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I - Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance
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I – 001 Can three year old children be
enrolled in the middle of the school year?
I – 002 Which government
programs qualify as public assistance for determining Head Start
eligibility?
I – 003 Is it appropriate for a kindergarten-eligible
child with a disability to stay in Head Start an additional year?
I
– 004 Are there enrollment opportunities for an "over-income" family with a
child with a disability to participate in Head Start or Early Head
Start?
I – 005 When a child's divorced mother and father have
been given joint custody of the child, how is the child's income eligibility for
Head Start determined?
I – 006 How is income eligibility
determined if a family claims it has no income?
I
– 007 How is eligibility determined if the family is unable to provide income
documentation?
I – 008 Can a Head Start program
enroll, as income eligible, a child whose family’s income was above the poverty
line in both the preceding twelve months and in the preceding calendar year, but
whose situation has significantly changed so that looking at current income, the
family is income eligible?
I – 009 When income is verified, does
a copy of the proof of income need to be kept on file?
I
– 010 Is Veterans Disability considered the same way that SSI or Social Security
is when determining income?
I – 011 Are we supposed to count
everyone that lives in the household and their income as family?
I
– 012 If a child will be absent from the Head Start program for an extended
period of time because, for example, the child is traveling out of the country
with his family to visit the child’s grandparents, can the Head Start program
keep that child’s enrollment slot vacant so the child will be able to return to
Head Start upon his/her return?
I – 013 Do disabled children from
families not in poverty count against the 10% limitation on the number of
“over-income” children that can be served in any Head Start program? (American
Indian and Alaska Native programs may, in certain situations, enroll up to 49%
of their children from families not meeting the income eligibility
requirements.)
I – 014 If a program is funded to
serve both Head Start and Early Head Start children, is the 10% “over-income”
limitation applied to the program’s total enrollment or to separate Head Start
and EHS enrollments?
I – 015 What age must a child be in
order to be considered eligible for Head Start?
I
– 016 How is eligibility for Head Start based on SSI determined?
I
– 017 How can a Head Start program determine whether it is meeting the
requirement that at least 90 percent (51 percent of programs operated by Indian
tribes) of eligible children meet the income-eligibility guidelines?
I
– 018 Under what conditions may a Head Start agency terminate the enrollment of
a child due to sporadic attendance or extended absences?
I
– 019 What is the relationship between the 10% limit on enrollment of
over-income families and the requirement to make at least 10% of enrollment
opportunities available for children with disabilities?
I
– 020 How is income eligibility determined for children that are in foster
care?
I – 021 If a child is accepted for enrollment in May as a
foster child and, as such, is categorically eligible for Head Start, must the
program re-verify the child’s foster care status prior to the beginning of the
program year?
I – 022 Does the family income of children entering Head
Start for a third year need to be re-verified?
I – 023 If an income
eligible child is enrolled but leaves the program after a short time (say two
months), are they still income eligible in the next program year or do they need
to re-apply and have their income re-verified?
I – 024 Head Start
classrooms with a majority of 4 year olds can have a maximum enrollment of 20
children. If in such a class a 4 year old leaves the program must the vacancy be
filled with another 4 year old?
I – 025 For the purpose of determining
eligibility based on family income how is a pregnant woman counted? An IM from
2002 says to count the pregnant woman as 2 members of the household – can you
please clarify?
I – 026 An 18 year old is still living
at home and being supported by his/her parent(s). Can this 18 year old be
counted as a family member for purposes of determining Head Start
eligibility?
I – 027 Is it acceptable for a Head Start agency to make
“direct contact” with parents by telephone when offering family support to
parents of children with sporadic attendance or extended absences (see
OHS–PC–I–018)?
I – 028 Is there a requirement that
parents sign a statement attesting to the accuracy of the family’s submitted
income information?
I – 029 If a family was determined to
be income eligible last year but the child was not enrolled, must the Head Start
program again determine the family’s income eligibility for the current program
year or can the child still be considered as income eligible?
I
– 030 Can a Head Start program increase its enrollment if it moves to a new
facility which will allow it to have a larger class size than it had in its old
facility?
I – 031 Can a child be enrolled in more than one Head
Start program at the same time?
I – 032 How does a Head Start program
determine household size for a family in which one or both parents are deployed
out of the country in the military?
I – 033 If a woman is
living with a boyfriend and he is not the father of her child who would be in
Head Start but is the father of her youngest child, do you use his income when
determining eligibility?
I – 034 If a child lives with and is
supported solely by the child’s grandparents whose income is used to determine
Head Start eligibility, under what circumstances can a Head Start program
release the child to the grandparents and allow the grandparents to make health
decisions for the child?
I – 035 Should a Head Start program
remove a child from the program when, despite a mental health intervention, the
child continues to display very aggressive behaviors toward other children and
program staff?
