3.2.2


Selecting Children from the Waitlist

The priority points assigned to families on the waitlist are an important indicator of who should be selected first. Refer to the SOP Eligibility Requirements for an overview of the priority points awarded.

The point system helps us as we try to serve eligible families before we serve over-income families. Occasionally, other considerations might supersede the points.

Disabilities Requirement 

Head Start agencies are required to always maintain at least 10% enrollment of children with diagnosed disabilities. To keep this enrollment level you may need to skip down the waitlist to a child with a disability who may not have the most points. For example, a child with a disability may belong to an over-income family.

Contact your Site Supervisor and Area Manager to determine if you need to select a child with a disability to maintain the disability requirement.

Look carefully at the composition of the classroom in which a disabled child is to be placed. You may need to review the child’s IEP or IFSP (available in ChildPlus in the Disability module) to make a determination.  Consult with your supervisor to discuss classroom dynamics.

If a child with a disability drops from the program and SHS is not meeting the disability requirement, you must make every effort to fill the slot with another child with a disability so that we can maintain the 10% disability requirement. Always confirm with your Site Supervisor and Area Manger to make this determination. If you cannot find another child with a disability on the waitlist, contact the Disabilities and Mental Health department for help.

Infant and Toddler Classroom Age Restrictions 

In Early Head Start there are rules about how old children in a given room can be, based on the type of license the Center has.

Notes: There are no age restrictions for children admitted to a home-based program.

License Types 

Review your on-site license for specific details on your center’s type of license and ages served per Community Care Licensing.

Community Care Licensing and Head Start Program Performance Standards have varying definitions of infant, toddler, and preschool ages. 

Infant with toddler option. Centers with this license have separate rooms for infants from 0-24 months, and toddlers from 18-35 months. The overlap in ages allows the Center some flexibility to move the child from the infant room to the toddler room when a slot becomes available. A child can move into the toddler room when he/she is between 18 and 24 months. No child may enter the toddler room prior to turning 18 months.  A child may not stay in the infant room beyond their second birthday. A child may enter a Head Start preschool program on or after his/her third birthday. For State programs, the child must reach 36 months on or before December 1st to be moved from Early Head Start to Head Start (or to the Head Start waitlist).

Preschool license with toddler option, operating only EHS toddler classrooms. Under this license the class can change from toddler room to a preschool room depending on the children’s ages. Centers with this license may have a room for toddlers from 18-35 months, and a preschool (CCL preschool age) room for children from 24-45 months. A toddler room can become a preschool room under licensing definitions, if all the children in the room have turned two on or before the day the oldest child turns three. Classrooms under this option are always considered an Early Head Start classrooms must not exceed a classroom size of eight children.

Preschool license with a toddler option, operating HS toddler and HS preschool classrooms. Centers with this license will follow the toddler guidance above and the HS preschool below.

Preschool license. This is the license that regular Head Start preschool programs have. Depending on the Center, classes may be composed of just three-year olds, just four-year olds, or a blend of both three- and four-year olds. In blended classrooms of more than 17 children, the majority must be four by September 1st. This rule does not apply to blended classrooms of fewer than 17 children. Family Workers and Supervisors at the Center look at the ages of the children to determine the breakdown of ages in each class. They may select older three-year olds to attend a four-year old class.

Reserved Slots 

By law, Head Start agencies can reserve up to 3% of our open slots for homeless or foster children. We have up to 30 days to find a family that fits this criterion before we allow an open slot to be taken by another eligibility criterion.

Instructions for Selection 

These instructions are for the Family Worker or Home Visitor.

  1. Print the 2025 Report
  2. Review the ages and birth dates of all children currently enrolled in each room in your program. These are found in the 2025 Report. The Program Options Summary can help as a reminder of what program options are available at each site
  3. Review the types of disabilities of the children currently enrolled. You can locate their IEPs/IFSPs in ChildPlus. You will need to consider the needs of the current children as you place other children with disabilities to ensure that the classroom dynamics are functional and that all children can be properly served
  4. Select children for the open slots in your Center based on the number of points they have, their disability status, and, in the case of Early Head Start, their age. You must work with your Site Supervisor and/or Area Manager to complete the selection and ensure that SHS is meeting the 10% disabilities requirement. If you have questions or concerns regarding a child’s disabilities or class age requirements, contact the Disabilities and Mental Health Manager or the Infant and Toddler Manager
  5. Once you have made your selections, contact the Area Manager for approval
  1. Finally, notify the families of their selection so that they can confirm their interest

Note: The selection process is complicated because families often request changes after being selected and accepted into a specific class. You will need to balance meeting the family’s needs against the requirements of Head Start as described above. Work with the site staff, Site Supervisor, Area Manager, the Disabilities and Mental Health Manager, Infant Toddler Manager, and ERSEA to ensure you are following our priority and selection policy.