Table of Contents | Previous | Next |
Appendix B: Head Start Criteria for Program Eligibility
Head Start 1996 Family Income Guidelines Memorandum
Head Start Criteria for Program Eligibility
According to Head Start (Head Start Bureau, 1999), the primary criteria for program eligibility are 1) having a family income below the Federal Poverty Line and 2) the receipt of some form of public assistance. In the past, public assistance typically meant the receipt of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), but more recently this has referred to monies provided to families under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
For families not receiving public assistance, Head Start eligibility is determined by comparing families' incomes to the official Federal Poverty Guidelines, which are adjusted annually in accordance with changes in the Consumer Price Index, and are published by the Department of Health and Human Services. In determining eligibility, Head Start clearly defines "family" and "income." Head Start regulations define "family" as "all persons living in the same household who are: supported by the income of the parent(s) or guardian(s) of the child enrolling or participating in the program, and related to the parent(s) or guardian(s) by blood, marriage or adoption" (Head Start Bureau, 1998).
The definition of "income" is derived from the
United States Bureau of the Census (1998). Under this definition, income
includes total cash receipts before taxes from all sources, with certain
exceptions. Income does not include, for example, capital gains; any assets
drawn down as withdrawals from a bank; the sale of property, a house or
car; or tax refunds, gifts, loans, lump-sum inheritances, one-time insurance
payments, or compensation for injury. Also excluded are non-cash benefits,
such as employer-paid health insurance or other fringe benefits, as well
as Federal non-cash benefit programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, food
stamps, school lunches and housing assistance.
To the extent possible, these Head Start "family" and "income"
definitions were applied to each of the national datasets to determine
the eligible populations to be examined in this study. However, the nature
and structures of the datasets did not always allow, for example, the
identification of a family member who was "supported by the income
of the parent(s)." Similarly, the method in which income variables
were aggregated or dis-aggregated across the datasets also varied, and
did not always allow for the identification of specified income categories.
Decisions on how to address these problems within each dataset were made
in consultation with project consultants who are experienced in resolving
such issues.
Because Head Start has traditionally dropped the income eligibility requirements for children who are either disabled or in foster care, attempts were made to identify children in the study samples with these characteristics. However, none of the datasets had sufficient information to allow for this identification.
| Table of Contents | Previous | Next |