I – 036 Are military families
automatically eligible for Head Start?
I – 037 Is supplemental
subsistence allowance paid to a member of the armed forces counted in
determining eligibility?
I – 038 How long does an application
for Head Start enrollment remain in effect?
I – 039 If an enrolled
Head Start family moves out of the Head Start program’s service area, can the
family continue services with that Head Start program?
I
– 040 Is there a maximum income limitation for families that exceed the
low-income guidelines but fall within the up to ten percent of children that may
also be selected for Head Start?
I – 041 Are Head Start programs
allowed to verify whether all members of a family applying for Head Start
services possess Social Security numbers?
I – 042 If a child is
determined to be Head Start eligible because the child is in foster care and
subsequent to enrolling the child, the child is reunited with his/her parents,
can the child remain in Head Start as an income eligible child?
I
– 043 Does Head Start require proof of residency?
I
– 044 If a Head Start program enrolls an income eligible child as a three year
old that child remains income eligible in the following year. However, if, in
that second year, that child’s family wishes to enroll the child’s 3 year old
sibling, must the program determine the younger child’s income
eligibility?
I – 045 May a Head Start program accept the enrollment of
a child with a disability or special health need and delay their attendance at
the program center until the program can collect necessary information from
medical or early intervention providers on how to accommodate the child’s
special needs and assure the health and safety of the child?
I
– 046 If we count half of each parent’s income for children whose parents have
joint custody, how is family size counted—including new spouses and unrelated
children as part of one or both parents’ families?
I
– 047 If a child lived with his parent until April of this year but is now
living with his aunt, who is the child’s legal guardian, whose income is used to
determine eligibility?
I – 048 If a Head Start child who was
enrolled as an "over-income" child returns to Head Start for a second year and
the child’s family has seen a change in its economic status so that the family’s
income is now below the poverty level, can that child now be considered as
income eligible?
I – 049 Is an agency allowed to accept
children of staff as part of the 10% over income slots if that is written into
the agency’s selection criteria?
I – 050 What income should be used if
the legal guardian of a child receives TANF and also has an income. Is this a
family of one or two?
I – 051 Does a child who was enrolled
in a Head Start program and then had to drop out because the child has moved
retain his/her income eligibility through the remainder of the current program
year?
I – 052 If a foster child has been adopted prior to
applying for Head Start is the child considered eligible?
I
– 053 If a "single parent" family is found income eligible and that family’s
child is enrolled in a Head Start program and during the Head Start year the
single parent marries, does the Head Start program need to re-verify income
eligibility, including the new spouse’s income in the determination of
eligibility?
I – 054 Does Head Start have to use a child’s name as it
appears on their birth certificate, Social Security Card, and health records
when enrolling the child, or can the program use a different name; i.e. a
parent’s preferred name?
I – 055 If a family is receiving
kinship care for the Head Start child, is the child automatically deemed income
eligible for Head Start?
I – 056 Can a Head Start program’s
selection criteria include a requirement that children be up-to-date on their
immunizations and other health screenings (such as tuberculosis)?
I
– 057 Can a child be denied entry into Head Start if they are not up to date on
their physical or immunizations?
I – 058 If a Head Start child does not
receive their physical examination within one year of their last physical (as
required by Medicaid/EPSDT), can the child be expelled from Head
Start?
I – 059 Can a child be temporarily excluded from attending
Head Start classes until they show proof of an appointment for their annual
medical or dental exam required by the State Medicaid\EPSDT periodicity
schedule?
I – 060 If a 16 year old is pregnant, not working and
living at home with her parents, how do we determine income and family
size?
I – 061 If a child has been in Head Start for two years,
if that child is age eligible for a third year income eligibility must be
re-verified. If the family’s income is now above the poverty line, must we serve
these children as "over-income" or can the program choose not to provide a third
year of service and, instead, enroll a child who is income eligible?
I
– 062 Can a parent who is not regularly living in the household of the Head
Start child be counted as part of that child’s family for purposes of
determining income eligibility?
I – 063 If a family seeking to enroll
their child in Head Start has just started receiving TANF benefits, how does a
program determine that child’s income eligibility?
I
– 064 In calculating average daily attendance does a program use funded or
actual enrollment?
I – 065 Can a child who is eligible
for kindergarten attend Head Start half-day while attending kindergarten the
other half of the day?
I – 066 A child, living with his
mother, was enrolled last year as an income-eligible child, based on the child’s
mother’s income. Over the summer, the child’s father received custody of the
child. Does the child’s family income need to be re-verified?
I
– 067 If a foster family receives $2,900 a month for the care of an 18-year-old
girl with a disability and the girl has a child that she wants to enroll in Head
Start, do you count the income received by the foster family in determining Head
Start eligibility?
I – 068 A family receiving SSI
benefits is categorically eligible for Head Start. Is this true for all Social
Security programs; i.e. Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance,
etc.?
