Transcript ERSEA Training ’07-’08

ERSEA TRAINING
2015-16
Date: 2/26/2015
Location: Ramada Inn, Paintsville
1
Eligibility
Recruitment
Selection
Enrollment
Attendance
2
ELIGIBILITY
What are the only two requirements for a child to be eligible for Head
Start?
Head Start eligible means a child meets the
requirements for Age and Family Income as
established in regulation 1305 of
Performance Standards.
3
AGE REQUIREMENT FOR HEAD
START
Although Head Start is designed for low
income children, any family can apply if
the child meets the age requirement.
Age Requirement: The child must be at
least 3 and no older than 4 by August 1st to
be considered eligible.
4
AGE REQUIREMENT FOR HEAD
START
There are two situations when a child turns
3 years of age AFTER the August 1 cut-off
date but would still be eligible to enroll:
1.
If the child has a diagnosed disability (IEP).
Note: That child should be on the waiting list as soon as they turn
3 and can be enrolled on their 3rd birthday.
2.
If the program has reached their overincome limit of children
and doesn’t have any other kids on the waiting list to enroll,
they can enroll a child that has already turned 3 but did not
do so by August 1.
Note: Enrolling this child would be a “last resort” to maintain
5
funded enrollment.
AGE REQUIREMENT FOR HEAD
START
•
•
If you enroll a PIR 2 year old in your program, he/she can
and should remain in your program for the current year as
well as the two upcoming years.
You will not reverify information on a child returning for a
2nd year, but if the child is eligible to return for a 3 rd year,
you must obtain a new application, income, and complete a
new Eligibility Verification form as well as reverify the child
on COPA.
6
VERIFYING AGE

You must have age verification in hand before
accepting a child into the program.

The best age verification is a birth certificate. However, this is not
the only documentation you can accept for enrollment. Here are
some others:
–
–
–
–
–
Immunization Card
Hospital Certificate
A letter from another agency that has verified birth such as Community Based
Services or Health Department
List of age eligible children whose families receive public assistance (TANF list).
And many more
7
VERIFYING AGE

Once you have determined that the child is age
eligible for Head Start, an enrollment
application should be completed regardless of
what the parent tells you about their income.

Every parent, with an age eligible child living in
your district, has the right to fill out a Head
Start enrollment application
Review the Enrollment Application
8
VERIFYING INCOME
Verifying income means that you obtain ALL income
for the family of the applying child.
You must ask the parent for all of their income
information, not just some of it.
9
VERIFYING INCOME
Warning:
Do not help children qualify by neglecting to ask
questions or refusing to accept their answers! You
are accountable.
10
VERIFYING INCOME
Income can be determined by examining any of
the following:
 Individual Tax Form 1040
 W-2 Forms
 Pay Stubs
 Written Statements from Employers
 Documentation Showing Public Assistance (TANF, SSI)
 Documentation Showing Social Security
 And other documents showing income
11
VERIFYING INCOME
There will be instances when a family cannot provide any of the
documents mentioned. We must always start with asking for
items from the list. Alternate documentation that can be accepted
when parents cannot provide any of the items mentioned will be:
A statement from the parent indicating income
A statement from the parent indicating how much money is
received for support of the child
A “0 income” verification form signed by the parent
Lets take a look at the “0” Income Form we use
12
Reviewing the “0” Income Form
Head Start Program
“O” Income Verification Form
If your total family income is “O” and has been for at least one (1) month prior to the
date of this application, explain how you are meeting your living expenses:
How do you pay for your housing/utilities?
How do you pay for clothing?
How do you pay for transportation?
I certify that this information is true, complete and correct.
____________________________
Parent/Guardian’s Signature
_____________________________
Verifying Staff Member Signature
_________________
Date
__________________
Date
Revised: 2009-10
“0” INCOME FORM
Every person you interview will be receiving money from
somewhere in order to survive. But the interviewer’s job is to find
out where it comes from and whether it is INCOME or a GIFT.
If a parent receives money from someone without compensation
in return, that is a GIFT and should not be counted as income.
