healthy family life; “Pasitos,” which focuses on the measurement of the quality of the educational services offered; “Haz tu Centro uno Especial,” aimed at increasing the accessibility of services to children with special needs; and “Promesa de Hombre,” which focuses on the prevention of interfamilial violence. These funds also provide for improvements in the quality of home care or informal care through the implementation of the PAC program (Spanish acronym for the Programa Especial Desarrollando Ambientes de Amor), offering guidance for families on raising children, as well as education and care services through one of the Resource Centers and Early Childhood Referrals (CENTRANA for its Spanish acronym), and subsidize costs for Respite Centers in Ponce, Loíza, Moca and Camuy.

The most significant related federal fund allocations to ACUDEN include: “Head Start,” “Child Care and Development Block Grant,” “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),” “Child

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and Adult Care Food Program” and “ARRA-Head Star.”7 Buttressed with state funding, these

federal funds allow ACUDEN to continue to offer childcare, as well as integral child development alternatives to children and families with low-income so that they may attain self-sufficiency.

W

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Child Care Program

The Child Care Program was designed to support low-income working families through childcare financial assistance. Unlike the Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, the Child Care program’s main objective is to promote accessibility and availability to high quality childcare and integral development services for working families. For this reason, the family income eligibility guidelines differ from those of the Head Start Program. As a general rule, family income must be at or below 85% of state median income, but changes to this can be made at state level according to state needs. In Puerto Rico, ACUDEN figures as the main administrator of the Child Care Program, operating Child Care Centers or delegating funds to private child-care service providers. ACUDEN supervises, coordinates and monitors the use of the funds and the services offered by these private providers.

Puerto Rico’s Child Care Program serves children of different ages. The service categories are determined by federal regulations. In Puerto Rico, an additional category was created to address and give priority to children with special needs or in high-risk environments. The service categories of the Child Care Program in Puerto Rico are the following:

o Infants and toddlers o Preschoolers

o School-age children

o Children with special needs or at high risk

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The Child Care Program in Puerto Rico has six (6) main components that work in an integrated way to ensure the delivery of services. Each component is explained below:

Resource and Referral Component

The resource and referral area works as a liaison between ACUDEN and all the stakeholders involved in the provision of childcare and development services at the local level. Its network includes families, government, service providers and other community organizations. Among the services given by this area are: (1) Guides and orients parents about the different options of childcare services available in the community and makes referrals. (2) Makes an initial overall assessment of safety, education, health, nutrition and family support areas. (3) Provides education services to parents or caretakers with information about daycare alternatives and availability, the development of their children and the adequacy of the childcare services offered. (4) Trains and gives technical support to service providers to fulfill the requirements to participate in the Child Care Program. (5) Improves and develops the community network. (6) Evaluates enrollment compliance about existing services, including those directed to children with special needs. (7)

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Determines training needs and coordinate trainings through the central offices. (8) Performs the data collection and statistical analysis of the program.

Early Education Component

The early education component is based on the importance of supporting and developing social, emotional, cognitive and motor skills in children’s early years to help and improve their future development. At the Head Start and Early Head Start programs, the main purpose is to promote a learning experience that integrates cooperation, emotional support, security, independence and decision-making for the children’s development. This area works with the implementation of the programs’ standards to promote a service of quality among the centers and service providers. This area also gives technical assistance and uses mentorship as a way to monitor and evaluate the educational services of the service providers.

Education and Special Needs Component

This area coordinates and integrates the services provided by the programs to accommodate children with special needs. This area also monitors the centers to ensure appropriate practices and quality standards in special education. This area provides the following services: (1) Offers teachers technical assistance in special education. (2) Performs periodic meetings. (3) Refers children with development deficiencies to be diagnosed. (4) Performs the needs assessment regarding educational materials and equipment for children with special needs. (5) Adjusts the curriculum and modifies the activities and educational materials according to the special needs. (6) Coordinates training about special education to personnel and parents.

Family Support Component

The family support area serves as a liaison between the daycare centers and the family members or caretakers. The area provides the families with guidance and orientation about the services provided, eligibility criteria and internal procedures of the programs. To accomplish this objective, this area: (1) Keeps recordkeeping. (2) Offers technical support to the daycare-center directors. (3) Identifies children with special needs or at high risk, in collaboration with the centers’ directors and personnel. (4) Helps in the determination of eligibility and the application process of applying families. (5) Certifies the eligibility of the entities that receive Child Care funds.