I – 069 If a Head Start program enrolls two children from
an "over-income" family are both children counted against the 10% over-income
limitation?
I – 070 In the beginning of the program year, a Head Start
program takes two days that are used as a gradual entry for children starting
the program. Half of the children come one day for 3.5 hours and the other half
come the other day for 3.5 hours. Can we count those two days as service days to
children?
I – 071 Sometimes, a prospective child’s situation changes
in the 12 months prior to the time the child is being considered for enrollment.
For example, a child’s guardian may change, or the child may be placed in or
removed from foster care. How does a program determine income eligibility in
these situations?
I – 072 If a Head Start sibling
receives Social Security survivor benefits, does this need to be included as
income in determining the family’s income eligibility for Head Start?
I
– 073 If the number of 4-year-olds in our Head Start program has declined
because many families are enrolling their child in the state pre-K program, can
a program request an enrollment reduction given the maximum class size for
three-year-olds is less than that for four-year-olds?
I
– 074 Where parents have joint custody of a child, the parents live in different
communities and the child spends alternating months with each parent, can we
enroll the child knowing the child will be absent 50% of the time?
I
– 075 If we have a single parent who is not working, can we use a full-day slot
for their child?
I – 076 A parent has decided to hold
their child back a year from entering kindergarten. Can such a child be enrolled
in a Head Start program?
I – 077 If an Early Head Start child’s
mother becomes pregnant, does the mother have to reapply for her second
child?
I – 078 If a Head Start mother is married, but separated,
does the income of the child’s father need to be counted in determining
eligibility?
I – 079 Is there anything in the Head Start Act or
Performance Standards that prevents a child from being enrolled in both Head
Start and their State-funded preschool program?
I
- 080 Are “homeless children” eligible for Head Start?
I
- 081 What is the definition of “homeless children”?
I
- 082 What kinds of pay and allowances of members of the uniformed services are
not counted for purposes of determining the eligibility of dependents for Head
Start programs?
I - 083 Am I to understand then that a
3-year-old who is income eligible (below poverty) would automatically have
priority over a 4-year-old who falls into the 130% category? If, as determined
by the agency’s priority point system, an over-income child has more points than
an income-eligible child then does an income-eligible child automatically have
priority above the over-income child despite the points? (Assuming, of course,
that the point system assigns higher points to children who meet poverty
guidelines.)
I - 084 What is the process for converting HS slots to EHS
slots?
I - 085 What is
required for documenting/proving homelessness?
I - 086 What type of living situation typically qualifies a child to be "homeless"? Also, what is the definition of "substandard housing"?
I - 087 We have some families that either lack documentation that could be used to determine family income or have documentation that does not seem to be accurate. How should we handle this type of situation?
I – 001 Can three year old children be enrolled in the middle of the school year?
OHS – PC – I – 001Can three year old children be enrolled in the middle of the school year?
A program with a mid-year vacancy may fill that vacancy with a child who is three years of age. However, programs should consider several factors when deciding whether or not to enroll this child.
The regulations at 45 CFR 1305.6 (b) authorize consideration of a child’s age in programs’ selection criteria. Grantees should consider that by enrolling this child in early spring, for example, they are in effect committing to providing that child 2 ½ years of service (i.e. the remainder of the current program year and the next two program years) as the child will not be kindergarten eligible until the fall two years after he/she has been enrolled.
If there are unserved older children on the waiting list, grantees should give serious consideration to enrolling these children so that they receive the benefit of some Head Start experience before entering school. Grantees should also consider the appropriate placement of a child who will probably be the youngest in the classroom and may well be in a class with many children who could be nearly two years older. Grantees must also be able to assure the curriculum they are using would be appropriate for a younger child. However, if after considering these factors the grantee determines its best (or perhaps only) choice is to enroll the now-three year old, it has the authority to do so.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.6 (b)
March 15, 2007
Revised April 30, 2007
I – 002 Which government programs qualify as public assistance for determining Head Start eligibility?
OHS – PC – I – 002Which government programs qualify as public assistance for determining Head Start eligibility?
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are the only two programs which qualify as public assistance for determining Head Start eligibility. For more information on TANF please see Program Instruction ACYF-PI-99-06. For additional information on SSI please see OHS-PC-I-016.
Requirement
Sec. 645 (a) of the Head Start Act
March 15, 2007
Revised April 27, 2007
I – 003 Is it appropriate for a kindergarten-eligible child with a disability to stay in Head Start an additional year?
OHS – PC – I – 003Is it appropriate for a kindergarten-eligible child with a disability to stay in Head Start an additional year?
An additional year in Head Start may be an appropriate placement for a kindergarten-eligible child with a disability if this decision is supported by the parent and the IEP team. However, this should be an infrequent event, designed to meet the individual needs of a child and consistent with the recommendations of the IEP team including, of course, the parent/guardian.