If a parent receives money from someone because they are
providing that person with a service, that is INCOME.
In order to use a “0” income form, the
family should not have any income.
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SOCIAL SECURITY VS SSI
What is the difference in SSI and Social Security?
•If anyone in a child’s family receives SSI, the child is
automatically eligible and the interviewer would not obtain any
other form of income other than the amount of SSI.
•Social Security is simply viewed as income and does not make the
child automatically eligible.
Now lets see what SSI and Social Security normally look
like when presented to the interviewer
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16
DETERMINING INCOME
Income must be verified for either the
preceding 12 months from the month of
application or the calendar year preceding the
calendar year of application.
Note: When using pay stubs, unemployment statements, etc. to
verify income, you must see documentation for an entire,
consecutive month that ended no more than 30 days prior to the date
you are reviewing them.
Note: When you have received the income documentation, the
Eligibility Verification Sheet must 17
be completed within 30 days.
DETERMINING INCOME
If the parent has not been at their job for the
full 12 months preceding the day of the
application, you will still take their previous
month’s income and multiply by either 12, 24,
26, or 52 (depending on the frequency that they are paid) to
show an amount for a full 12 months.
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The Connection Between
Eligibility Verification Form
Child’s Eligibility Information History (Snapshot)
Eligibility Points Information (Points Page)
19
Eligibility Verification
Age Documentation
Child's Name
Boyd Crowder
Date of Birth
9-16-2011
Documentation Used to Verify Birth
(please check one)
Birth Certificate
Hospital Certificate
Immunization Cert.
Comm. Based Services TANF list
Other
Is child currently age eligible
to enroll in Head Start?
Yes
No
Income Documentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Pay Stubs to show income for at least one month
W-2 employment form
1040, 1040A, etc. tax form
Unemployment Compensation
Documentation showing receipt of public assistance (TANF, SSI)
Family Residency Questionnaire
Divorce Decree or other legal court document showing
child support, alimony, etc.
Total Gross
Amount
Family Member
Ava Crowder
$400
8. Foster/Kinship Care document showing income
9. Written statements from employers
10. Statement from parent showing income (This method
is only acceptable if the applicant's situation rules out the ability to obtain
any other form of income documentation. Must be attached to the back of this sheet)
11. Other:
12. "0" Income Verification form
(must be attached to the back of this sheet)
Income Schedule
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
2
# in Family
2
Amount $15,930
Previous Calendar Year
$
Current Situation
2015-16 Poverty Guidelines
3
4
5
6
$20,090 $24,250 $28,410 $32,570
7
$36,730
8
$40,890
Based on the information above, is this child income eligible for Head Start?
I certify that I have examined the documentation indicated on this form and, to the best of my knowledge, recorded the information accurately.
Scott Helton, Director
Staff Name & Title
10,400
Previous 12 Months
Yearly
(from application)
_________________
$
$
Current Situation
Yearly
Annual Total
$
Current Situation
Weekly
Income Doc. Used
(choose # from above)
4
Current Situation
Yearly
Yearly
Total number in the family
Income Period
2/16/15
Date
Total Annual Income $
10,400
Yes (underincome)
No
(overincome)
Attention: Child Eligibility Information
sheet from COPA must be attached to
20
this form before child is enrolled!!
Eligibility Verification
Child's Name
Date of Birth
Age Documentation
Flynn White
Documentation Used to Verify Birth
(please check one)
12/29/2008
Birth Certificate
Hospital Certificate
Immunization Cert.
Comm. Based Services TANF list
Other
Is child currently age eligible
to enroll in Head Start?
Yes
No
Income Documentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Pay Stubs to show income for at least one month
W-2 employment form
1040, 1040A, etc. tax form
Unemployment Compensation
Documentation showing receipt of public assistance (TANF, SSI)
Family Residency Questionnaire
Divorce Decree or other legal court document showing
child support, alimony, etc.
