§ 1305.2 Terms.

For the purposes of this subchapter, the following definitions apply:

ACF means the Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services.

Act means the Head Start Act, Sec. 635 et seq., Public Law 97-35, 95 Stat. 499-511 (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. Section 9801, et seq.).

Agency means the body that receives the Head Start grant.

Aggregate child-level assessment data means the data collected by an agency on the status and progress of the children it serves that have been combined to provide summary information about groups of children enrolled in specific classes, centers, home-based or other options, groups or settings, or other groups of children such as dual language learners, or to provide summary information by specific domains of development.

Allowable alternate vehicle means a vehicle designed for carrying eleven or more people, including the driver, that meets all the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards applicable to school buses, except 49 CFR 571.108 and 571.131.

Budget period means the interval of time, into which a multi-year period of assistance (project period) is divided for budgetary and funding purposes.

Case plan is defined as presented in 42 U.S.C. 675(1) which, in summary, is a written document that must include a number of specified items including, but is not limited to, a plan for safe and proper care of the child in foster care placement, health records, and a plan for ensuring the educational stability of the child in foster care.

Child-level assessment data means the data collected by an agency on an individual child from one or more valid and reliable assessments of a child's status and progress, including but not limited to direct assessment, structured observations, checklists, staff or parent report measures, and portfolio records or work samples.

Child records means records that:

(1) Are directly related to the child;

(2) Are maintained by the program, or by a party acting for the program; and

(3) Include information recorded in any way, such as print, electronic, or digital means, including media, video, image, or audio format.

Child restraint system means any device designed to restrain, seat, or position children that meets the current requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, Child Restraint Systems, 49 CFR 571.213, for children in the weight category established under the regulation, or any device designed to restrain, seat, or position children, other than a Type I seat belt as defined at 49 CFR 571.209, for children not in the weight category currently established by 49 CFR 571.213.

Child with a disability is defined in the same manner as presented in the Head Start Act, 42 U.S.C. 9801.

CLASS: Pre-K means The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). The CLASS is an observational instrument that assesses classroom quality in preschool through third grade classrooms. This tool meets the requirements described in 641(c)(1)(D) and 641A(c)(2)(F) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836(c)(1)(D) and 9836a(c)(2)(F)). The CLASS assesses three domains of classroom experience: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support.

(1) Emotional Support measures children's social and emotional functioning in the classroom, and includes four dimensions: Positive Climate, Negative Climate, Teacher Sensitivity and Regard for Student Perspectives. Positive Climate addresses the emotional connection, respect, and enjoyment demonstrated between teachers and children and among children. Negative Climate addresses the level of expressed negativity such as anger, hostility, or aggression exhibited by teachers and/or children in the classroom. Teacher Sensitivity addresses teachers' awareness of and responsivity to children's academic and emotional concerns. Regard for Student Perspectives addresses the degree to which teachers' interactions with children and classroom activities place an emphasis on children's interests, motivations, and points of view.

(2) Classroom Organization measures a broad array of classroom processes related to the organization and management of children's behavior, time, and attention in the classroom. It includes three dimensions: Behavior Management, Productivity, and Instructional Learning Formats. Behavior Management addresses how effectively teachers monitor, prevent, and redirect behavior. Productivity addresses how well the classroom runs with respect to routines and the degree to which teachers organize activities and directions so that maximum time can be spent on learning activities. Instructional Learning Formats addresses how teachers facilitate activities and provide interesting materials so that children are engaged and learning opportunities are maximized.

(3) Instructional Support measures the ways in which teachers implement curriculum to effectively support cognitive and language development. It includes three dimensions: Concept Development, Quality of Feedback, and Language Modeling. Concept Development addresses how teachers use instructional discussions and activities to promote children's higher order thinking skills in contrast to a focus on rote instruction. Quality of Feedback addresses how teachers extend children's learning through their responses to children's ideas, comments, and work. Language Modeling addresses the extent to which teachers facilitate and encourage children's language.