Family Eligibility Specialist (FES) facilitate the enrollment process by working with families to schedule appointments & complete paperwork. Teachers or designee are part of the orientation process too.
Regulations & Policy
HS Performance Standards 1302.12, 1302.14, 1302.15
Prior to initial enrollment & at the time of roll-over, programs must certify each family's/child's eligibility.
At least 10% of the total Head Start enrollment opportunities must be made available for children with disabilities.
Tools:
Enrollment
No more than 30 calendar days may lapse before a vacancy is filled.
Applications are completed with the parent/guardian through an interview process.
Once the child is selected for enrollment an orientation is held that includes a tour of the facility, complete licensing paperwork & review the program guidelines.
Video Description: This video talks about Enrolling in Head Start Programs
Selection Criteria
COPA will prioritize all applications for Head Start openings by assigning a point value to each priority as outlined in the ERSEA policy.
Selection Criteria
Video Description: This video talks about the Head Start Selection Criteria
Contacting Families
All families of the children selected will be notified by phone.
Families will be contacted by mail or home visit, if they are unable to be reached by telephone.
If the family cannot be contacted within three days, the family of the next child on the waiting list will be contacted.
All contact attempts will be documented in Family Case notes & on waitlist documentation.
Children’s names remain on the waiting list unless family requests removal.
Orientation
Teacher or designee orients the family prior to the child's first day of enrollment. The orientation includes:
Tour of the facility
Completing licensing and program paperwork
Orientation video to learn about program requirements
Tools:
Length of Eligibility
RHS Child
Eligible through that enrollment year & the immediately succeeding enrollment year
EHS or EHS CCP Child
Eligible throughout their enrollment in EHS. When a child moves from EHS to RHS, the family income must be re-verified
30/60 Day Notice to Apply for EHS
COPA
In COPA, enrollment is a two-part process. First you must enroll the child, then you must enroll the family.
Tools:
Family Data File
Head Start & State enrollment/eligibility documentation are maintained in a family data file.
Using the checklists below file enrollment/eligibility documentation. Please note that family data files must be stored in a locked cabinet.
Tools:
Monitoring
A Grantee monitoring review will be held every program year. In addition, self-monitoring must be documented and occur as follows:
ERSEA: Within first 45 days
FPA Assessment & Goals: Within 90 days
Case Conferencing: Quarterly
Tools:
Knowledge Check
Are you ready to check for understanding? No worries, if you do not do well the first time, you can take the Knowledge Check a second time.
Good luck my friend!
