Board reviews Head Start subcontract concern: Infant Welfare Society seeks payment despite underenrollment
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Summary
The district discussed a request from the Infant Welfare Society of Evanston (IWSE), a Head Start subrecipient, to be paid at full funded enrollment while they remain underenrolled. The district has a compliance timeline from the state and said it will present a contract decision for approval on Sept. 29.
Trustees discussed a contract question about District 65’s Head Start subrecipient, the Infant Welfare Society of Evanston (IWSE). IWSE has capacity to serve 55 children but, staff said, has been underenrolled for an extended period and currently serves fewer children (staff estimated mid‑40s). The Office of Head Start notified the district of non‑compliance in 2023 and allowed time for correction; the state will reassess in November 2025.
IWSE has requested that the district continue to pay the agency at a full‑enrollment funding level while IWSE works to increase enrollment. District legal and program staff said the district itself is in compliance right now and will receive full Head Start funds in the near window, but IWSE does not meet its contractual enrollment requirement. Last year the board declined a similar IWSE request to keep payments at full enrollment while the agency was underenrolled.
Staff advised trustees the board may authorize payments to IWSE at full funded enrollment through November; however, if the Office of Head Start reduces district funding in November because a recipient deficiency remains, the district would not receive those offsetting funds and would have to cover the difference with local funds. Staff said the district’s existing contract language with subrecipients ties payment to actual enrollment and that the board must decide whether to waive that requirement in the short term.
Why it matters: The Head Start program serves children age 0–3 and is a core early‑learning resource; maintaining capacity in the community has equity and access implications. Trustees must weigh short‑term stability for IWSE against fiscal risk to the district if federal/state funding is reduced.
What’s next: The board will consider a contract action on Sept. 29 that would either continue paying IWSE at full funded enrollment through a short window or follow contract terms and pay only for actual enrollment.