Region XIV Educational Service Center Head Start Program is pleased to announce our partnership with HG Jones and Associates in the coordination of the 2008 Professional Development - ERSEA Certification Program.

The 2008 Professional Development - ERSEA Certification Program is the first in the nation including 100+ contact hours of consulting and training activities designed to strengthen individuals and organizations. The goal of the certification is to create and maintain an ongoing pool of individuals and organizations that truly understand the intricacies of the ERSEA process including:
* Determining the strengths and needs within their local communities
* defining eligibility criteria to target potential children and families,
* developing selections criteria to assist in choosing the children and families with the greatest need for services,
* enrolling and re-enrolling families based on their needs, and
* maintaining accurate attendance and other records to ensure children and families are receiving the much needed services provided by Head Start.

HGJA has designed a competency-based six step approach to assisting local Head Start programs and their partners to enhance the skills and knowledge of individuals and strengthen programs systems to improve access to services for low income children and families.

The six point approach will be covered in 4 trainings over the course of a year. Because Certification is a year long process, with each training building upon the prior event, it is essential that participants recognize the need for the year long commitment. The training will consist of three (3) levels of training plus a certification process.

The events will be as follows:
April 14 & 15 Level One: Understanding the Fundamentals
June 12 & 13 Level Two: Implementing the Requirements
September 11 & 12 Level Three: Managing the Process
October 30 & 31 Certification

Please note that the Team selected from your program to participate 'must' complete the entire course in order to receive the ERSEA Certificate in October, 2008. If programs want to pay in full, in advance, for the Certification, there will be a lower registration fee for your team.

For more detailed information and an application, please click on the down load button below.

For more information please feel free to contact: Gerranda Brooks-Smith at 325/ 675-8601.