Enrollments, Re-enrollments & Transfers

Policy Number: HS-ERSEA / Effective Date: 3/12/15 / Relates to: CFR #1305.7
Revision Date: 2/24/15

SUBJECT: Enrollments, re-enrollments & transfersforHead Start, Early Head Start and CSPP programs

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: ATCAA Early Childhood Services (ECS) will maintaincompliance with section 1305.7 of the Head Start Program Performance Standards by:

  • Ensuring that children enrolled in Head Start programswill be allowed to remain in Head Start until kindergarten is available for them in their communities.
  • Maintaining funded enrollment levels and filling vacancies in a timely manner.
  • Ensuring that children found to be income eligible, and participating in Head Start programs,remain income eligible through the enrollment year and the immediately succeeding enrollment year.
  • Re-verifying a family’s income when their child moves from an Early Head Start program to a Head Start program.
  • Ensuring, whenever possible, that whenparents wish to enroll age eligible children who have previously received Early Head Start services in Head Start programs, the children will receive Head Start services until they enroll in school.

For California State Preschool (CSPP) programs, ATCAA ECS will maintain compliance with Title 5 California Department of Education (CDE) regulations regarding the certification and re-certification of families for child development services.

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE:

General Guidelines

  • Prior to selection for enrollment, all children and pregnant women wishing to enroll in Head Start or Early Head Start must meet the eligibility and selection criteria outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards and ATCAA ECS Eligibility and Selection Policies and Procedures.
  • Children found to be eligible for Head Start services, and enrolled in Head Start programs, will remain income eligible through the enrollment year and the immediately succeeding enrollment year.
  • If parents wish to have their child participate in Head Start for a third year, their Family Advocate or Home Visitor will collect current eligibility documentationfrom the family and submit it to eligibility staff to determine eligibility.
  • Children found to be eligible for Early Head Start services, and enrolled in Early Head Start programs, remain income eligible throughout their continuous enrollment in Early Head Start.
  • Prior to certification for services, all children wishing to enroll in CSPP programs must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in Title 5 regulations.

Program Vacancies

  • In order to maintain full enrollment, Family Advocates and Home Visitors will notify Eligibility Staff aboutvacancies immediately when they occur.
  • Eligibility Staff will track eachHead Start and Early Head Start vacancy to ensure it is filled within 30 days.
  • If a Head Start vacancy falls within 60 calendar days of the program closing, ATCAA ECS will, in most cases, elect to not fill the vacancy in accordance with Head Start Performance Standard 1305.7 (b).
  • ATCAA may allow some exceptions and fillHead Start vacancies within 60 calendar days of the program closing.
  • These exceptions may include: CPS referrals; transitions from Early Head Start to Head Start; or maintaining enrollmentina California State Preschool Program.
  • In these cases, eligibility staff must take into consideration ifan enrollment within 60 calendar days of the program closing is in the best interest of the child and if required health and developmental screenings can be completed within 45 days of enrollment.
  • CSPP vacancies will be filled as soon as possible to maintain state funding for enrolled slots.
  • When a Head Start or Early Head Start opening occurs that will be filled, the ATCAA ECS Selection Process will be followed to select a child or pregnant woman for the vacant slot.
  • If there is no one on the wait list, staff will follow the ATCAA ECS Recruitment Procedure to recruit eligible children or pregnant women to fill the vacant slot.
  • After selection, eligibility staff will forward the appropriate eligibility determination record to the Family Advocate or Home Visitor responsible for filling the vacancy.
  • The Family Advocate or Home Visitor will make an enrollment offer to the family.
  • If the offer is declined, the Family Advocate or Home Visitor will document the family’s decision on the Eligibility Checklist and return the eligibility determination record to eligibility staff.
  • If the offer is accepted, the Family Advocate or Home Visitor will set up an enrollment appointment with the parents or guardians and follow-up to obtain and verify any additional documentation that is needed before the child enters the program.
  • When contacting a family to set up an enrollment appointment, the Family Advocate or Home Visitor will ask the parents or guardians to bring the following information with them to the appointment:
  • The child’s insurance card
  • The names and phone numbers of the family’s doctor and dentist
  • The names and phone numbers of individuals authorized to pick up the child from the program (for the Emergency Contact & Consent for Emergency Treatment Form)
  • The child’s yellow immunization card or other immunization records
  • According to California state law and regulations, families must present immunization records for each enrolling child.
  • Before enrollment, the Family Advocate or Home Visitor will reviewthe immunization records to determine if the child’s immunizations are current. (Contact the Health Services Manager if assistance is needed.)
  • If a family is homeless according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a child may be selected and enrolled in Early Head Start or Head Start without immunization or other medical records, proof of residency, birth certificates, or other documents. In these cases, Family Advocates, Home Visitors or designated staff will assist parents in obtaining the necessary documentation. (A child may be enrolled, but not enter a center-based program until California immunization requirements are met.)
  • If the child is enrolling in a state funded program, additional income documentation and verification of residenceand family size may be required before the enrollment can take place.

Enrollments

  • During Head Start and Early Head Start enrollments, Family Advocates or Home Visitors will review and complete enrollment forms with the parents or guardians, using the Enrollment and Health/Nutrition Face Sheets as guides (For home-based programs, the Initial Home Visit & Orientation Checklist is also used for this purpose).
  • During enrollment, parents or guardians will sign the Early Head Start/Head Start Eligibility Verification Worksheet, and other required forms, with a full signature and date (Some forms also require a staff signature and date).
  • Items listed on the face sheet with the notation “handout” will be discussed with the parents during enrollment and given to them to take home.
  • Parents or guardians must sign a “Consent to Exchange Confidential Information” form ifneeded information or documentation will be requested from another source (Examples: physicals and dental records).
  • In addition to completing enrollment documents, each family will receive informational handouts and flyers about community services (Examples: WIC, child abuse prevention, car seat safety etc.).
  • For children enrolling in CSPP programs, Family Advocates will use the CSPP Face Sheet as a guide to ensurecompletion of the state forms and documentation required for enrollment. CSPP enrollment forms and documentation include:
  • CSPPEligibility Verification Worksheet and supporting documentation to determine eligibility (Completed by eligibility staff and signed/dated by the parent)
  • Cash Aid Questionnaire
  • Child Care Data Collection Form (CD 9600A)
  • If a parent indicates “no” on this form, the parent’s Social Security number cannot be listed on the 9600.
  • Proof of family size (including, if appropriate, verification of an absentee parent)
  • Verification of residency
  • CD 9600 Confidential Application for Child Development Services and Certification of Eligibility
  • Staff complete the 9600 by following CDE guidelines
  • Staff may not sign and date the 9600 to authorize services to begin before the parent has requested services by signing and dating the form.Parents always sign and date the 9600 first.
  • Staff may not authorize services to begin before required documentation has been reviewed and eligibility has been established according to Title 5 regulations.
  • A copy of the completed 9600 will be sent to the Budget & Operations Manager.
  • Notice of Action (NOA)
  • A NOA is delivered or sent to parents as part of the certification/re-certification process and whenever a change is made to the service agreement (including, transfers or terminations).
  • The NOA must contain: a clear description of the action being taken; the statutory or regulatory basis for the action; the appeal process; and the deadline to file an appeal.
  • During CSPP enrollments, staffmust inform parents or guardians of their right to appeal agency actions as stated on the NOA
  • Parents must receive both pages of the NOA and a copy of both pages of any NOA issued must be placed in the CSPP section of the child’s file.
  • Whenever possible, use a NOA in the home language of the parents.
  • Once an enrollment is complete, theFamily Advocate or Home Visitorwill notify the Family Engagement & Services Manager, or designee, about the child’s start date.
  • On the appropriate date, theFamily Engagement & Services Manager, or designee,will start services for the child and family on the computer database.
  • Family Advocates and Home Visitors will assemble each child’s fileand enternecessary datain the computer database after the enrollment is complete.
  • Forms and documentation will be placed in children’s files in the order listed on the appropriate face sheet for each section (CSPP, Enrollment, Health/Nutrition, Education andSpecial Needs).
  • Original Emergency Contact & Consent for Emergency Treatment Forms will remain in children’s files.
  • Copies of Emergency Contact & Consent for Emergency Treatment Forms will be placed in center or home-base emergency binders.
  • If parents update information on an Emergency Contact & Consent for Emergency Treatment Form, the copy in the emergency binder must be updated at the same time.
  • Staff will document completion ofenrollments in the HS/EHS and CSPP Progress Notes located in children’s files.(For children only receiving EHS or HS services, CSPP Progress Notes will not be used.)
  • The child’senrollment date on the database and start/enter date will be noted at the bottom of the Enrollment Face Sheet. (The start/enter date is the first day a child attends class in center-based programs, or the date of the first home visit in home-based programs.)
  • A blue immunization card will be printed and placedin the health section of the child’s file and immunization information will be entered in the computer database.
  • Per California state law and regulations, a blue immunization card(front and back) with current immunization information must be completed before a child can enter the program.
  • CSPP program information will be filed under the CSPP Face Sheet on the left side of the first section of the child’s file.
  • A colored sheet of paper labeled with the appropriatetitle, “CSPP Documents” will be placed on top of the CSPP Face Sheet and state documentation.

Re-enrollments for Continuing Children

  • For children returning for the next program year, Family Advocates and Home Visitors will determine if parents would like to continue their children’s placement in the same center or home-basedoption.
  • If parents would like to transfer their child toa different center or home-base option, staff will complete aTransition and Transfer Request Form and submit it to the Family Engagement & Services Manager or designee.
  • Before the end of the current program year, Family Advocates and Home Visitors will submit a class list tothe Family Engagement & Services Manager, or designee,indicating which children will be transferring, leaving or returning for the next program year.
  • Prior to re-enrollment, current eligibility documentation will be collected from families with childrenenrolled in CSPP or entering their third year in Head Start.
  • Eligibility staff will verify children’s income or categorical eligibility and generate Eligibility VerificationWorksheets based on appropriate documentation.
  • Eligibility Verification Worksheets must be completed by eligibility staff before re-enrollments or re-certifications can take place.
  • Family Advocates or Home Visitors will schedule re-enrollment appointments with each returning family.
  • Re-certifications for CSPP programs must be within 120 days of the beginning of the next school year.
  • During HS/EHS re-enrollments, Family Advocates and Home Visitors will utilize the Enrollment and Health/Nutrition Face Sheets for guidance in ascertaining if forms need to be reviewed or completed again for the new school year.
  • If the face sheet indicates “review”, staff will review the form or document with the parents or guardians and have them initial and date the form on the appropriate line.
  • If the face sheet indicates “do”, staff will complete a new form with the parents or guardians for the new school year.
  • During re-enrollments, Family Advocates or Home Visitors will follow-up with families about needed health requirements for the following year such as appointments for physical exams etc.
  • Family Partnership Agreements can be reviewed with parents, documented and closed at this time if they have been completed.
  • New Family Partnership Agreements can be initiated at any time during the program year, including at re-enrollments.
  • For CSPP re-certifications, Family Advocates will complete the same steps, forms and documentation as an initial state enrollment/certification.
  • In children’s files, the forms and documentation for CSPP re-certifications will be filed on top of existing state forms in chronological order (Example: the CSPPEligibility Verification Worksheet and eligibility documentation for the next year will be placed on top of theCSPP Eligibility Verification Worksheet and eligibility documentation for the current year keepingeach year’s Eligibility Verification Worksheet and accompanying documentation together as a unit.The same will be done with 9600s, NOAs etc.).
  • Family Advocates will re-verify documentation of family size, residence and absentee parents during re-certifications.
  • Staffwill make notations in the HS/EHS and CSPP Progress Notes in children’s filesregarding the completion of re-enrollments and re-certifications and any changes in child or family information. (For children only receiving EHS or HS services, CSPP Progress Notes will not be used.)
  • All changes in child or family information will also beentered in the computer database.

Transition/Transfer Requests

  • By the time an Early Head Start child is 30 months old, staff will have partnered with parents to devise and implement a transition plan with different options for the child when he or she exits Early Head Start at three years of age. If, as part of the plan, the parents wish to transition their child from an Early Head Start Program to a Head Start Program, a Transition and Transfer Request Form will be filled out by the family’sHome Visitor or Family Advocate.
  • The Transition andTransfer Request Form will be submittedtoeligibility staff with a new eligibility application andthe documentation needed to establish the child’s income or categorical eligibility. The family’s eligibility documentation will be verified according to ATCAA ECS procedures to determinethe child’s eligibility for Head Start services.
  • If a parent has requested a transfer from one Early Head Start program to another Early Head Start program or from a Head Start program to another Head Start program, a Transition andTransfer Form Request will be filled out by the family’s Home Visitor or Family Advocate and submitted to the Family Engagement & Services Manager or designee.
  • For these types of transfers, new income or eligibility documentation does not have to be collected.
  • Eligibility staffwill review each Transition and Transfer Request Form and determine if the child is eligible, ifspace is available, and if placement is appropriate at the requested center or home-based program.
  • The Family Engagement & Services Manager, or designee, will approve or deny the request and state the reason in the comments section of the form.
  • The completed Transition and Transfer Request Form will be returned to the appropriate Family Advocate or Home Visitor and he or she will notify the parents of the decision.
  • If the transfer is approved, the child will transition to the next placement.
  • If the transfer is denied, the Family Advocate, Teacher or Home Visitor will discuss other options with the parents that are available for the child.
  • Returning, transferring and transitioning children will receive additional priority points to support thecontinuation of Head Start or Early Head Start services. (See the Selection Criteria.)