Early Learning Connections

What it reported doing in 2024

Education program - the head start and early head start programs were awarded a change in scope application for the 24-25 program year. This award allows a grantee to lower the amount of awarded slots and use these per slot monies to hire additional staff, change the program year calendars to make all classrooms in both counties duration and support staff and families going forward. This application allows the head start classrooms to max out 15 children per classroom and still maintain the same amount of staff. This gives the children more personal experience and the staff to be hands-on with a smaller classroom. This award also gives all programs, including hssap, the ability to move to a 6.5 hour day instead of a 6 hour day. This then in turn will give the yearly calendar extra in-service days for staff to complete paperwork, participate in training, complete parent conferences and plan for lessons and units in their classroom. In addition, the budget allows for a second full-time mental health professional to be hired on staff to support classrooms, an additional program manager to lower the amount of classroom case loads and two floating assistant teachers in each county to help with staff shortages and keep classrooms open. 2025 brought some new locations to better serve our families throughout the year. Oakland had a second head start classroom again for the 24-25 program year, the rowan classroom is now located at the glade run campus in zelienople along with the former pre-k counts room at cve. Sugarcreek pre-k moved to east brady and freeport also hosted a head start classroom. These moves have allowed elc to make new community connections that will promote positive relationships and excellent programming for the families and children that we serve. A grant application was submited and awarded to provide head start and early head start services in Indiana county beginning in fiscal year 2026.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 97.5%; rating input score 97
• Program expense ratio: 97.2%; rating input score 97
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -0.5%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.21; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.44; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 1.3%; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 15% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 12.8% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 14% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings