MICA has operated a successful, quality Head Start program since 1964. Let us share our knowledge and experience with your agency. We offer a variety of services designed to improve your program and help you vision for the future.

PRISM Preview

With a MICA PRISM Preveiw, you will get a heads-up on programmatic problems before your next federal PRISM review. This service is particularly useful to programs that have experienced high staff turnover. PRISM Previews can also teach your staff how to use the PRISM instrument for self-assessment.

Quality Improvement Plans

Our staff can assist in the timely formulation of plans to address deficiencies found by funder monitoring. Plans developed by our staff include the following critical elements:

• outcomes designed to bring your program into compliance
• action steps to achieve outcomes, parties responsible for outcomes, and deadlines for their completion
• resources and partnerships that will be needed to achieve desired outcomes

MICA will support your staff as they carry out these corrective action plans, assess progress, devise alternative strategies as needed, and counsel staff on how to report results to funders.

Head Start Performance Standards

If your program has suffered considerable staff turnover, our Head Start experts can teach you the nuts and bolts of program components and the performance standards that apply. By the end of our hands-on training your staff will have the skills to:

• analyze program elements and identify the performance standards relevant to them
• develop an improvement plan for your program
• begin short- and long-term planning for the program’s future

Curriculum Development

Our Head Start consultants provide short- and long-term training to classroom staff on:

• curriculum
• individualization
• classroom design and set up
• materials appropriate for various activities

These services are delivered over a series of weeks or months, giving your staff the opportunity to apply their new knowledge. Our consultants then provide feedback on your revamped program through observations and a review of lesson plans, actual classroom set up, and organized activities.

Annual Planning Calendar Development

Effective Head Start leaders must have strong planning skills. We will tailor an annual planning schedule that fits your needs and contains the critical elements required by Head Start’s Performance Standards.

Our calendar will:

• clearly define a starting point for your planning process
• harmonize your planning cycle with your program funding year, your agency fiscal year, state CSBG funding and planning cycles, and planning activities of other programs