Total Gross
Amount
Family Member
W alter W hite
$600
8. Foster/Kinship Care document showing income
9. Written statements from employers
10. Statement from parent showing income (This method
is only acceptable if the applicant's situation rules out the ability to obtain
any other form of income documentation. Must be attached to the back of this sheet)
11. Other:
12. "0" Income Verification form
(must be attached to the back of this sheet)
Income Schedule
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Bi-Weekly
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous 12 Months
Previous Calendar Year
$
Current Situation
Yearly
# in Family
2
Amount $15,510
$7,200
$
Current Situation
Weekly
Annual Total
$
Current Situation
Yearly
(from application)
_________________
4
Income Doc. Used
(choose # from
5
Current Situation
Yearly
Yearly
Total number in the family
Income Period
2013-14 Poverty Guideline
3
4
5
6
$19,530 $23,550 $27,570 $31,590
7
$35,610
8
$39,630
Based on the information above, is this child income eligible for Head Start?
I certify that I have examined the documentation indicated on this form and, to the best of my knowledge, recorded the information accurately.
Lea Collins, Director
6/19/2012
Staff Name & Title
Date
Total Annual Income
$7,200
Yes (underincome)
No
(overincome)
Attention: Child Eligibility Information
sheet from COPA must be attached to
21
this form before child is enrolled!!
Eligibility Verification
Child's Name
Flynn White
Date of Birth
12/29/2008
Age Documentation
Documentation Used to Verify Birth
(please check one)
Birth Certificate
Hospital Certificate
Immunization Cert.
Comm. Based Services TANF list
Other
Is child currently age eligible
to enroll in Head Start?
Yes
No
Income Documentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Pay Stubs to show income for at least one month
W-2 employment form
1040, 1040A, etc. tax form
Unemployment Compensation
Documentation showing receipt of public assistance (TANF, SSI)
Family Residency Questionnaire
Divorce Decree or other legal court document showing
child support, alimony, etc.
Total Gross
Amount
Family Member
Flynn W hite
$300
8. Foster/Kinship Care document showing income
9. Written statements from employers
10. Statement from parent showing income (This method
is only acceptable if the applicant's situation rules out the ability to obtain
any other form of income documentation. Must be attached to the back of this sheet)
11. Other:
12. "0" Income Verification form
(must be attached to the back of this sheet)
Income Schedule
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Bi-Weekly
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous 12 Months
Previous Calendar Year
$
Current Situation
Yearly
# in Family
2
Amount $15,510
$3,600
$
Current Situation
Weekly
Annual Total
$
Current Situation
Weekly
Yearly
(from application)
_________________
1
Income Doc. Used
(choose # from
8
Current Situation
Yearly
Yearly
Total number in the family
Income Period
2013-14 Poverty Guideline
3
4
5
6
$19,530 $23,550 $27,570 $31,590
7
$35,610
8
$39,630
Based on the information above, is this child income eligible for Head Start?
I certify that I have examined the documentation indicated on this form and, to the best of my knowledge, recorded the information accurately.
Lea Collins, Director
6/19/2012
Staff Name & Title
Date
Total Annual Income
$3,600
Yes (underincome)
No
(overincome)
Attention: Child Eligibility Information
sheet from COPA must be attached to
this form before child is enrolled!!
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Eligibility Verification
Child's Name
Flynn White
Date of Birth
12/29/2008
Age Documentation
Documentation Used to Verify Birth
(please check one)
Birth Certificate
Comm. Based Services TANF list
Hospital Certificate
Immunization Cert.
Other
Is child currently age eligible
to enroll in Head Start?
Yes
No
Income Documentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Pay Stubs to show income for at least one month
W-2 employment form
1040, 1040A, etc. tax form
Unemployment Compensation
Documentation showing receipt of public assistance (TANF, SSI)
Family Residency Questionnaire
Divorce Decree or other legal court document showing
child support, alimony, etc.
Total Gross
Amount
Family Member
8. Foster/Kinship Care document showing income
9. Written statements from employers
10. Statement from parent showing income (This method
is only acceptable if the applicant's situation rules out the ability to obtain
any other form of income documentation. Must be attached to the back of this sheet)
11. Other:
12. "0" Income Verification form
(must be attached to the back of this sheet)
Income Schedule
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous 12 Months
Previous Calendar Year
$
Current Situation
Yearly
# in Family
2
Amount $15,510
$0
$
Current Situation
Yearly
Annual Total
$
Current Situation
Yearly
(from application)
_________________
4
Income Doc. Used
(choose # from
12
Current Situation
Yearly
Total number in the family
Income Period
2013-14 Poverty Guideline
3
4
5
6
$19,530 $23,550 $27,570 $31,590
7
$35,610
8
$39,630
Based on the information above, is this child income eligible for Head Start?
I certify that I have examined the documentation indicated on this form and, to the best of my knowledge, recorded the information accurately.
Lea Collins, Director
6/19/2012
Staff Name & Title
Date
Total Annual Income
$0
Yes (underincome)
No
(overincome)
Attention: Child Eligibility Information
sheet from COPA must be attached to
23
this form before child is enrolled!!
Eligibility Verification
Child's Name
Flynn White
Date of Birth
12/29/2008
Age Documentation
Documentation Used to Verify Birth
(please check one)
Birth Certificate
Comm. Based Services TANF list
Hospital Certificate
Immunization Cert.
Other
Is child currently age eligible
to enroll in Head Start?
Yes
No
Income Documentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Pay Stubs to show income for at least one month
W-2 employment form
1040, 1040A, etc. tax form
Unemployment Compensation
Documentation showing receipt of public assistance (TANF, SSI)
Family Residency Questionnaire
Divorce Decree or other legal court document showing
child support, alimony, etc.
Total Gross
Amount
Family Member
8. Foster/Kinship Care document showing income
9. Written statements from employers
10. Statement from parent showing income (This method
is only acceptable if the applicant's situation rules out the ability to obtain
any other form of income documentation. Must be attached to the back of this sheet)
11. Other:
12. "0" Income Verification form
(must be attached to the back of this sheet)
Income Schedule
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
$
Previous 12 Months
Monthly
Semi-Monthly
Previous Calendar Year
$
Current Situation
Yearly
# in Family
2
Amount $15,510
$
Current Situation
Yearly
Annual Total
$0
Current Situation
Yearly
(from application)
_________________
4
Income Doc. Used
(choose # from
6
Current Situation
Yearly
Total number in the family
Income Period
2013-14 Poverty Guideline
3
4
5
6
$19,530 $23,550
$27,570 $31,590
7
$35,610
8
$39,630
Based on the information above, is this child income eligible for Head Start?
I certify that I have examined the documentation indicated on this form and, to the best of my knowledge, recorded the information accurately.
Lea Collins, Director
6/19/2012
Staff Name & Title
Date
Total Annual Income
Yes
No
$0
(underincome)
(overincome)
Attention: Child Eligibility Information
sheet from COPA must be attached to
this form before child is enrolled!!
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CHILD INCOME
There are 3 particular instances when you will not ask for ALL of
the family income:
 If it is a Foster child, you only ask for the amount received for
Foster care.
 If it is a TANF/K-TAP or SSI situation, you only ask for the
amount received for TANF/K-TAP or SSI
 If the family qualifies as “Homeless” under the McKinneyVento Act, you do not ask for any income at all.
Those are the only 3 situations that would make a child
Automatically Eligible
25
CHILD INCOME
In almost all cases, the interviewer will designate the family’s
income to the primary or secondary caregiver on the Eligibility
Verification Sheet. The only time that income is designated to the
child will be when it is a Foster/Kinship Care child. A
Foster/Kinship child is ALWAYS A FAMILY OF 1.
In the case of a Foster/Kinship child, the only name on the
eligibility verification sheet will be the child’s name. On the
application and on COPA, the foster money will be listed in the
“Child Monthly Income” box and the box on the child’s section
titled “Exclude Family Income” should be checked.
