In the fall of 2011, the Office of Head Start (OHS) significantly expanded its accountability provisions with the establishment of the Head Start Designation Renewal System (DRS). The DRS was designed to determine whether Head Start and Early Head Start grantees are providing high quality comprehensive services for children and families. Where they are not, grantees are denied automatic renewal of their grant and must apply for funding renewal through an open competition process. DRS determinations are based on seven conditions assessing quality in three broad categories--service quality, licensing and operations, and fiscal and internal controls. In 2012, DCFD launched an evaluation of the DRS to examine how the system is being implemented, the validity of the DRS, and its role in improving quality in Head Start and Early Head Start.