Comment on FR Doc # 2010-23583

I have worked in the field of Early Childhood Education for nearly 30 years. My experience has included private, group child care, public schools, family child care, and Head Start. In my opinion the Head Start model is basically a good one, but their national/internal organization and their budgets are overflowing with wasteful spending. The organization is ridiculously "top-heavy". Their centers should be functioning as such, with a small overhead to account for ensuring that local and national guidelines are appropriately followed. Instead, each regional office is stuffed with extra administrative staff: Educational coordinators, social service coordinatiors, Health coordinators, home visiting staff, directors, regional coordinators, and numerous other administrators. Center directors should have the appropriate credentials and abilities to handle the workload on their own. Hire an extra staff person to work directly with the children, and then use the saved funding to allow more children into the program and offer training and opportunities within the Head Start community for Strengthening Families. And with regard to the proposal - they should most definitely be a part of an extensive external - and not just internal - review.