This situation requires a close look to assure that it represents a sincere effort to individualize for a specific child and does not encourage routinely delaying kindergarten enrollment for Head Start children with disabilities. There should be a clear rationale offered for the placement in terms of benefits to the child's development.
Parents should be presented with a clear choice of viable options, i.e., a description of how the kindergarten placement would be structured in comparison to an additional Head Start year. Parents should recognize that they have the right to revisit their decision for Head Start placement during the next school year. They have the right to reopen the IEP at any time and may wish to plan for reconsideration at regular intervals. The LEA must be continuously involved in creating a carefully individualized placement. Also, careful consideration must be given to the fact that by providing one child in Head Start an extra year, an opening for another child in the community is made unavailable.
Informal Guidance
July 11, 2006
I – 004 Are there enrollment opportunities for an "over-income" family with a child with a disability to participate in Head Start or Early Head Start?
OHS – PC – I – 004Are there enrollment opportunities for an "over-income" family with a child with a disability to participate in Head Start or Early Head Start?
This Policy Clarification is currently under review.
I – 005 When a child's divorced mother and father have been given joint custody of the child, how is the child's income eligibility for Head Start determined?
OHS – PC – I – 005When a child's divorced mother and father have been given joint custody of the child, how is the child's income eligibility for Head Start determined?
If either of the child’s parents is receiving public assistance, the child should be considered income eligible. If this is not the case, the Head Start program should determine if one of the parents is paying any child support to the other parent. If that is the case, the income of the parent receiving the child support* should be used for determining income eligibility. If neither parent is providing any child support to the other, the Head Start program should count half of each parent’s income and the sum of these two should be used by the program in determining whether or not the child is low-income.
*Child support payments need to be considered as income when determining the parent’s total income.
Informal Guidance
March 1, 2007
I – 006 How is income eligibility determined if a family claims it has no income?
OHS – PC – I – 006How is income eligibility determined if a family claims it has no income?
The Head Start program should discuss with the family its specific situation and better understand what is happening in this family, including what sources of support the family has. The family may have no income, for example, because the family is a single mom and her four year old child, both of whom are living in the house of the mother’s parents. In that it is only the income of the parents or guardians that is used in determining income, this family would, indeed, have no income.
Other no income situations could include, for example, a single parent living with non-related individuals who are providing support to the parent and his/her child. Again, as it is only the parents' or guardians' income that are relevant, this is also a family with no income.
The point here is that Head Start programs need to determine first if they accept the family’s assertion it has no income and secondly consider what support the family has in meeting its on-going needs; i.e. food, housing, etc. The program then needs to determine if this family’s situation is such that it believes the child should be enrolled in Head Start.
Head Start is a discretionary program; that is, there is no entitlement to have any particular child enrolled in a local program. Each program, using its own selection criteria, needs to make its own judgments about which families to enroll and, consequently, which not to enroll. Families with no incomes need to be considered using the same process and priorities programs use in considering all other families which have applied to have their child enrolled.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.4 (c) and (e)
March 15, 2007
I – 007 How is eligibility determined if the family is unable to provide income documentation?
OHS – PC – I – 007How is eligibility determined if the family is unable to provide income documentation?
The program needs to determine the reasons the family has no income documentation. If it is because the parent or parents work in jobs in which they are paid “off the books”; i.e. cash at the end of the work day, then the program needs to use its best judgment about the accuracy of what the parents report to be their prior year’s income. Programs should gather as much information as possible about the family; i.e. where they live, what their living arrangements are, what assets they own, etc. to make as informed a judgment as possible about the family’s income status. If the program concludes that this is indeed a low-income family, it should put a note in the child’s file indicating the process they used to reach that conclusion and the program may then enroll that child as an income-eligible child.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.4 (c)-(e)
March 15, 2007
I – 008 Can a Head Start program enroll, as income eligible, a child whose family’s income was above the poverty line in both the preceding twelve months and in the preceding calendar year, but whose situation has significantly changed so that looking at current income, the family is income eligible?
OHS – PC – I – 008Can a Head Start program enroll, as income eligible, a child whose family’s income was above the poverty line in both the preceding twelve months and in the preceding calendar year, but whose situation has significantly changed so that looking at current income, the family is income eligible?
Yes. The language in section 645 (a) of the Head Start Act that allows grantees to consider either the income of the last 12 months or of the preceding calendar year was not intended to suggest those were the only two time periods that could be considered in determining income eligibility. Consistent with the text of the statute, Head Start programs are permitted to consider, at the time of enrollment, information that most accurately reflects the needs of the family.
If neither the last 12 months or the preceding calendar year now accurately represents the family’s current situation (perhaps, for example, because the parent is now unemployed) then the Head Start program should use its judgment in deciding if it seems likely that the current situation more accurately reflects the family’s likely economic status during the period of the child’s Head Start enrollment.