26
The Connection Between
Eligibility Verification Form
Child’s Eligibility Information History (Snapshot)
Eligibility Points Information (Points Page)
27
28
29
The Connection Between
Eligibility Verification Form
Child’s Eligibility Information History (Snapshot)
Eligibility Points Information (Points Page)
30
31
32
33
DETERMINING FOSTER CHILD
STATUS
Up until now, we only considered a child as “Foster” if the
guardian was being paid to care for the child. However, now that
the Kinship Care in our state has changed, we must also change
how we view Foster Care.
Beginning with the 2015-16 applications, a child will be considered
as “Foster” if the guardian produces a letter from the Department
for Community Based Services (DCBS) stating that the child has
been placed in their care within the past 12 months, regardless of
whether they are receiving payment for the care of the child.
34
35
36
1305.4(b)(1-3) of the Head Start Performance
Standards tells us that 90% of the children
who are enrolled in each Head Start program
must be from low income families.
37
Overincome slots do not belong to individual
delegate programs. Slots belong to the overall
agency and can be redistributed if needed.
For this reason, you must get permission from
the grantee office before enrolling any
additional overincome children after your
initial enrollment selection has occurred at the
beginning of the year .
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DETERMINING INCOME
Low Income Family means:
A family whose total annual income before taxes is
equal to, or less than, the income guidelines decided by
Congress.
Family means:
All persons living in the same household who are:
(1) Supported by the income of the parent(s) or
guardian(s) of the child enrolling or participating in
the program and (2) related to the parent(s) or
guardian(s) by blood, marriage,
or adoption.
39
Allison has one child, a four-year old son named James.
Two months ago, she and James moved in with her
boyfriend Tim. Tim has 3 kids of his own and they all
live with him. Today, Allison came to fill out a Head
Start application for James. What is the family size
and whose income should be counted?
The family size would be 2 (Allison & James).
Only Allison’s income would be used.
40
Jennifer is 18 years old. She has two children: Jake, 4,
and Wesley, 3. Jennifer and her children live with her
dad and his girlfriend. Her father owns a carwash and
she works there part-time. She comes to fill out an
application for Jake today. What is the family size and
whose income is counted? (Let’s assume that the FRQ shows that
this is not a homeless family)
The family size would be 3 (Jennifer, Jake, and
Wesley). Only Jennifer’s income would be
counted.
41
Same family.
Jennifer comes back a year later and fills out an application for
her other child Wesley. During that time, her father has given
Jennifer the carwash and has retired for health reasons. She tells
the interviewer that even though she now owns the carwash and
her dad doesn’t work there, she gives her dad $1,000 per month so
he can pay the bills for him and his girlfriend. They still all live in
her dad’s home (Jennifer, her dad, dad’s girlfriend, Jake, Wesley).
What is the size of the family and whose income counts?
The family size would now be 4 (Jennifer, Wesley, Jake, and her
dad). Only Jennifer’s income would be used. Jennifer’s dad
would count in Wesley’s family because he is supported by
Jennifer and is related to her. The girlfriend is not related to
Jennifer and would not count.
Glenn and Lisa are unmarried but living together.
Living with them are Lisa’s 4 year old daughter Connie
and Glenn’s 4 year old daughter Sue. Lisa comes today
to fill out an application for both girls. What is the
family size?
This would be two separate families of 2
(Glenn and Sue in one family and Lisa and
Connie in the other). However, Lisa would not be
able to fill out the application for Sue because she is not
her parent or guardian.
43
Same family.
Glenn and Lisa get married. They also adopt 2 more
children. One of the adopted children draws SSI. Lisa
came today to fill out an application for Connie, her
biological child. What is the family size and whose
income counts?
The family size is 6. The only income that would
count is the SSI amount and it would be listed for one
of the parents.
44
Frank and Tina have one biological child, George who
is 4 years old. Tina is pregnant and is due next month.
They are also the legal guardians for Frank’s (not Tina’s)
grandson, Ike who is 6 months old. Last week, they got
a foster child, Chris who is 9 years old. Frank comes to
fill out an application for George. What is the family
size?
The family size is 4. The foster child is not
counted. The unborn baby is also not counted.
