ERSEA Insights
This resource outlines strategies and guiding questions to help programs build and maintain responsive ERSEA systems.
ERSEA
Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) tasks are some of the most important work performed by Head Start programs. ERSEA governs how programs determine eligibility, enroll children, and track attendance. Discover resources to help programs assess the needs of their communities and recruit the children and families most in need. Explore materials and tools to help programs market their services, and develop and implement selection criteria. Also, find resources to identify community partners and better address community needs.
Family Recruitment Video and Implementation Guide
Head Start programs can use the video Head Start Cares About Your Whole Family to recruit new families. Review this guidance for how to integrate the video into your recruitment strategies.
SNAP as Public Assistance for Head Start Eligibility FAQs
Read answers to FAQs about the guidance that adds the receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to Head Start eligibility criteria.
SNAP Eligibility for Head Start Services
Learn more about how the receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits now qualifies families for Head Start eligibility.
Poverty Guidelines and Determining Eligibility for Participation in Head Start Programs
The HHS Poverty Guidelines are used to determine income eligibility for participation in Head Start programs. Program staff may refer to these resources when working with families.
Family Income Guidelines: Military Income
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides information that will assist programs in determining the gross income of those families with members in the armed forces. Family service staff will find this information beneficial in determining the eligibility of children of military families for enrollment in the Head Start program.
Frequently Asked Questions Related to the Poverty Guidelines and Poverty
The poverty guidelines, which are issued every year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services, are a simplified version of the federal poverty thresholds used for administrative purposes. Grantees often have questions regarding who is eligible for enrollment in Head Start and other social services programs. These frequently asked questions will assist them in understanding how to use the guidelines to assess eligibility and other questions they may have.