Title: Undercover GAO Agent attempting to enroll into the Head Start
program - Audio Recording 1

Description:  Head Start Associate Disregards Part of the Parent's
Income.

Related GAO Work: GAO-19-519: Head Start: Action Needed to Enhance
Program Oversight and Mitigate Significant Fraud and Improper Payment
Risks

Release: October 2019


[ Title on screen: ]
Undercover GAO Special Agent attempting to enroll into the Head Start
Program. 
GAO-19-519 
Audio Recording #1


[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] When I called them, I told them that I had two
jobs, and they told me to bring everything.  So is that going to be a
problem?

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] It shouldn't be. They just calculate the income.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] What's the cutoff?

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] And it depends on what's your -- what's your
family size?

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] Two, just me and my son.

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] So your family size is two. The cutoff is $16,460
a year.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] Are you serious?

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] But the thing is -

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] 16 -- what was that? $16,400 and --

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] $60.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] -- 60.

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] We do take over income and based on the one check
-- the one W-2 that you provided, I think it was like $13,000.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] Yeah, one W-2 was 13.

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] So we may just go with that.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] You think they will? Please. Because if they can
just do that one, that's good. Can we write a little note on there?

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] I got you.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] Thank you. Will they let me decide which one I
want them to go with or will they decide which one to go with?

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] I think --

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] Because both of them, one of them is 13,000 and
the other one is 14,400. So will they choose which one?

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] You're saying if you go by --

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] See, that one right there, I make 14,400, and
then the other one, the W-2 is 13,000. So will they choose which one to
go with?

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] Okay. Hold onto that.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] Hold on to this one. All right. Cool.

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] Just so we can have you write up -- yeah, and if
I need that, I'll let you know.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] So you're giving me this one back, the $14,400.

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] Yes.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] And if you need it?

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] I will let you know.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] Thank you so much - 

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] All right.

[ GAO SPECIAL AGENT: ] That's low, 16,000.

[ HEAD START CENTER: ] It is low. Yeah. Even -- and they claimed that
they raised it this year, but I'm like it's still low.