45
Using the same family as before (Two adults with one
biological child, one guardianship child, and one foster
child) This time, the parent comes to fill out an
application for the foster child. What is the family size
and whose income should be counted?
A foster child is a family of 1. Therefore, the
only income that should be counted is the
child’s own income.
You do not need to see any income for the family other
than the amount they receive for the foster child. This
46
means that the family income on COPA would be “0”.
A man and woman are living together but are not
married. They are both the biological parents of their
only child, Ralph, 3 years old. The mother comes to fill
out the application for the child. What is the family
size and whose income should be counted?
The family size is 3. Even though they are not married,
both are the biological parents of Ralph and live
together in the same house so they both count in his
family and both incomes should be used.
47
Homer and Ruth have 1 child together, 4 year old
Caden. Homer is also the legal guardian for his
friend’s 16 year old daughter Madison while his friend
is in the military stationed in another country.
Madison has been living with them for 6 months and
works at Taco Bell. How many are in the family and
whose income should count?
The family size is 3. Madison does not meet the
definition of “family” because she is not related to the
caregiver(s). Only the income of the caregivers count.
48
QUESTIONS ABOUT ELIGIBILITY
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Can a child be accepted into Head Start if he/she is not a US
citizen?
Yes. A child cannot be banned from Head Start acceptance based
on citizenship or immigration status.
If a parent brings you the required documentation for age and
income but you know the family makes more money than what is
being presented, what should you do?
We are not investigators and you cannot make accusations. If they
provide the needed documentation and you ask them for their
income in the appropriate way, your job is done.
49
QUESTIONS ABOUT ELIGIBILITY
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
If our program has reached our limit of over-income enrolled
children and then one of them withdraws, can we replace that child
with another over-income child.
Yes, if the child at the top of the waiting list is an overincome child.
A program can enroll as many over-income children as needed as
long as there are never more than 10% over-income children in the
program at any given time.
If we have met our 10% enrollment requirement for disability
children, can we deny enrollment to all other disability children?
No. A program cannot deny enrollment on the basis of a disability
or it’s severity to any child as long as they are age and income
eligible and the Head Start classroom is an appropriate setting
according to the child’s IEP.50
QUESTIONS ABOUT ELIGIBILITY
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
If a program has already reached their 10% over-income children
limit, can an over-income child with a disability be enrolled in
order to reach the 10% disability children requirement?
No. The two requirements cannot be overlapped. In other words,
regardless of the number of children with disabilities currently
enrolled in the program, the 10% over-income limit cannot be
crossed.
If we receive enough applications from low - income families to fill
all of our program’s funded slots, can we still give some of those
slots to over-income children.
No. Children must be selected for enrollment based on the number
of eligibility points they receive.
51
RECRUITMENT
What is Recruitment?
Recruitment means the systematic ways in which a Head
Start program identifies families whose children are eligible for
Head Start services, informs them of the services available, and
encourages them to apply for enrollment in the program.
How important is Recruitment?
Simply put, recruitment is possibly the single most important
step in assuring your program meets their funded enrollment.
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RECRUITMENT
How do you Recruit?
Here are some of the more common
ways that are used:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Flyers or pamphlets
Media: TV, radio, & newspaper ads
Interagency or community meetings
Distributing a program newsletter
Word of mouth
And unique strategies such as……………
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RECRUITMENT
How do you Recruit?
Here are some unconventional methods that could be effective:
• Hold an “Open House” event
• Send out postcards
• Send out Christmas cards with
recruitment information
• Use your school principals
• Rent a billboard
•
•
•
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Invite a political or popular
figure to your program and
make sure there is news
coverage
Sponsor or take part in a
community event
Put on your own event
RECRUITMENT
How do you Recruit?
Here are some partnership ideas for recruitment:
 Develop Head Start bookmarks for the local library to
distribute or hold a recruitment event at the library
 Create tray liners for a local restaurant
 Ask the local TANF office about putting recruitment
notices in the envelopes with the TANF checks.
 Partner with Community Action programs to hand out
recruitment flyers to LIHEAP participants
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RECRUITMENT
How many families should we recruit each
year?
