An amendment numbered 7 printed in House Report 109-229 to direct the Secretary of HHS to undergo a management reform initiative. Requires HHS to utilize an outside management consulting firm to recommend and support the implementation of internal reforms to improve the Head Start Bureau's operational effectiveness.

1. Adds SECTION ___. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS at the end of the bill

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SECTION ___. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS.

   Inserted: Section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a) is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

   Inserted: "(g) In carrying out the provisions of section 641A, and in addition to the use of whatever other resources the Secretary deems appropriate, the Secretary shall--

   Inserted: "(1) contract with an intermediary organization which, in the determination of the Secretary, meets each of the following criteria--

   Inserted: "(A) focuses on improving the performance management and the use of technology for non-profit, educational, and social service organizations;

   Inserted: "(B) has demonstrated experience in providing a range of assistance, including but not limited to--

   Inserted: "(i) assessing performance metrics;

   Inserted: "(ii) the use of technology;

   Inserted: "(iii) improving financial management; and

   Inserted: "(iv) developing recommendations to improve performance and the use of technology;

   Inserted: "(C) has a proven methodology for systemic change in the not-for-profit sector, including governmental and nongovernmental entities;

   Inserted: "(D) has demonstrated results in providing performance management support to small-, mid- and large-size not-for-profit organizations annually on a pro bono basis;

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   Inserted: "(E) has demonstrated the ability to identify areas for program improvement related to--

   Inserted: "(i) accomplishing the goals and objectives as outlined in Head Start regulations, reporting criteria and measurement of program outcomes;

   Inserted: "(ii) meeting reporting requirements

   Inserted: "(iii) using technology in classrooms and enabling its use by administrators;

   Inserted: "(F) has demonstrated the ability to develop an implementation plan for recommended improvements by the organizations it assists;

   Inserted: "(G) has demonstrated the ability to assist with and provide on-site, hands-on guidance with the implementation of the recommendations;

   Inserted: "(H) has demonstrated the ability to tailor the assessment and implementation process to the children and communities served (where appropriate); and

   Inserted: "(I) has demonstrated the ability to create an online community that allows Head Start administrators, teachers, service providers, parents, policy makers, and other stakeholders to communicate and provide support during and following the assessment and subsequent implementation process;

   Inserted: "(2) utilize the intermediary organization selected in paragraph (1) not later than 90 days from the date of enactment of this Act to--

   Inserted: "(A) assess the performance of the Secretary in overseeing the Head Start Bureau and ensuring the effective management of the Head Start program in the areas of finance, operations, human capital, and customer service;

   Inserted: "(B) evaluate the Department's organizational structure, policies, and procedures for managing Head Start grant recipients, make recommendations to improve national program quality and maximize the efficiency in the use of program dollars, and support implementation of the recommendations;

   Inserted: "(C) evaluate the Secretary's administrative resource allocations to determine if investment is properly targeted based on risk assessment to address the program's most significant national and local challenges, and propose adjustments as appropriate;

   Inserted: "(D) evaluate and identify best practice Head Start models and build process models to enable their replication;

   Inserted: "(E) develop early warning systems to identify Head Start programs that need intervention;

   Inserted: "(F) evaluate processes to assist Head Start programs that need intervention in implementing necessary program improvements;

   Inserted: "(G) evaluate the effectiveness of the current process for selecting Head Start organizations and develop and implement improvements to ensure that performance metrics emerge as a key criteria for evaluating successful Head Start applicants, including the creation of evaluation criteria that ensure the selection of quality Head Start applicants;

   Inserted: "(H) evaluate how the Department targets resources to remedy ongoing problems or deficiencies in the program's management or governance, and propose solutions as appropriate; and

   Inserted: "(I) conduct a detailed assessment of the Secretary's ability to monitor grantees.".

   Inserted: SEC. ___. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.

   Inserted: Section 640(a)(2) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835) is further amended by adding at the end the following new clause:

   Inserted: "(v) not less than $7,500,000 of the amount in clause (iii) appropriated for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 shall be made available to carry out activities described in section 641A(g).".

   Original wording

   At the end of the bill, insert the following new sections:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed