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.

Resources on this page are in the process of being updated. Please refer to the Performance Standards for the most current requirements.

Woman pointing at a paragraph in a book while a kid is sitting in her lap.

ERSEA Insights

This resource outlines strategies and guiding questions to help programs build and maintain responsive ERSEA systems.

Children playing with colorful stacking rings at a table.

Poverty Guidelines and Determining Eligibility

When working with families, use the Department of Health and Human Resources (HHS) Poverty Guidelines to determine income eligibility for participation in Head Start programs.