Each program must obtain a number of applications
that is greater than the number of enrollment opportunities
that are anticipated to be available over the course of the next
enrollment year. This is your minimum recruitment goal!!
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RECRUITMENT
How many families should we recruit each
year?
We will use a fictional program to determine this number:
1. Our program is funded for 100 children.
2. 78 of our currently enrolled children will be going on to
Kindergarten next year.
3. 22 of our currently enrolled children are expected to return.
4. We estimate that 11 children will withdraw during the year
based on last year’s PIR info.
Add 78 + 11 Result – We need to recruit 89 children
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SELECTION
Selection is the formal process for
considering all eligible applicants and
selecting children and their families into the
program.
Note: The selection process should not be a secret. Obviously, the
people in this room are expected to understand it, but it should also be
understood by all staff and parents so that they will know that it is fair,
consistent, and based on a logical system.
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SELECTION
The selection criteria that we use is reflected on
the “Eligibility Information” sheet on COPA.
This criteria should be reviewed, updated, and
approved by the Delegate Policy Committee,
Grantee Policy Council, and the governing boards
each year.
Lets take a look at the current Eligibility Criteria we use
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Head Start Child Eligibility Criteria 2014-15
Income Status
75% - 100% below Poverty Level
50% - 74% below Poverty Level
25% - 49% below Poverty Level
Poverty Level - 24% below
1% - 30% above Poverty Level
31% above Poverty Level
Points Given
175
150
125
100
50
0
Parental Status
Homeless
Single Parent
Disabled Parent
Teen Parent
Foster Parent
Guardian
Living with Grandparent
Automatically Eligible
2
1
1
Automatically Eligible
3
2
Other
Certified IEP
Child Protective Services
4 years old
Death of Immediate Family Member
Receiving TANF or SSI
3
5
45
1
Automatically Eligible
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SELECTION
Waiting Lists
Some Important Notes
 Each program should have a waiting list of age & income eligible children at
all times during the year.
 If a child has been on your waiting list for more than 12 months without being
enrolled, his income must be reverified before you can enroll him in the
program.
 Whether or not your program has a good waiting list is not determined by how
many kids you have on the list overall, but rather how many kids you have on
the list at each site.
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SELECTION
Waiting Lists
Some Important Notes
The only children that should be on your waiting list are
children that are willing and able to enroll as soon as a slot
becomes available. Here are some children who should not
be on the waiting list:
 Any child who has been terminated from your program for any reason
 Any child whose age or income has not been verified
 Any child who has turned down a slot at the center they applied for
 Any child who does not currently meet the age requirements
Clarification: A terminated child or a child who has turned down an enrollment
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slot can be placed back on the waiting
list when a parent notifies you that
he/she is ready to attend.
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ENROLLMENT
The following excerpts are taken directly from a Program
Information memorandum issued to all Head Start programs
in November 2004:
-Regulation 45 CFR 1305 states that “A Head Start Grantee must
maintain its funded enrollment level. Programs are expected to be
at full enrollment on the first day of their enrollment year.”
(This means that if you have 50 enrollment slots, there should have been 50
letters of acceptance sent. All 50 of these children should be on your
“Eligible / Accepted List” on COPA and you MUST print this list to keep in
your records as proof)
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ENROLLMENT
The following excerpts are taken directly from a
Program Information memorandum issued to all Head
Start programs in November 2004:
No more than 30 days may elapse before a vacancy is filled.
A program may elect not to fill a vacancy when 60 calendar
days or less remain in the program’s enrollment year.
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ENROLLMENT
When enrolling children in classrooms, you must be
aware of the requirements regarding “predominant age”.
(By predominant age, this is a reference to whether there are more 3
year olds or 4 year olds in a classroom)
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ENROLLMENT
If you enroll more 4 year olds in a classroom
than 3 year olds, then this is looked at as a
“4 Year Old Classroom”.
In a 4 Year Old Classroom, you can have a
maximum of 20 kids (regardless of whether it is HS
or KERA kids)
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ENROLLMENT
If you enroll more 3 year olds in a classroom
than 4 year olds, then this is looked at as a
“3 Year Old Classroom”.
