The Navajo Nation fired 15 Head Start employees after conducting background checks on them and is planning to fire three more.

The tribe conducted the checks after losing federal funding for the Head Start program. A review by the Administration for Children and Families found 106 employees with criminal records, including 51 with serious offenses like domestic abuse, assault or child abuse.

Nearly 600 employees have since been cleared, with checks waiting on about 100 more. The tribe needs to finish the checks before regaining funding.

Get the Story:
Navajo officials address Head Start problems (The Farmington Daily Times 7/11)
Navajo Nation takes action to correct troubled Head Start program (AP 7/11)

Relevant Links:
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org
Head Start - http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb

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