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Health and Nutrition Component

This area ensures that children in the Child Care Program have access to adequate nutrition services while in daycare centers. This area also ensures adequate food management and health practices in the centers to maintain safety standards. This area monitors nutrition and safety standards by visiting the centers and providing professional assistance and training in health and nutrition areas.

Voucher System Component

With the voucher system, the parents are allowed to choose a private provider of daycare-services for their children.

The Child Care Program under ACUDEN is distributed in the following manner:

• ACUDEN directly administers nine (9) centers throughout Puerto Rico in the following municipalities: Aguadilla, Corozal, Humacao, Juana Díaz, Luquillo, Moca, Orocovis, Peñuelas and Vieques. (Three of these centers provide services to infants and toddlers: Juana Diaz, Luquillo and Vieques.)

• ACUDEN delegates funds to one hundred and two (102) public and private entities to operate daycare services and other programs that take care of children at home and afterschool hours.

• Delegates funds to two (2) private entities to operate four (4) Respite Centers that give services to children with special needs and in high-risk environments.

• Operates seven (7) Early Childhood Resource and Referral Centers (CENTRANA) that provide technical and educational resources and materials on early education to families and teachers.

• Gives service through the Voucher System

ACUDEN also develops special initiatives that are integrated into the different programs to give new and better educational experiences to children and their families. Among these initiatives are the Early Childhood Resource and Referral Centers (CENTRANA), which provides specialized resources, workshops and technical assistance in early childhood education to parents and teachers.

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Other initiatives include the Professional Development Scholarship Program, guidelines and workshops to train families and personnel in the different programs.

The Child Care Program currently offers services to 12,731 children in Puerto Rico through one of three modalities: 7,354 children are served in 92 providers licensed by ACUDEN through funds delegation; 5,087 children use the childcare vouchers; and 290 children are served in the nine (9) centers administered directly by ACUDEN.

From the 100% of the Child Care Program funds delegation, 58% were delegated to municipalities and the rest (42%) were delegated to non-profit organizations. The region with the most childcare funds is San Juan.

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FINANCING

The adopted consolidated budget for the Child Care Program for fiscal year 2013-2014 remained virtually the same from the previous fiscal year. It went from $51,202,000 to $51,807,000. The financing sources are comprised of: $14,097,000 from State Funds and $37,710,000 from Federal grants. The following table presents the historic budget for the program.

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EARLY HEAD START -CHILD CARE PARTNERSHIPS

In January 2014, the US Congress assigned $500 million for the "The Early Head Start - Child Care Partnerships" which is eligible for organizations in Puerto Rico to compete. This funding present the opportunity to provide more high quality early learning options in the different communities. The benefits of these partnerships are access to full day, full year high quality care and early education,

State Stabilization "ARRA" Federal

Funds Funds Funds Funds

1666 CHILD CARE CHILD CARE CHILD CARE CHILD CARE

2005-2006 $1,388,000 $0 $0 $45,928,000 $47,316,000 2006-2007 $10,888,000 $0 $0 $44,407,000 $54,481,000 2007-2008 $230,000 $0 $0 $49,521,000 $49,751,000 2008-2009 $13,314,000 $0 $0 $48,884,000 $62,198,000 2009-2010 $2,414,000 $5,744,000 $33,417,000 $49,915,000 $91,490,000 2010-2011 $2,651,000 $4,557,000 $0 $47,677,000 $54,885,000 2011-2012 $7,168,000 $0 $0 $46,766,899 $53,934,899 2012-2013 $6,350,000 $0 $0 $44,852,000 $51,202,000 2013-2014 $14,097,000 $0 $0 $37,710,000 $51,807,000 Source: ACUDEN (2005-2014) TOTAL Fiscal Years

CHILD CARE PROGRAM

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comprehensive services, integration of EHS standards in childcare providers and expanded EHS services.

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II.

IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

In recent years, studies related to economic development have shown that there is a high correlation between education and economic growth.8 The groundbreaking work of Nobel-prize winning

professor James J. Heckman, from the University of Chicago, along with a consortium of economists, psychologists, statisticians and neuroscientists, all coincide in the importance of early childhood development and its direct impact on economic, health and social development for individuals and society.

The studies demonstrated that more educated individuals have better health later in life and better labor-market prospects. There is growing literature that establishes a strong relationship between health and education and, more generally, between early childhood conditions and adult outcomes.9

Gaps in both cognitive and non-cognitive abilities among children of different socio-economic groups emerge at early ages. Various studies suggest that it is possible to enrich adverse early environments and promote child development.10 Specifically, participation in high quality early

childhood development programs:

- Reduce criminal behavior and delinquency as an adult - Reduce the need for public welfare expenditures later in life - Reduce grade repetition, juvenile delinquency and drug abuse

- Increase high school graduation rates and educational attainment and - Increase labor force participation

Investing in young children promotes social and economic productivity, fairness and social justice. Thus early interventions targeted toward disadvantaged children have much higher returns that later in life interventions (e.g. reduced pupil-teacher ratios, public job training, convict rehabilitation

8 The Impact of Education on: The Economy; Alliance for Excellent Education Fact Sheet, November 2003.

9Commission on Social Determinants of Health. 2008. “Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action

on the Social Determinants of Health.” World Health Organization Final Report. Geneva.

10Case, Anne, Darren Lubotsky, and Christina Paxson 2002. “Economic Status and Health in Childhood: The Origins of

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programs or tuition subsidies). Yet, our society overinvests in remedial skill investments at later ages and underinvests in the early years.11

The figure to the right describes the rates of return to human capital investment in disadvantaged children. The declining red line plots the payout per year per dollar invested in huan capital programs at different stages of the life cycle for the marginal participant at current levels of spending. The opportunity cost of funds (r) is the payout per year if the dollar is invested in financial assets instead. The figure shows that, at current spending levels of funding, we overinvest in most schooling and post-schooling programs and underinvest in preschool programs for disadvantaged persons12.

The family plays a powerful role in shaping these abilities through genetics and parental involvement. A variety of intervention studies indicate that ability gaps in children from different socio-economic groups can be reduced if appropriate child care services and interventions are initiated at early ages. Interventions with young children that appear to be most effective are those that support family environments for disadvantaged children.13

There is compelling evidence that identifies critical and sensitive periods in the development of the child. Some skills or traits are more readily acquired at certain stages of childhood than other traits.14

For example, on average, if a second language is learned before age 12, the child speaks it fluently.15

11 Heckman. Skill Formation and the Economics of Investing in Disadvantaged Children. Science (2006) vol. 312 (5782)

pp. 1900-1902

12 Adapted from: P. Carneiro, J. J. Heckman, in Inequality in America: What Role for Human Capital Policies? J. J.

Heckman, A. B. Krueger, B. Friedman, Eds. (MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2003), ch. 2, pp. 77–237

13Blau, D., & Currie, J. (2006).Preschool, daycare, and afterschool care: Who’s minding the kids? In E. Hanushek, & F.

Welch (Eds.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, Handbooks in Economics, vol. 2, chap. 20. Amsterdam: North-Holland, pp. 1163-1278.

14Knudsen, E. I., Heckman, J. J., Cameron, J., & Shonko, J. P. (2006).Economic, neurobiological, and behavioral

perspectives on building America's future workforce. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103 (27), 10155{10162.

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If syntax and grammar are not acquired early on, they appear to be very difficult to learn later on in life.16 A child born with a cataract will be blind if the cataract is not removed within the first year of

life. Different types of abilities appear to be manageable at different ages. IQ scores become stable by age 10 or so, suggesting a sensitive period for their formation below age 10.17

The available evidence suggests that for many skills and abilities, later remediation for early disadvantage to achieve a given level of adult performance may be possible, but is significantly more costly than early remediation.18 The economic returns to job training, high school graduation and

college attendance are lower for less able persons.19 Despite the low returns to interventions targeted

toward disadvantaged adolescents, the empirical literature shows high economic returns for remedial investments in young disadvantaged children.20

In the past 30 years, U.S. society has polarized. A greater percentage of young adults is attending and graduating from college. At the same time, a greater percentage is dropping out of secondary school producing a growing underclass, neither working nor going to school.21 About 75% of

youths in the U.S. who apply to the military are ineligible to serve because of low cognitive capacities, criminal records or obesity; 20% of the U.S. workforce has such a low rate of literacy that it cannot understand the instructions on a vial of pills.22 This translates into a slowdown in the

growth of the skills of the workforce, therefore, reducing U.S. productivity and competitiveness.23

In this regard, the educational attainment of Puerto Rico’s population 25 and over stood low in comparison with the national average, based on a data from the U.S. Census Bureau.24 In Puerto

Rico, over 13% of the population over 25 had not completed ninth grade as opposed to 4% in the

16Pinker, S. (1994). The language instinct: How the mind creates language. New York: W. Morrow and Co.

17Hopkins, K. D., &Bracht, G. H. (1975).Ten-year stability of verbal and nonverbal IQ scores. American Educational

Research Journal, 12 (4), 469{477.

18Cunha, F., & Heckman, J. J. (2007).The technology of skill formation. American Economic Review, 97 (2), 31{47. 19Carneiro, P., & Heckman, J. J. (2003).Human capital policy. In J. J. Heckman, A. B. Krueger, &

B. M. Friedman (Eds.), Inequality in America: What Role for Human Capital Policies? Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 77{239.

20 Barnett, W. S. (2004). Benet-cost analysis of preschool

education.http://nieer.org/resources/files/BarnettBenefits.ppt, PowerPoint presentation.

21Heckman, J. J. and P. A. La Fontaine (2010). The American high school graduation rate: Trends and levels. Review of

Economics and Statistics.

22Heckman, J. J. and D. V. Masterov (2007).The productivity argument for investing in young children. Review of Agricultural Economics 29(3), 446–493.

23 Delong, J. B., L. Katz, and C. Goldin (2003). Sustaining U.S. economic growth. In H. Aaron, J. Lindsay, and P. Nivola

(Eds.), Agenda for the Nation, pp. 17–60. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

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continental U.S. A big discrepancy can also be seen in the number of people that have completed some college, where Puerto Rico stands at 8%, while the U.S. holds at 14% in this category. In terms of high school graduation percentages, the U.S. leads with 86% compared with 70% in Puerto Rico. Not surprisingly, very few high school graduates in Puerto Rico enter college with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed.

The National Institute for Early Childhood Education Research has published some interesting facts regarding investment in early childhood development. These facts demonstrate that investing in early childhood education is a cost-effective strategy for promoting economic growth. Professor Heckman’s analysis presents some interesting data backing the previous statement.

Analyzing the Perry Preschool Program, a 7% to 10% per year return on investment based on increased school and career achievement as well as reduced costs in remedial education, health and criminal justice system expenditures.

Analysts of the Chicago Child-Parent Center study estimated $48,000 in benefits to the public per child from a half-day public preschool for at-risk children. Participants at age 20 were estimated to be more likely to have finished high school and were less likely to have been held back, need remedial help or have been arrested. The estimated return on investment was $7 for every dollar invested.25

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III.

DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION BY MUNICIPALITY AND REGION

26

ELIGIBLE POPULATION

For the purpose of this study, the “eligible population” is defined as the population eligible to receive benefits and participate in the Head Start and Early Head Start programs. This population includes children under five years of age, as well as expectant mothers, who are financially disadvantaged. The group of all children in Puerto Rico under five years of age was first evaluated and their characteristics were then compared with children under five years of age living below poverty guidelines (the “eligible population”).27 An assessment of the demographic characteristics

of the children’s families was also made.

The population of children under five years of age experienced a significant reduction during the past decade. While Puerto Rico’s total population declined by 2.2% between 2000-2010, the decrease in population among children under five years of age was a dramatic 23.9% for the same period, which amounts to about 82,821 fewer children.

Puerto Rico’s population was 3.8 million in 2000, but dropped to just over 3.7 million in 2010. The Puerto Rico Planning Board estimates the total population for Puerto Rico will be 3.4 million by

26 See Appendix for more detailed data.

27 The 2013 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and the

District of Columbia is a yearly income of $23,550 for a family of four and $19,530 for a family of three.

2000 2010 % Change

2000-2010 2020*

% Change 2010-2020 Population Under 5 Years 295,406 224,756 -23.9% 171,003 -23.9%

Total Poulation 3,808,610 3,725,789 -2.2% 3,355,911 -9.9%

Percent of Population 7.8% 6.0% 5.1%

Source: US Census Bureau

* The total population for Puerto Rico was projected by The Puerto Rico Planning Board; the Population Under 5 Years old was projected by Advantage

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2020. Furthermore, the population under five years of age will barely reach 171,003, a 42% reduction from the population in 2000. Proportionally, the population under five years of age will decrease from 7.8% of total population in 2000 to 5.1% by 2020.

Further socio-demographic data at the municipality level is provided by the five-year estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). The American Community Survey is a nationwide, continuous survey that replaced the decennial census long form in 2010 and thereafter, by collecting long-form-type information throughout the decade, rather than only once every 10 years.