In this situation, the file should contain as required by 45 CFR 1305.4 (e), a signed statement by an employee of the Head Start program identifying the documents examined, an explanation of what data was used to determine eligibility, the program’s justification for determining that the child is income eligible, and a statement that the child is eligible to participate in the program.
Requirement
Sec. 645 (a) of the Head Start Act ; 45 CFR 1305.4 (e)
April 23, 2007
I – 009 When income is verified, does a copy of the proof of income need to be kept on file?
OHS – PC – I – 009When income is verified, does a copy of the proof of income need to be kept on file?
Programs are required to include, in every enrolled child’s folder, a statement signed by a Head Start employee indicating what documentation was used to determine income eligibility and stating that the child is income eligible (or that the child is being enrolled as an “over-income” child). Programs are not required to include the actual documentation used to determine eligibility.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.4 (e)
April 23, 2007
I – 010 Is Veterans Disability considered the same way that SSI or Social Security is when determining income?
OHS – PC – I – 010Is Veterans Disability considered the same way that SSI or Social Security is when determining income?
In order to be eligible for Head Start, children must be from families with incomes below the poverty line or families receiving public assistance. Public assistance is defined as either SSI or TANF (See ACYF-PI-HS-99-06 for a further discussion of public assistance.) Veterans’ disability payments are not, for Head Start purposes, considered to be public assistance and are generally considered as income, with the exception of certain disability payments made to the disabled children of Vietnam veterans, as prescribed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Requirement
Sec. 645 (a) of the Head Start Act
April 23, 2007
I – 011 Are we supposed to count everyone that lives in the household and their income as family?
OHS – PC – I – 011Are we supposed to count everyone that lives in the household and their income as family?
Only income earned by the Head Start child’s parents or legal guardians should be included when determining a child’s income eligibility. The income of other family members sharing the same residence is not to be included. The family size is to be determined by including all persons living in the household who are supported by the income of the child’s parents or guardians and related to the parents or guardians by blood, marriage or adoption.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.2(e); 45 CFR 1305.4 (c)
April 23, 2007
I – 012 If a child will be absent from the Head Start program for an extended period of time because, for example, the child is traveling out of the country with his family to visit the child’s grandparents, can the Head Start program keep that child’s enrollment slot vacant so the child will be able to return to Head Start upon his/her return?
OHS – PC – I – 012If a child will be absent from the Head Start program for an extended period of time because, for example, the child is traveling out of the country with his family to visit the child’s grandparents, can the Head Start program keep that child’s enrollment slot vacant so the child will be able to return to Head Start upon his/her return?
Head Start programs need to be sensitive to each family’s culture and allow that, as part of their culture, some families may make overseas trips to visit family members that could result in a Head Start child being absent from the Head Start program for a period of several weeks. Such an absence does not necessarily mean that child must lose his/her Head Start enrollment. Rather, each situation of this nature needs to be considered on its own merits and programs are encouraged to discuss any such situation with their responsible Regional Office. If it is determined that the situation does not constitute a “vacancy” the reasons for reaching that conclusion should be included in the child’s file.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.2 (s)
April 23, 2007
I – 013 Do disabled children from families not in poverty count against the 10% limitation on the number of “over-income” children that can be served in any Head Start program? (American Indian and Alaska Native programs may, in certain situations, enroll up to 49% of their children from families not meeting the income eligibility requirements.)
OHS – PC – I – 013Do disabled children from families not in poverty count against the 10% limitation on the number of “over-income” children that can be served in any Head Start program? (American Indian and Alaska Native programs may, in certain situations, enroll up to 49% of their children from families not meeting the income eligibility requirements.)
This Policy Clarification is currently under review.
I – 014 If a program is funded to serve both Head Start and Early Head Start children, is the 10% “over-income” limitation applied to the program’s total enrollment or to separate Head Start and EHS enrollments?
OHS – PC – I – 014If a program is funded to serve both Head Start and Early Head Start children, is the 10% “over-income” limitation applied to the program’s total enrollment or to separate Head Start and EHS enrollments?
The 10% limitation applies to an agency’s total enrollment. However, as a general practice programs should strive to not exceed the 10% limitation in either program.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.4 (b)
April 23, 2007
I – 015 What age must a child be in order to be considered eligible for Head Start?
OHS – PC – I – 015What age must a child be in order to be considered eligible for Head Start?
A low-income child who will turn three by the date used by the local school system to determine kindergarten eligibility is considered to be a Head Start eligible child and may be enrolled as a 3 year old in the local Head Start program. That child would, in most cases, be served in Head Start for two full years, as a 3 year old and then as a 4 year old, before entering kindergarten.
