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Policy

Head Start of Lane County (the agency) sets forth this policy and procedure to ensure the equitable selection of children to be enrolled into services.  The agency will establish and annually review the program selection priority points. These priority points will consider the age of the child, and the extent to which the family meets the criteria established. A minimum of ten percent of actual enrollment opportunities each year will be made available to children with diagnosed disabilities.

Over Income applicants will be selected for enrollment only when no Income Eligible (100% of the Federal Poverty Level/FPL or below) or Expanded Income Eligible (101% to 130% of the FPL) applicants are on the waiting list. No more than 10% of funded enrollment slots will be granted to children/ families deemed to be Over Income.

Procedure

  1. A waiting list will be created in Child Plus using the following point system:
    1. For Head Start child’s age
      1. 25 points – Four year olds (4 years – 4+) = 25 points
      2. 10 points – Three years, six months – three years, 11 months = 10 points
      3. 00 points – three years – three years, five months = 00 points
    2. For Early Head Start MIECHV slots (funded by the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant):
      1. Pregnant individuals under the age of 21 and families including pregnant individuals under the age of 21 will have first priority for MIECHV slots, and then regular prioritization will apply.
      2. Other Early Head Start slots will not prioritize applicants based on age, except to follow the age guidelines according to model option.
    3. Child’s Health
      1. ADHD/ADD = 10 points
      2. Conditions requiring medications [asthma, eczema, seizure] = 10 points
      3. Diabetes = 10 points
      4. Hearing impairment = 10 points
      5. Heart condition = 10 points
      6. Traumatic brain injury = 10 points,
      7. Visual impairment = 10 points
      8. Other = 10 points
    4. Child’s Diagnosed Disabilities
      1. Autism = 10 points
      2. Communication disorder = 10 points
      3. Developmental delay = 10 points
      4. Emotional/behavioral disorder = 10 points,
      5. Orthopedic impairment = 10 points
    5. Parental Status
      1. Child in foster care = 50 points
      2. Child is not in foster care, but is not living with a biological or adoptive parent = 15 points
      3. Only one adult lives in the home = 10 points
      4. Parent is receiving disability payment = 10 points
      5. Parent/guardian is a staff member at HSOLC = 10 points
    6. Homelessness
      1. All families currently experiencing homelessness will be prioritized for enrollment = 100 priority points
    7. Primary language at home
        1. English Language learner = 10 points
    8. Environmental
      1. Children will receive 10 points for each issue if they or their immediate household has faced any of the following challenges in the past five years:
        1. Child abuse/neglect
        2. Death in family
        3. Depressed mood, anxiety, or other mental health concerns
        4. Discrimination
        5. Displaced by natural disaster
        6. Drug or alcohol abuse
        7. Domestic violence
        8. Incarceration of a parent
        9. Low student achievement for any family member
        10. Migrant worker
        11. Military deployment / military service / veteran
        12. Previous foster care/previous Child Protective Services involvement
        13. Refugee status
        14. Tobacco / vape products used in the home
        15. Other medical issues that affect child/household member
        16. Other environmental issues that affect child/household member
  2. All eligible families will be placed on the appropriate wait list(s) by the ERSEA department.
  3. Vacancies that occur in the preschool model will be filled with an Early Head Start (EHS) child transitioning to HS.
    1. If no EHS child is awaiting HS placement, a currently enrolled HS student requesting transfer or a currently enrolled HS student transferring to HSOLC from another HS program will be offered placement.
    2. If no currently enrolled HS student is awaiting transfer, an age eligible wait listed children will be offered placement.
    3. Children currently enrolled in EHS will be given top priority for placement opportunities (see Child Assignment to Classroom policy).
    4. Siblings living in the same household will be prioritized for enrollment, as long as the 10 percent (10%) maximum for Over Income slots has not been reached.
  4. The ERSEA department will attach all legal documents, referrals, IFSPs or health information to the child’s electronic Child Plus file, when these documents are received with the Eligibility Application, or during the Eligibility process.
  5. The Full Day Regional Assistant, together with the ERSEA and/or Full Day Manager will determine if a family qualifies for full day/full year model.
  6. ERSEA staff will communicate directly with the parent/guardian regarding the status of the application. This communication will consist of a hard copy letter mailed to the family’s mailing address, whenever a mailing address is available. However, application status may be communicated via email, text or voice, depending upon the family’s preference and/or staff ability to reach the family using that specific mode of communication. Any communication or attempts to communicate with the family will be noted in the Eligibility section of the child’s electronic record. Application status communication will include one of the following topics:
    1. Family is eligible and child’s name placed on wait list.
    2. More information or documentation required.
    3. Family is over income but may be enrolled as space allows.
  7. Age eligible children who are not enrolled or who withdraw in a given program year must re-establish eligibility to be considered for enrollment in the following program year.
  8. Selection of Over-income children: Enrollment staff will consult with ERSEA Manager prior to offering a slot to an over income family. When eligibility is determined for over income applicants (up to 10 percent of total enrollment), the criteria in the Selection policy will be used. Extended Income eligible applicants who fall within 101% – 130% of the poverty guideline will selected and offered placement before families who fall above 131%- of the poverty guideline. Over income families will not be selected unless there is no waiting list of Income Eligible or Expanded Income Eligible applicants.

This policy complies with Head Start Performance Standard 1302.16(a)-(c)

It was approved by Policy Council on September 1997.March 2002. May 2003. April 2004. May 2005. May 2010. June 2010. August 2012. March 2021. March 2022. June 2023. March 2024. November 2024

It was approved by the Board of Directors on November 2009. May 2010. June 2010. October 2012. March 2021. March 2022. June 2023. March 2024. November 2024

Updated March 2000,October 2000, April 2001, January 2002, February 2002. May 2003.April 2004. November 2004. May 2005. March 2010. July 2010.August 2012. April 2018. February 2019. March 2021. March 2022. March 2023. June 2023. February 2024. September 2024

© 1995 – 2024.Head Start of Lane County. All rights reserved.

REVIEWED: December 2020. March 2021. February 2022. February 2023. May 2023. February 2024. September 2024.