The ACS collects data from all states and communities that have at least 65,000 residents with its single-year estimates. For smaller-population communities (as many of the municipalities on the Island are), several years of data is pooled together to create reliable three-year or five-year estimates. The one-year survey samples are smaller, less reliable but more current; the five-year survey is based on larger samples and is less current, but more reliable. Estimates for areas with fewer than 20,000 residents are only produced in five-year forms.

Because there are a couple of municipalities that do not meet the minimum of 20,000 residents, many of the following socio-demographic data hereafter will be presented using the latest five-year estimate (ACS 2007-2011). The Census Bureau also encourages same survey year(s) estimates in order to compare jurisdictions.

Accounting for these data restrictions, the ACS’ five-year estimates (2005-2009 and 2007-2011) also showed that the population of children under five years of age has experienced a decrease in the past years. Although lagged, the ACS’ five-year estimates supplied the same evidence of population decline as the decennial census. The table on the next page shows these population changes experienced in the group of children aged five and under, between both “five-year moving averages” (ACS 2005-2009 and ACS 2007-2011). Using the cited surveys, a forecast was made of the grouped age population for the five-year period of 2009-2013. The estimated population is also summarized according to ACUDEN’s Head Start regions and detailed by gender.28

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As shown above and based on the decreased rate experienced between surveys (minus-6.5%), the total population of children under five years of age will decrease to an estimated 215,000 in the 2009-2013 period. This forecast is consistent with the decennial census that shows that there were 225,000 children in Puerto Rico under five years of age in 2010. However, there might be a slight overestimation of the total population based on the recent intensification of migration flows to the U.S. mainland in the last couple of years as a consequence of a prolonged economic depression.

Head Start Regions Boys Girls Total

North 12,480 11,952 24,432 East 16,911 16,301 33,212 West 13,982 13,309 27,291 Metropolitan 18,770 17,909 36,679 South 16,063 15,483 31,546 Others 47,145 44,987 92,132 Puerto Rico 125,351 119,941 245,292

Head Start Regions Boys Girls Total

North 11,492 11,084 22,576 East 15,731 15,043 30,774 West 13,298 12,485 25,783 Metropolitan 17,275 16,444 33,719 South 15,263 14,598 29,861 Others 44,412 42,233 86,645 Puerto Rico 117,471 111,887 229,358

Head Start Regions Boys Girls Total

North 10,640 10,265 20,905 East 14,611 13,964 28,576 West 12,577 11,805 24,382 Metropolitan 15,902 15,137 31,039 South 14,482 13,847 28,328 Others 41,815 39,776 81,591 Puerto Rico 110,026 104,795 214,821

Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates 2005-2009 and 2007-2011 * Forecasted by Advantage

Children Under 5 Years of Age by Region in PR

2005-2009

2007-2011

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The distribution of children under five years of age by region is presented in the next graph.

CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY

In terms of the eligible population, the experience has been, by some means, similar to that of the population under five years of age observed in the previous section. Nonetheless, the eligible population living below poverty guidelines has decreased at a slower rate than the total population of children under five years of age. While the annual decrease rate for the population under five years of age was minus-3.3% between both ACS surveys (2005-2009 and 2007-2011), the annual decrease rate for the eligible population was minus-1.0% during the same period.

Therefore, although the population under five years of age as a whole has experienced a decline, the percentage of the eligible population within the group as a function of the total population actually increased. Based on estimates, by the end of 2013, the percentage of eligible children within the group five years and younger, will have grown to 62% (from 56% in 2009). In other words, two opposing trends are observable: A decrease in the total group composed of children under

five years of age and an increase of the eligible population within this group. While there are

fewer children under age five in Puerto Rico, their families are actually getting poorer. This discussion is presented numerically in the following table.

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The distribution of children under five years of age living below poverty guidelines by regions is shown in the graph below.

One of the characteristics that points directly to the needs of children in Puerto Rico is the family composition. At 67%, the percentage of single-parent families in Puerto Rico is almost double the rate of the United States (37%).

Head Start Regions 2005-2009 2007-2011 2009-2013*

North 14,625 14,081 13,621 East 17,572 17,294 17,242 West 17,966 17,521 17,184 Metropolitan 18,318 17,461 16,883 South 19,577 19,106 18,782 Others 49,409 49,180 49,168 Puerto Rico 137,467 134,643 132,880

Total Population Under 5 245,292 229,358 214,821

Poverty Percetage of Under 5 56% 59% 62%

Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates 2005-2009 and 2007-2011 * Forecasted by Advantage

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According to the ACS data survey, as per the household profile, more than half the eligible population is headed by a female householder, where no husband/father is present. While the number of the eligible population decreased, the number living with a female householder increased slightly. The following table shows the details for the above discussion.