In addition, a Head Start program may enroll a child who was not three by the school cut off date but who has since turned three at any time after that child’s 3rd birthday, should the program have a vacancy into which that child can be placed and if such a placement seems appropriate.
For example, the school system uses December 1 as the cut off date for determining kindergarten eligibility.
Child A will turn 3 years of age on November 1. That child may be enrolled, at the beginning of the Head Start program’s "program year". That child will be served in Head Start that year and eligible to be served the following year (as a 4 year old).
Child B will turn 3 years of age on February 1. That child cannot be enrolled at the beginning of the program year as that child is not age eligible. However, on February 1, that child becomes Head Start eligible and on, or after, that date the local Head Start program may enroll that child, should they have a vacancy. In this scenario that child will receive Head Start services for approximately four months in the child’s first Head Start year and could receive two additional years of Head Start, prior to entering kindergarten. (Note that a low-income child found to be income eligible is eligible for the year in which the child is enrolled and the succeeding enrollment year. A program, in the above example, would need to determine if the child continued to be income eligible prior to that child’s third Head Start enrollment year.)
Informal Guidance
April 25, 2007
I – 016 How is eligibility for Head Start based on SSI determined?
OHS – PC – I – 016How is eligibility for Head Start based on SSI determined?
If anyone in a prospective Head Start child’s family is receiving SSI, that child is considered income eligible for Head Start, irrespective of the child’s family’s income. Family members include the child, the child’s parent(s) or guardian(s) and any other person living in the child’s household who is supported by the income of the child’s parent(s) or guardian(s) and is related to the child’s parent(s) or guardian(s) by blood, marriage or adoption.
Requirement
Sec. 645 (a) of the Head Start Act
April 25, 2007
I – 017 How can a Head Start program determine whether it is meeting the requirement that at least 90 percent (51 percent of programs operated by Indian tribes) of eligible children meet the income-eligibility guidelines?
OHS – PC – I – 017How can a Head Start program determine whether it is meeting the requirement that at least 90 percent (51 percent of programs operated by Indian tribes) of eligible children meet the income-eligibility guidelines?
This Policy Clarification is currently under review.
I – 018 Under what conditions may a Head Start agency terminate the enrollment of a child due to sporadic attendance or extended absences?
OHS – PC – I – 018Under what conditions may a Head Start agency terminate the enrollment of a child due to sporadic attendance or extended absences?
If a child is absent for an extended period, such as 30 days or more, or attends only sporadically, for example one or two days per week, the Head Start agency should determine why this is occurring.
When absences are due to a documented medical condition, the program should continue to provide family support and interim home visiting as appropriate until the child is able to return to the program.
If there are family problems affecting the child’s attendance appropriate family support procedures should be initiated. The procedures must include home visits or other direct contact with the parents.
All contacts and services offered and provided should be documented. If these efforts are not successful, and chronic absenteeism continues, the agency should determine whether it is able to provide the child with appropriate services in another program option. If that is not feasible, the agency may, after informing the family, designate the slot as an enrollment vacancy and proceed to enroll an eligible child from their waiting list.
Informal Guidance
May 01, 2007
Revised May 09, 2007
I – 019 What is the relationship between the 10% limit on enrollment of over-income families and the requirement to make at least 10% of enrollment opportunities available for children with disabilities?
OHS – PC – I – 019What is the relationship between the 10% limit on enrollment of over-income families and the requirement to make at least 10% of enrollment opportunities available for children with disabilities?
This Policy Clarification is currently under review.
I – 020 How is income eligibility determined for children that are in foster care?
OHS – PC – I – 020How is income eligibility determined for children that are in foster care?
Children in foster care are categorically eligible for Head Start, regardless of their foster family’s income.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.2 (l)
May 01, 2007
I – 021 If a child is accepted for enrollment in May as a foster child and, as such, is categorically eligible for Head Start, must the program re-verify the child’s foster care status prior to the beginning of the program year?
OHS – PC – I – 021If a child is accepted for enrollment in May as a foster child and, as such, is categorically eligible for Head Start, must the program re-verify the child’s foster care status prior to the beginning of the program year?
A determination of income eligibility is made by the program at the time of recruitment, typically in April or May even though the child may not actually begin Head Start until late August or September. A program is not required to re-verify the child’s eligibility between the time of selection and the beginning of the program year. A child determined to be income eligible at the time the child is selected for enrollment is considered to remain income eligible for the upcoming program year and the succeeding year.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.7 ( c )
May 15, 2007
I – 022 Does the family income of children entering Head Start for a third year need to be re-verified?
OHS – PC – I – 022Does the family income of children entering Head Start for a third year need to be re-verified?
Children enrolled in an Early Head Start (EHS) program that were enrolled as "income eligible" children remain eligible throughout their time in EHS, even if they are being provided a third year of service. Family income in this situation does not have to be re-verified.
