AMADOR-TUOLUMNE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY HEAD START
ELIGIBILITY, RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, ENROLLMENT, AND ATTENDANCE SERVICE AREA PLAN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD OBJECTIVE / ACTION / STAFFRESPONSIBLE / EVALUATION & DOCUMENTATION / TIME FRAME
1305.3 Determining community strengths and needs
1305.3(a) Each Early Head Start and Head Start grantee must identify its proposed service area in its Head Start grant application and define it by county or sub-county area, such as a municipality, town or census tract or a federally recognized Indian reservation. / Identify anddefine ATCAA’s service area as Amador and Tuolumne Counties, and describe the service area in all funding applications and related documents. / HS Director / Grant proposals and Community Assessments / Annually and as needed
1305.3 (b) The grantee’s service area must be approved, in writing, by the responsible HHS official in order to assure that the service area is of reasonable size and, except in situations where a near-reservation designation or other expanded service area has been approved for a Tribe, does not overlap with that of other Head Start grantees. / Ensure thatofficials from the Department of Health and Human Serviceshave approved the service area and the approvals are on file. / ATCAA Executive Director
HS Director / Grant Awards / As needed
1305.3 (c) Each Early Head Start and Head Start grantee agency must conduct a Community Assessment within its service area once every three years. The Community Assessment must include the collection and analysis of the following information about the grantee’s Early Head Start or Head Start area: / Conduct a Community Assessment trienniallyand update the assessment as needed in the intervening two years. / HS Director or designee / Planning Schedules, and the minutes of ATCAA Board and Policy Council meetings / Trienniallywith updates annually
Develop a planning schedule that defines when community assessments are conducted and updated.
Obtain Policy Council approval of the schedule.
1305.3 (c)(1) The demographic make-up of Head Start eligible children and families, including their estimated number, geographic location, and racial and ethnic composition; / Gather and analyze a variety of data pertaining to the service area to determine the demographic make-up of eligible children including thenumber, geographic location and racial and ethnic characteristics of the children and their families. / HSDirector or designee / Community Assessment and updates, and Head Start funding proposals / Annually
1305.3 (c)(2) Other child development and child care programs that are serving Head Start eligible children, including publicly funded State and local preschool programs, and the approximate number of Head Start eligible children served by each; / Research child development and child care programs that are available in Amador and Tuolumne Counties by obtaining information from various agencies and councils such as Local Child Care Planning Councils, ICES and The Resource Connection. / HS Director or designee / Community Assessment / Annually
1305.3 (c)(3) The estimated number of children with disabilities four years old or younger, including types of disabilities and relevant services and resources provided to these children by community agencies; / Gather data from local agencies that serve children with disabilities such as the Amador and Tuolumne County Offices of Education, Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC), and California Children’s Services (CSS). / HS Director or designee
Eligibility &Disabilities Manager / Community Assessment / Annually
1305.3 (c)(4) Data regarding the education, health, nutrition and social service needs of Head Start eligible children and their families; / Collect data about the educational, health, nutritional, and social service needs of Head Starteligible children from parents and local agencies
such as the Amador and Tuolumne Public Health and Social Services Departments, the California Department of Health Care Services, Head Start Health Advisory Boards, Central SierraUniversity of CaliforniaCooperative Extension, and the Head Start data base. / HS Director or designee
Health Services Manager / Community Assessment / Annually
1305.3 (c)(5)
The education, health, nutrition and social service needs of Head Start eligible children and their families as defined by families of Head Start eligible children and by institutions in the community that serve young children; / Identify the educational, health, nutritional, and social service needs of HeadStart eligible childrenand theirfamilies by:
- Reviewing and analyzing relevant information from thecomputer database to determine connections between past and present needs.
- Including questions related to these areas inparent surveys.
- Contacting the Amador and Tuolumne County Offices of Education, Public Healthand Social Services Departments and schools to determine educational, health, nutritional and social service needs.
the computer database / Annually
1305.3 (c)(6)
Resources in the community that could be used to address the needs of Head Start eligible children and their families, including assessments of their availability and accessibility. / Identify the resources in the community that are available to meet the needs of children and families by:
- Networking and collaborating with local agencies that serve the Head Start and Early Head Start populations.
- Serving on the councils and committees of community agencies.
- Attending local networking meetings.
- Referencing resource guides and online sources that contain information about community agencies and the services they offer.
