ESC19 Head Start now provides monthly community Enroll-a-thon events to increase enrollment accessibility to parents.
Enroll-a-thon events allow parents to begin and complete the application and registration process onsite at the Head Start Multi-Purpose Center location.
The five-hour "one-stop" enrollment event takes place on Saturdays and supplements the Head Start program's traditional year-round center-based enrollment. Weekend Enroll-a-thons condenses the enrollment process to a single location and makes registration more accessible to parents who work during the week.
Head Start staff representing key Head Start service areas are onsite to guide parents through the application process, review documentation, and address individual concerns and assessments for families and children with special needs or requirements. Technology and support staff are on-hand to answer questions over the phone and via live stream.
Parents who qualify leave a Head Start Enroll-a-thon with their child fully enrolled in the ESC19 Head Start program and ready to begin PreK on the next school day.
Since the inception of ESC19 Head Start Enroll-a-thon Events in 2021, the program has seen a significant increase in enrollment, averaging sixty new families enrolled per event. ESC Region 19 Head Start plans to expand its enrollment accessibility initiative by offering Head Start application assistance on-location at Community agency events.