Children enrolled as income eligible that are transitioning from EHS to Head Start must have their family’s income re-verified.
Children enrolled as income eligible in a Head Start program are not required to have family income re-verified in order to enroll in the second year of service, but must have their family’s income re-verified if a program intends to enroll the child for the third year.
Requirement
42 USC 9840 (a)(1)(B)(ii); 45 CFR 1305.7 (c); 1305.7 (c)
May 15, 2007
I – 023 If an income eligible child is enrolled but leaves the program after a short time (say two months), are they still income eligible in the next program year or do they need to re-apply and have their income re-verified?
OHS – PC – I – 023If an income eligible child is enrolled but leaves the program after a short time (say two months), are they still income eligible in the next program year or do they need to re-apply and have their income re-verified?
Head Start regulation 45 CFR Part 1305.8(c) states that if a child has been found income eligible and is participating in a Head Start program, he or she remains eligible through that enrollment year and the immediately succeeding program year. The child in the above question discontinued his/her participation in a Head Start program and, therefore, in such a situation the Head Start program would need to re-verify the income of that family before re-enrolling that child as an income-eligible child.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.7 ( c )
May 15, 2007
I – 024 Head Start classrooms with a majority of 4 year olds can have a maximum enrollment of 20 children. If in such a class a 4 year old leaves the program must the vacancy be filled with another 4 year old?
OHS – PC – I – 024Head Start classrooms with a majority of 4 year olds can have a maximum enrollment of 20 children. If in such a class a 4 year old leaves the program must the vacancy be filled with another 4 year old?
Classes which are predominantly made up of 4 year olds can enroll up to 20 children while classes that are predominantly three can enroll no more than 17 children. The predominant age of the children in every class must be determined at the start of a Head Start’s program year and that determination need not be changed during the program year, irrespective of any changes in the age composition of the children in the class. Furthermore, the class size that you begin the year with is the class size programs are expected to maintain throughout their program year (except, at the grantee’s discretion in the last 60 days of the program). The program, in the above question, can fill the vacancy with either a three year old or a four year old and the program’s selection criteria should be the determining factor in deciding which child on the waiting list will be offered admission into the program. Also, see OHS-PC-I-001.
Requirement
45 CFR 1306.32 (a)(10); 45 CFR 1306.32 (a)(12)
May 15, 2007
I – 025 For the purpose of determining eligibility based on family income how is a pregnant woman counted? An IM from 2002 says to count the pregnant woman as 2 members of the household – can you please clarify?
OHS – PC – I – 025For the purpose of determining eligibility based on family income how is a pregnant woman counted? An IM from 2002 says to count the pregnant woman as 2 members of the household – can you please clarify?
The 2002 IM was in reference only to enrolling children in an Early Head Start program. In that situation, the only reason the pregnant mother would be enrolled would be because of the program’s intent to enroll her child and, for that reason, a pregnant mother was to be counted as a family of two for purposes of determining Head Start income eligibility.
In the case of a family wishing to enroll their child in a Head Start program (i.e. a 3 or 4 year old) the family’s actual size as of the time of recruitment should be used in determining eligibility.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.2 (e); 45 CFR 1305.2 (j); 45 CFR 1305.2 (l)
May 22, 2007
I – 026 An 18 year old is still living at home and being supported by his/her parent(s). Can this 18 year old be counted as a family member for purposes of determining Head Start eligibility?
OHS – PC – I – 026An 18 year old is still living at home and being supported by his/her parent(s). Can this 18 year old be counted as a family member for purposes of determining Head Start eligibility?
Yes. A family, for Head Start purposes, consists of all individuals living in the home of the parent(s) of the prospective Head Start child who are supported by the income of the parent(s) and are related to the parent(s) by blood, marriage or adoption. An 18 year old who is supported by his/her parents is a member of that family and, as such, is to be included in determining family size.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.2 (e)
May 22, 2007
I – 027 Is it acceptable for a Head Start agency to make “direct contact” with parents by telephone when offering family support to parents of children with sporadic attendance or extended absences (see OHS–PC–I–018)?
OHS – PC – I – 027Is it acceptable for a Head Start agency to make “direct contact” with parents by telephone when offering family support to parents of children with sporadic attendance or extended absences (see OHS–PC–I–018)?
OHS expects Head Start agencies to make reasonable efforts to meet face-to-face with parents when offering family support and also when informing a family that their child’s enrollment slot will be offered to another eligible child. Given the seriousness of the issues and possible consequences of these decisions and actions, it is important for Head Start agencies to get as complete an understanding of the situation as they can and to communicate as clearly as they can with the family. OHS believes that face-to-face communication in these situations offers the best opportunity to achieve these purposes. All contacts and attempted contacts should be documented by the agency. If face-to-face communication is not possible, the situation and reasons should be explained and documented in the file.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.8 (b)
May 22, 2007
I – 028 Is there a requirement that parents sign a statement attesting to the accuracy of the family’s submitted income information?
