THE Public School System may recommend reducing the amount and frequency of honorarium given to members of the Head Start Policy Council.
PSS Federal Programs Officer Bill Matson said that although the financial representative of the review team found that the council members are not diverting resources away from students, concerns were raised about the frequency and the amount of honorarium given.
But Matson did not specify the amount in his response to Board of Education member Frances Diaz’s inquiry.
“In another jurisdiction, the review team found the costs of stipends to be high enough that there was most likely going to be a recommendation to reduce the amount and frequency of the honorarium,” Matson said.
However, he said if the council members would receive honorarium for meetings as provided by CNMI law, then the rate of compensation should be reasonable.
He said the Head Start Policy Council should verify with the regional office if reprogramming request is needed to effect whatever recommended changes would be reached.
There are currently over 500 students benefiting from the Head Start program.
Funding for the program comes from the CNMI and federal governments. Total federal funds amount to over $1.5 million while local funds total $881,766.
