La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § CLXVII-703

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section CLXVII-703 - Coordinated Enrollment Process

A. Coordinated enrollment is the process developed and implemented by a community network to coordinate enrollment for infant, toddler, and PreK children in the community network whose families want to enroll them in a publicly-funded program in the community network.

B. The coordinated enrollment process consists of:

1. a coordinated information campaign through which the community network informs families about the availability of publicly-funded programs serving children ages birth to five years;

2. a coordinated eligibility determination through which the community network coordinates enrollment, eligibility criteria, and waiting lists to ensure that families are referred to other available publicly-funded early childhood programs should they be ineligible for or unable to access their primary choice;

3. a coordinated application process through which the community network conducts a unified application process so families can easily indicate their enrollment choices for publicly-funded programs; and

4. a matching based on family preference through which the community network enrolls at-risk children, using available public funds and based upon stated family preferences.

C. In collaboration with representatives of providers of child care, Head Start, and prekindergarten services, the lead agency shall develop policies and procedures for how the requirements of Subsection B of this Section will be implemented. These policies and procedures shall be submitted to the department prior to initiation of the enrollment process, and shall include training for providers and parents on the eligibility criteria for different programs, the matching process for the network, and the complaint process for providers and parents as needed.

D. Each community network shall operate a coordinated enrollment process for each school year, subject to the implementation timeline provided in §705

E. The lead agency shall ensure the community network develops and implements a process to enroll publicly-funded children on an ongoing basis outside of the community networks established application period each year.

F. Any publicly-funded program that seeks to enroll children outside of their community networks coordinated enrollment process shall obtain prior written approval from the department.

G. Request for Departmental Review

1. Any parent or caregiver may request that the department review the placement of his or her child resulting from the coordinated enrollment process.

2. A request for departmental review shall be submitted in writing to the department within 30 calendar days of placement of the child or of the event upon which the request for review is based.

3. All requests for departmental review shall clearly state the specific reasons for requesting the review and the action being sought, and shall include all necessary supporting documentation.

4. The department shall respond to the request for departmental review within 30 calendar days after receiving it.

5. Written notice of the process outlined in Paragraph 2 of this Subsection, as well as of the complaint process described in LAC 28:CLXVII.311, and the appropriate contact information for the department, shall be made available to any parent or caregiver.

H. Community networks shall determine preliminary eligibility for families interested in CCAP during the coordinated eligibility determination as provided in Paragraph B.2 of this Section, and the department shall determine final eligibility for CCAP.

I. Prior to the start of the school year, BESE shall review this Chapter and revise as necessary based on learnings from the previous year. A work group of the Early Childhood Care and Education Advisory Council shall be formed to study the effectiveness of the coordinated enrollment process and make recommendations to the council and BESE for changes for implementation in the following school year. This research may include, but not be limited to, defining key indicators of effectiveness, conducting focus groups of all provider types, reviewing data on the placement of new early childhood seats opened statewide, and reviewing other available information. The department, with assent shown by vote of the advisory council, may decide in a given year that no review is needed.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § CLXVII-703

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 412591 (12/1/2015), Amended LR 421876 (11/1/2016), Amended LR 441443 (8/1/2018).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:407.21 et seq., and R.S. 17:407.91 et seq.