ERSEA
Families that are Categorically Eligible to Enroll in Head Start
A month ago, Head Start released a memo stating that families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are now categorically eligible for Head Start. What that means is that if families can provide documentation of their eligibility for SNAP benefits, they are automatically eligible to be enrolled in Head Start. They do not need…
OHS Releases Enrollment Expectations for 2021-2022 School Year
Summer is the time for planning. And after the confusion and societal upheaval of the last year, this upcoming school year is going to take more planning than usual. The Office of Head Start (OHS) recently released a program instruction outlining their enrollment expectations for the upcoming school year. In short, it states that designees…
Is your ERSEA strategy ready for post-COVID?
Whether we like it or not, some parents will always consider Head Start free babysitting. We can educate parents on the history of Head Start, talk about its focus on the whole child, and espouse its many other benefits. But no matter what, there will always be some parents who are just looking for an…
Marketing Strategies to Assist with Full Enrollment
In June, OHS released a program instruction to remind designees about the requirement to maintain full enrollment for the upcoming school year. “This Program Instruction (PI) reiterates the importance of full enrollment. It also outlines the authority of OHS to designate an agency as Chronically Underenrolled and recapture, withhold, or reduce the base grant for…
Serving Foster Children in Head Start
I have a special place in my heart for foster children, having been a foster parent myself for many years. Foster children can often feel like the world has forgotten them, as the many adults around them are busy navigating the complex bureaucratic web that is the foster care system. While we all mean well,…
Head Start Can Provide Structure and Consistency for New Immigrant Families
In 1977, Head Start began its first bilingual and bicultural programs. 40 years later, Head Start continues to build productive relationships with families by respecting and responding appropriately to the culture, language, values, and family structures of each family they work with. In fact, it’s a requirement. Immigration as a policy matter has been a…
Client Testimonial: Delta Health Alliance
We received the following letter after an ERSEA training from Sha’Ketta Davis, Assistant Director, ERSEA Coordinator, & Compliance Officer for the Delta Health Alliance. Thank you Ms. Davis for the kind words! We appreciate you choosing The Gravely Group. “On Monday, September 10, 2018, Mr. Gravely conducted an ERSEA training in Indianola, MS for the…
OHS Announces Supplemental Grant Funds to Help Agencies Increase Program Hours
Ever since the Office of Head Start (OHS) announced the full enrollment initiative in June, we’ve been receiving a lot of questions about what kind of support Head Start will provide at the federal level to help programs get closer to the goal of full enrollment. We’re starting to see those questions get answered. OHS…
Concerns and Strategies on Attaining Full Enrollment
It’s been two months since the Office of Head Start announced the full enrollment initiative, detailing its plans to reach a goal of 100% enrollment nationally throughout the program. Since then, it’s been top of mind for everyone attending our on-site trainings and conference workshops. We’d like to share some of the concerns we’re hearing…