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Policy Council and Parent Committees

Quality Early Childhood Learning Is The Foundation For A Child’s Lifelong Learning

The Policy Council is a group of Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) parents and community members who help lead and make decisions about the program. The Orange County Head Start, Inc. (OCHS) Policy Council is comprised of parents of currently enrolled children, as well as former HS and EHS parents and community representatives who make up an important component of the shared governance system.

Through the Policy Council, parents have a voice in decisions about how the program spends money, what children do in their classrooms, and how the program works with community partners. Children, parents, and the program benefit when parents take on leadership roles. Children learn more and experience healthier development at school and at home. Parents become more confident, gain skills, and connect with other parents and staff while on the Policy Council while program staff learns more about the strengths, interests, and needs of the children, families, and communities they serve.

The idea of having a group of parents and community members that share the decision-making of an organization and make recommendations to a Board of Directors is unique to HS/EHS programs. When Head Start started in 1965, its founders understood that parents are essential partners in educating young children. They felt parents should decide how Head Start services can most benefit their families and other families in the community. Head Start created the Policy Council to provide a formal leadership and policy-making role for the parents. Today, every HS and EHS program is required to have a Policy Council as part of its leadership structure.

Membership Participation

  • Policy Council members participate in monthly educational sessions and receive crucial information that empowers them to make imperative decisions affecting the program design and all services provided.
  • The Policy Council also participate in joint Board and Policy Council advisory committees, during which they have the opportunity to review, converse and provide recommendations on service area plans, policies, and procedures for carrying out the program and fiscal operations.
  • The Policy Council has an essential relationship with the center Parent Committees in that Policy Council representatives are responsible for keeping other parents well informed by taking information back to their centers to share at their monthly Parent Committee meetings.

  • Policy Council members participate in monthly educational sessions and receive crucial information that empowers them to make imperative decisions affecting the program design and all services provided.
  • The Policy Council also participate in joint Board and Policy Council advisory committees, during which they have the opportunity to review, converse and provide recommendations on service area plans, policies, and procedures for carrying out the program and fiscal operations.
  • The Policy Council has an essential relationship with the center Parent Committees in that Policy Council representatives are responsible for keeping other parents well informed by taking information back to their centers to share at their monthly Parent Committee meetings.

Parent Committees

Parent Committees are comprised exclusively of parents of children currently enrolled in the program. By participating in Parent Committee meetings parents are encouraged and empowered to make suggestions for program improvement; plan and implement center activities and education sessions based on parent interest; and discuss issues related to parenting, child development, and other topics of interest.

  • Parent Committee Officers are elected by the parents of children enrolled in the program each year.
  • One-year term commitment.
  • Elected Positions
    • Chair
    • Vice-Chair
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer
    • Policy Council Representative to sit on the Policy Council
    • Policy Council Alternative to sit on the Policy Council in the absence of the Representative

  • Each Parent Committee allows parents to advise staff in developing and/or implementing Orange County Head Start (OCHS) policies, activities, parent engagement opportunities, and services that will meet the needs of children and families participating in the program.
  • The Parent Committee allows for information to be communicated to and from the Policy Council via the elected Policy Council representative.

Participate Menu