Service Area Managers or designees / Community Assessment, agendas and minutes from community agency meetings, and resource guides or materials / Ongoing
1305.3 (d) The Early Head Start and Head Start grantee and delegate agency must use information from the Community Assessment to: / Conductand summarize information from the Community Assessment and annual Self-Assessment prior to developing the Strategic Plan so the resulting information is available for those participating in planning the program’sphilosophy and objectives. / HS Director or designee / Planning Schedule and summaries of the Community Assessment and Self-Assessment results. / Triennially and annually
1305.3(d)(1) Help determine the grantee’s philosophy, and its long-range and short-range program objectives;
1305.3(d)(2) Determine the type of component services that are most needed and the program option or options that will be implemented; / Using the Community Assessment data, determinethe component services and program options that will be provided. / HS Director or designee / Planning session sign-in sheets / Triennially
Invite parents of eligible children, ECS staff,and members of the ATCAA Board, Policy Council, and community agencies to participate in the planning sessions.
1305.3(d)(3) Determine the recruitment area that will be served by the grantee, if limitations in the amount of resources make it impossible to serve the entire service area. / Determine recruitment areas annually based on Community Assessment data, and the number of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible applications received from families living in the different geographical areas of Amador and Tuolumne Counties. / Family Engagement & Services Manager / Community Assessment, Recruitment Plan, and applications / Annually
Develop a recruitment plan that defines the recruitment areas and focuses on the regions of Amador and Tuolumne Counties with the greatest need for Head Start and Early Head Start services.
1305.3(d)(4) If there are delegate agencies, determine the recruitment area that will be served by the grantee and the recruitment area that will be served by each delegate agency / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
1305.3(d)(5) Determine appropriate locations for centers and the areas to be served by home-based programs; and / Using Community Assessment data, establish the location of centers and areas served by home-based programs by:
- Ascertaining which regions of Amador and Tuolumne countiesdemonstrate the greatest need for Head Start and Early Head Start services
- Determining the number of children eligible to enroll incenters or home-based programs located in various parts of the service area.
During planning sessions prioritize the areas of greatest need for center-basedand home-based services.
Obtain Policy Council and ATCAA Board approval for the location of new centers.
1305.3(d)(6) Set criteria that define the types of children and families who will be given priority for recruitment and selection. / Utilize a point system, related to specific child and family characteristics and needs, to recruit and select children and pregnant women for enrollment.Base the assignment of points on information from applications and accompanying documentation that have been submitted to the agency. / Family Engagement & Services Manager
Eligibility Specialist / Selection Process Procedure, applications and Eligibility Points Worksheets / Ongoing
On an annual basis, review the selection criteria used to assign points and revise the criteria as needed. / Family Engagement & Services Manager / Program Committee, ATCAA Board andPolicy Council minutes / Annually
After revision, obtain governance approval of the selection criteria. / HS Director
Program Committee
Policy Council / As needed
1305.3 (e) In each of the two years following completion of the Community Assessment the grantee agency must conduct a review to determine whether there have been significant changes in the information described in paragraph (b) of this section. If so, the Community Assessment must be updated and the decisions described in paragraph (c) of this section must be reconsidered. / In each of the two years following the completion of the Community Assessment, review the document to determine if there have been any significant changes and update the Community Assessment if needed. / HS Director
Service Area Managers / Community Assessment and updates / Annually after the completion of the Community Assessment
1305.3(f) The recruitment area must include the entire service area, unless the resources available to the Head Start grantee are inadequate to serve the entire service area. / Base the recruitment area on Community Assessment data and target recruitment efforts in the areas with the greatest need for services and largest number of Head Start and Early Head Start eligible children and pregnant women. / Family Engagement & Services Manager / Recruitment Plan / Annually
1305.3(g) In determining the recruitment area when it does not include the entire service area, the grantee must / Based on Community Assessment data, our unique geographic area and population concentrations, the recruitment area is limited to the west side of the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. / Family Engagement & Services Manager / Recruitment Plan and Recruitment Binders / Review annually
1305.3(g)(1) Select an area or areas that are among those having the greatest need for Early Head Start or Head Start services as determined by the Community Assessment; and
1305.3(g)(2) Include as many Head Start eligible children as possible within the recruitment area, so that: / Develop and implement a recruitment plan to
ensure that as many Head Start and Early Head Start
eligible children and pregnant women are recruited
as possible.
1305.3(g)(2) (i) The greatest number of Head Start eligible children can be recruited and have an opportunity to be considered for selection and enrollment in the Head Start program, and
1305.3(g)(2) (ii), the Head Start program can enroll the children and families with the greatest need for its services / Follow the recruitment plan throughout the
program year to develop a waitlist of Head Start and
Early Head Start eligible children and pregnant
women toensure theselection and enrollmentof
children and families with the greatest need for
services. / Family Engagement & Services Manager
Eligibility Specialist / Waitlists on the computer database, applications and Eligibility Points Worksheets / Ongoing
1305.4Age of children and family income eligibility.
