Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) procedures are developed using community assessment data and engaging former and currently enrolled families, staff, and community members. These policies and procedures help Head Start programs provide services for families most in need of them. The intention is to address specific challenges, such as family homelessness, that can interfere with consistent service access. Transitions practices can also ensure effective moves from Early Head Start to Head Start and on to other early childhood education programs or schools.
Key Resources
- Continuity of Care
- Personal Caregiver/Teacher Relationships for Birth to Five-Year-Olds
- Supporting Transitions: Resources for Building Collaboration
Research
- Forry, N., Daneri, P., Minton, S., Durham, C. (2014). Supporting Continuity through Child Care and Development Fund Subsidies: A Review of Select State Policies.
- Patton, C., Wang, J. Ready for Success: Creating Collaborative and Thoughtful Transitions into Kindergarten. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Family Research Project, September 2012.
- Sadowski, M. The School Readiness Gap. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Letter.
Regulations
- Enrollment, 45 CFR § 1302.15 (b)(1–3)
- Subpart B—Program Structure, 45 CFR § 1302
- Determining program structure, 45 CFR § 1302.20 (a)(2)
- Center-based option, 45 CFR § 1302.21
- Additional services for children, 45 CFR § 1302.61 (a)
- Additional services for parents, 45 CFR § 1302.62 (a)(2)
- Transitions from Head Start to kindergarten, 45 CFR § 1302.71 (c)(2)(ii)
- Enrolled pregnant women, 45 CFR § 1302.80
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Last Updated: February 19, 2025