OHS – PC – I – 028Is there a requirement that parents sign a statement attesting to the accuracy of the family’s submitted income information?
No. Parents are not required to sign a statement attesting to the accuracy of the family’s submitted income information.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.4 ( c ) – ( e )
June 12, 2007
I – 029 If a family was determined to be income eligible last year but the child was not enrolled, must the Head Start program again determine the family’s income eligibility for the current program year or can the child still be considered as income eligible?
OHS – PC – I – 029If a family was determined to be income eligible last year but the child was not enrolled, must the Head Start program again determine the family’s income eligibility for the current program year or can the child still be considered as income eligible?
Because the child was not, in fact, enrolled in Head Start, the Head Start program must again determine the child’s income eligibility.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.7 (c)
June 12, 2007
I – 030 Can a Head Start program increase its enrollment if it moves to a new facility which will allow it to have a larger class size than it had in its old facility?
OHS – PC – I – 030Can a Head Start program increase its enrollment if it moves to a new facility which will allow it to have a larger class size than it had in its old facility?
If, for example, a program could only serve 15 children in one of its classes because there was insufficient space to serve any more children and that program moved to another facility which could accommodate a class size of 20, that program could submit a revised budget proposal to its regional office proposing, with the same funding level, to increase its funded enrollment by 5 children. Such a request would need to indicate what revisions the grantee was proposing to make in its approved budget to cover any additional costs incurred by an increase in enrollment. (OHS understands that many of the operating costs would remain unchanged, nevertheless it is likely there would be some increase in such budget items as classroom supplies.) In no case, should a Head Start program enroll more children than it has been approved to serve in its most recent grant award.
Requirement
2 CFR 215.25 (c); 45 CFR 92.30 (d)
June 12, 2007
I – 031 Can a child be enrolled in more than one Head Start program at the same time?
OHS – PC – I – 031Can a child be enrolled in more than one Head Start program at the same time?
No. A family must decide which Head Start program best meets its needs. If there is more than one program for which the family may be eligible, OHS recommends those programs meet with the family and try to reach agreement on the most appropriate placement of the child.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.6 (a)
June 12, 2007
I – 032 How does a Head Start program determine household size for a family in which one or both parents are deployed out of the country in the military?
OHS – PC – I – 032How does a Head Start program determine household size for a family in which one or both parents are deployed out of the country in the military?
The notion of what constitutes a household can be confusing if one or both parents are deployed out of the country. In that situation the household size should be computed by including the deployed parent(s), the child being considered for enrollment, any of that child’s siblings that are supported by the child’s parents and anyone else related by blood, marriage or adoption to the parent(s) that are supported by the parent(s). For example, a single mother with two children is deployed overseas. The children, during the mom’s deployment, are living with their maternal grandmother. That should be considered, in most cases, a family of three (mother and two children) and only the income of the mother should be counted in determining eligibility. (If the mother’s income was also supporting the grandmother, this would then be a family of four.)
Informal Guidance
June 12, 2007
I – 033 If a woman is living with a boyfriend and he is not the father of her child who would be in Head Start but is the father of her youngest child, do you use his income when determining eligibility?
OHS – PC – I – 033If a woman is living with a boyfriend and he is not the father of her child who would be in Head Start but is the father of her youngest child, do you use his income when determining eligibility?
No, only the income of the mother would be counted as the mother’s boyfriend has no legal relationship with either the mother or the prospective Head Start child.
Requirement
45 CFR 1305.2 (e)
June 12, 2007
I – 034 If a child lives with and is supported solely by the child’s grandparents whose income is used to determine Head Start eligibility, under what circumstances can a Head Start program release the child to the grandparents and allow the grandparents to make health decisions for the child?
OHS – PC – I – 034If a child lives with and is supported solely by the child’s grandparents whose income is used to determine Head Start eligibility, under what circumstances can a Head Start program release the child to the grandparents and allow the grandparents to make health decisions for the child?
There are many low-income children in this country who are being raised by their grandparent(s). In these situations it is important for a Head Start program to gather as much information as it can in making a decision about enrolling a child. Programs should speak to the child’s grandparent(s) and gather as much information as possible about the child and the specific circumstances that resulted in the child being with his/her grandparent(s). Programs should determine whether they believe the current arrangement will be temporary or is likely to be long term. Programs also need to determine if a conversation with the child’s parents would be both possible and beneficial. If the program determines that the child is, for all intents and purposes, being raised by the child’s grandparent(s) the Head Start program should consider the income of the grandparent(s) when determining income eligibility. All of the information relevant to this process should be included in the child’s folder.
If a Head Start program enrolls a child who is living with the child’s grandparent(s) who has not bee | | |