1305.4(a) To be eligible for Head Start services, a child must be at least three years old by the date used to determine eligibility for public school in the community in which the Head Start program is located, except in cases where the Head Start program’s approved grant provides specific authority to serve younger children. Examples of such exceptions are programs serving children of migrant families and Early Head Start programs. / For enrollment in Head Start, children must be 3 years old by the age-eligible date for kindergarten enrollment in public schools for the current year. Priority is given to four-year-olds. / Family Engagement & Services Manager Eligibility Specialist / Selection criteria, Eligibility Procedure, Enrollment & Reenrollment Procedures, applications and Eligibility Points Worksheets / Ongoing
Early Head Start services are available for pregnant women and children zero to three years old.
1305.4(b)(1) At least 90 percent of the children who are enrolled in each Head Start program must be from low-income families. / Ensure that at least 90% of the children and pregnant women enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start programs are from low income families. / Family Engagement & Services Manager Eligibility Specialist / Selection criteria, Selection Process Procedure, Eligibility Procedure, and the computer database / Annuallybefore the full enrollment date and ongoing as vacancies occur
1305.4 (b)(2) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, up to ten percent of the children who are enrolled may be children from families that exceed the low-income guidelines but who meet the criteria that the program has established for selecting such children and who would benefit from Head Start services. / After all of the income eligible children have been selected for enrollment, up to ten percent of the enrollment opportunities may be filled by over-income children in accordance with the selection criteria and ERSEA procedures.
1305.4 (b) (3) through 1305.4 (b) (4) pertains to grants to Indian Tribes and is not applicable to ATCAA
1305.4(c) The family incomes must be verified by the Head Start program before determining that a child is eligible to participate in the program. / Use Federal Poverty Guidelinesin conjunction with verified family income and family size to determine income eligibility for participation in Early Head Start or Head Start programs. / Family Engagement & Services Manager
Eligibility Specialist / Income documentation, Head Start Eligibility Verification Forms, and Head Start Income Guidelines / Ongoing
1305.4(d) Verification must include examination of any of the following: Individual Income Tax Form 1040, W-2 forms, pay stubs, pay envelopes, written statements from employers, or documentation showing current status as recipients of public assistance. / To verify income levels, families are required to submit proof of income per 1305.4 (d) prior to review of their applications for services. / Family Advocates
Home Visitors
Eligibility Specialist / Applications, Application Checklists
1305.4(e) A signed statement by an employee of the Head Start program, identifying which of these documents was examined and stating that the child is eligible to participate in the program, must be maintained to indicate that income verification has been made. / Two eligibility staff members will review family income documentation and sign Head Start Eligibility Verification Forms to verify each family’s income eligibility for Head Start or Early Head Start services. / Eligibility Specialist
Family Engagement & Services Manager / Head Start Eligibility Verification Forms and
income documentation / Ongoing
Include signed Head Start Eligibility Verification Forms and income documentationwith the applications thatFamily Advocates or Home Visitors receive before enrolling eligible children or pregnant women in Head Start or Early Head Start programs. / Head Start Eligibility Verification Forms,
income documentation and applications / Ongoing
Keep verification of income eligibility and income documentation in the enrollment section of children’s files. / Family Advocates
Home Visitors / Child files
1305.5Recruitment of children.
1305.5(a) In order to reach those most in need of Head Start services, each Head Start grantee and delegate agency must develop and implement a recruitment process that is designed to actively inform all families with Head Start eligible children within the recruitment area of the availability of services and encourage them to apply for admission to the program. This process may include canvassing the local community, use of news releases and advertising, and use of family referrals and referrals from other public and private agencies. / Utilize recruitment strategiesto encourage pregnant women and families with eligible children to apply by:
- Advertising in local family-based print and on-line publications.
- Posting program information and applications on-line.
- Hanging recruitment flyers and banners in strategic locations (with owner permission).
- Contacting and collaborating with local agencies’ staff members to encourage referrals to Early Head Start and Head Start.
- Participating in community events that appeal to families with young children.
- Visiting sites providing community services to families, such as WIC and local schools, to recruit.
- Presenting information about the benefits of Head Start and Early Head start at different agency and community group meetings.
- Assigning recruitment areas to Family Advocates and Home Visitors.
- Placing Recruitment Binders at each site for staff to use.
- Encouraging Early Head Start and Head Start parents to recruit family members and friends.
- Maintaining Family Contact Forms so staff can follow up with interested parents.
- Helping families complete applications as needed.
- Training all staff members about recruitment.
Family Advocates
Home Visitors
Teachers
Parents
Center Assistants / Recruitment Binders, recruitment materials,Recruitment of Children Procedure, community publications and websites, documentation of participation in community events, Family Contact Forms, training documentation, and applications / Ongoing
1305.5(b) During the recruitment process that occurs prior to the beginning of the enrollment year, a Head Start program must solicit applications from as many Head Start eligible families within the recruitment area as possible. If necessary, the program must assist families in filling out the application form in order to assure that all information needed for selection is completed.