By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE Board of Education yesterday approved the submission of the Head Start grant application for 2007-2008 which incorporates three major requests.
These include the reduction of funded enrollment slots from 579 to 420; an increase in cost per child from $2,837 to $3,912; and the retention of the current grant award amounting to $1.6 million.
BOE said the most significant reasons in requesting the budgetary changes are the Fitial administration’s across-the-board 15.6 percent cut; the decrease in local matching funds from $739,669 in 2006-2007 to $353,211 in 2007-2008; and the Praxis requirements for certified classroom teachers.
BOE said there is an average cost increase of $4,000 per teacher as a result of the Praxis requirements.
Head Start has 12 teachers who have passed Praxis.
In a letter to Jan Len, director of the program Region IX’s administration of children and families, BOE Chairman Roman C. Benavente said the local Head Start’s request is the result of the $6 million cut to the Public School System’s budget and the 1 percent reduction in all federal, discretionary grants.
“The local government is also anticipating further cuts of at least 15 percent to its FY 07-08 budget. For the Head Start program, this means a reduced local match from $739,669 in FY 06-07 to $ 353,211 for FY 07-08,” Benavente said.
BOE proposed modifications in personnel and administration of Head Start in the CNMI. It wants to eliminate: all BA and MA Praxis early childhood certified teachers; the mental health and disabilities manager; the site coordinator post which has four personnel; three family advocate positions; the maintenance and facilities supervisor; and the re-alignment of a number of program employees, including a reduction of teacher aide positions on Tinian from 39 to 29;
The local Head Start had a total staff of 73 in school year 05-06; 60 in SY 06-07; and has proposed 46 for SY 07-08.