A similar trend can be observed among the eligible population living with a male householder with no wife/mother present. This group showed a dramatic increase in both 2005-2009 and 2007-2011 ACS surveys. For the 2005-2009 survey, an estimated one out of nine (1/9) eligible children, or 11%, lived with a male householder without a wife, and according to the latest ACS five-year estimate (2007-2011), this number increased to one out of every seven (1/7) children, or 14%.

Head Start Regions 2005-2009 2007-2011 Change

North 5,986 6,508 8.7% East 8,516 9,243 8.5% West 7,408 7,338 -0.9% Metropolitan 10,502 9,856 -6.2% South 9,049 9,040 -0.1% Others 30,136 29,885 -0.8%

Total of Poor Children under 5

years with Female Householder 71,597 71,870 0.4%

Total of Poor Children under 5

years 137,467 134,643

Percentage of Poor Children under

5 years 52% 53%

Total of Poor Children Under 5 Years with Female Householder (no Husband)

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Single-parent families in Puerto Rico were further evaluated using data from Kids Count (KC), a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. KC is a national and state-by-state effort to track the well-being of children in the United States (and Puerto Rico). At the national level, the project develops and distributes reports on key areas of well-being, including the annual KC Data Book. In addition to the annual data book, KC explores the well-being of children using new data and policy analysis. The foundation also maintains the KC Data Center, which uses the best available statistics and data to measure the educational, social, economic and physical well-being of children. The data center features hundreds of indicators with more than four million data points. It provides national, congressional district, county, school district and city data from across the country.

The data from KC adds to the findings cited above. As shown in the graphs below, the percentage of single-parent families (68%) in Puerto Rico is more than double that of families with both parents (32%).

Head Start Regions 2005-2009 2007-2011 Change

North 1,546 1,631 5.5% East 2,242 2,859 27.5% West 1,934 2,414 24.8% Metropolitan 1,621 2,057 26.9% South 2,452 2,940 19.9% Others 4,965 6,340 27.7%

Total of Poor Children Under years

with Male Householder 14,760 18,241 23.6%

Total of Poor Children under 5

years 137,467 134,643

Percentage of Poor Children under

5 years 11% 14%

Total of Poor Children Under 5 Years with Male Householder (no Wife)

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The number of single-parent families Island-wide, although remaining fairly stable, has been trending slightly upward (2%) throughout the 2007-2011 period. In the U.S., the number of single-parent families has increased 5% from 2007 to 2011, showing a clear positive trend. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the percentage of single-parent families in Puerto Rico was almost twice that of the U.S. at 68% and 37%, respectively.

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Eligible children with married-couple parents experienced, on average, a 13% decrease throughout all regions. Many theories can explain the reduction of the eligible population with married-couple families. Some of them could include a higher propensity for migration among married couples, increase in divorce rates, etc. It is important to note that there is no evidence indicating that the reduction in this group stems from the alleviation of poverty conditions.

The following graph illustrates the percentage of the (eligible population) by family type within each region. For example, only 26% of all children living in poverty in the “Others” region were living with both parents, while 44% of children living in poverty in the West region were living with both parents.

Head Start Regions 2005-2009 2007-2011 Change

North 7,093 5,942 -16.2% East 6,814 5,192 -23.8% West 8,624 7,769 -9.9% Metropolitan 6,195 5,548 -10.4% South 8,076 7,126 -11.8% Others 14,308 12,955 -9.5%

Total of Poor Children Under 5

years in Married Couple 51,110 44,532 -12.9%

Total of Poor Children under 5

years 137,467 134,643

Percentage of Poor Children

under 5 years 37% 33%

Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates 2005-2009 and 2007-2011

Total of Poor Children Under 5 Years in Married-Couple Family

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The following graph shows each family category and how they are distributed throughout the regions.

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UNEMPLOYMENT

As defined under ACUDEN’s mission statement, the children’s parents and relatives are highly encouraged to participate in the child’s HS/EHS educational process. Hence, a comprehensive understanding of the socio-demographic characteristics of this segment of the population is extremely important in understanding the children’s environments and their needs.

As can be seen in the following graph and table, Puerto Rico has a much higher rate of unemployed parents who have children under six years of age than the Unites States (data was only available for children under six years of age, both in the Kids Count data and ACS five-year estimates). As of 2011, Puerto Rico’s unemployed parents reached 29%, while in the U.S. unemployed parents only reached 10%.

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