In a 3 Year Old Classroom, you can have a
maximum of 17 kids (regardless of whether it is HS
or KERA kids)
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ENROLLMENT
You must have a minimum of 13 children
enrolled in each classroom at all times.
BSACAP asks that delegate programs assure that
there are at least 10 HS kids in each classroom.
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QUESTIONS ABOUT ENROLLMENT
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
A child is enrolled in our program this year but withdraws on January
14th. The parent calls in June and says she wants to send the child back
during the upcoming year. Is the child automatically given an
enrollment slot?
No. Once the child is terminated, he will only be enrolled again, in the
current or upcoming year, if he has the most eligibility points on the
waiting list.
In the scenario above, will the child’s income need to be reverified if he
is accepted during the upcoming year?
If the first day of school will be more than 12 months since his income
was verified, the answer is yes.
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QUESTIONS ABOUT ENROLLMENT
Q. I understand that if a child is enrolled throughout the year in our
program and wants to return next year, it is not required that we reverify
his income. But if we know the income has changed significantly, is it
okay to ask for the parent to bring in new verification?
A. The policy states: If a parent reports to the Head Start program that
their income has changed between program years, it will be at the
discretion of the program to decide whether the increase or decrease
warrants reverification.
Q.
If a child has been enrolled in another Head Start program this year and
then applies at my program, do I need to reverify the family income
before I enroll the child?
A. If the child was enrolled in one of the other programs within our
overall agency and the verification date is not more than 12 months old,
then you don’t need to verify income again. This is assuming that the
income verification is obtained from the other program before
enrollment.
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QUESTIONS ABOUT ENROLLMENT
Under no circumstances are you
allowed to enroll a child that does
not live in our 5 county service area
(Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, Pike)
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CLASSROOM STAFF
The next slide may not relate to ERSEA, but I
wanted to include it because there have been so
many misconceptions about “Classroom Staffing
Requirements” over the past couple of years.
Here goes……..
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CLASSROOM STAFF
 There must be 2 paid staff with the children at all
times. This means that you cannot have a teacher
and a parent volunteer supervising the classroom.
 Regardless of what the state regulations say about
staff/child ratio, you cannot have just one staff
person in the room with the children at any time.
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ATTENDANCE
Attendance of the enrolled children in our program is
very important. If children are not attending, they are not
receiving the full benefits that Head Start is suppose to provide.
If we cannot provide the full benefits to the children enrolled,
our funding can and may be reconsidered.
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ATTENDANCE
When should a child be counted in attendance?
Our policy is that if a child shows up in the classroom for any
amount of time at any point in the school day, you will count that
child in attendance.
If the child is offsite for some type of Head Start required service such as a
dental exam, physical, etc., you will not count that child in attendance unless
he makes an appearance in the classroom.
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ATTENDANCE
Excused & Unexcused Absences
Programs are required to record excused and
unexcused absences for planning and intervention purposes.
But regardless if a child’s absence is viewed as excused or
unexcused, the child is still not counted as being in
attendance.
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ATTENDANCE
Excused & Unexcused Absences
From the following list, which reasons should be
counted as excused and which ones as unexcused?
 Hospitalization
 Excused
 Serious illness or injury
 Excused
 Family vacation
 Unexcused
 Contagious disease
 Excused
 Death in the family
 Excused
 Transportation problems
 Excused
 Weather conditions
 Excused
 Cultural or religious family activities
 Excused
 Family’s water was off
 Excused
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ATTENDANCE
Average Daily Attendance (ADA)
Programs are required to analyze the causes of absenteeism when the
ADA for the month falls below 85%.
The findings from this analysis should be reviewed for any trends or
patterns and action taken if necessary.
Any child who has been absent for 3 consecutive days with unexcused
absences requires a follow-up which includes a home visit or direct
contact with the child’s parents.
Note: A program’s funding could be jeopardized if it does not make a reasonable, good
faith effort to maintain 85% ADA.
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Questions?
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