PAYMENTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS
1: Should I mail my payment or should I bring it to class?
Once you have received confirmation of your enrollment in a class, we would appreciate you mailing your payment to our office: ECFE / Mona Moede, 2410 Girard Ave. N., Minneapolis., MN. 55411. If you sign up online you may use a credit card.
2. What forms are required for participation in an ECFE class?
ECFE needs a copy of your child's current immunization records each time you participate in a class. We also need a copy of your child's birth certificate in order to assign a student ID number that will be with your child throughout their schooling. This ID number also allows us to anonymously track how children attending ECFE do in school as compared to children who have not attended ECFE.
3. Can my spouse or a grandparent attend class with me?
Spouses and grandparents are welcome in classes whenever they are available (with the exception of Daddy and Me classes which are classes devoted to dads and their children). If spouses will attend together regularly, we ask that they also be registered as an attending member.
4. Can I pay for class with a credit card?
Yes, in fact we prefer credit card payment whenever possible.
5. Can I bring my child to school if they are sick?
No. Parents and children should stay home when sick so as not to spread the illness to other families.
6. If my class does not work out for me and my child and we decide to cancel after the 1st session, can I be refunded the class fee?
After the first class, a refund will be prorated and a $12 processing fee charged. No refunds will be issued after the 3rd week of class.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
7. Is there an advantage to registering online as opposed to waiting to register by phone?
Yes, phone in registration is only available once the lottery has been run. To be eligible for the lottery we must receive your registration online, by fax, by mail or dropped in our office. Phone registration is an option to fill classes still open once the lottery is completed.
8. Does it matter when I submit my registration information i.e. on the first day registration is accepted or the last day.
No, it does not matter which day during the registration period your registration is submitted.
9. I have heard that some families get priority registration, how does this work:?
ECFE is a universal access program committed to serving all Minneapolis families with children birth to kindergarten enrollment. We use the following special considerations in selecting some families for priority enrollment:
- Referrals from Early Childhood Special Education and Early Childhood Screening (up to two openings per class)
- Families new to ECFE
- Families placed on a wait list for Semester 1 will be given priority for Semester 2
- Parents on the ECFE Family Council
10. Once I have submitted my registration information am I guaranteed a class?
Unfortunately, no. We encourage families to list 3 choices for classes to increase the chances of getting into a class. If a family is not enrolled in a class for 1st semester and submits a registration for second semester, they are given priority registration prior to our running lottery.
11. When will I be notified whether I got into a class?
Once the lottery is run you will be emailed your enrollment information if you registered online. If you did not register online your enrollment information will be mailed and you should be notified within a week of the lottery run date. I you have not received information after a week, please call our office at 612.668.2127.
12. Why can't I register once per year and attend the same class all school year?
Minneapolis ECFE tries to serve the most families possible within the school year. To achieve this goal, we offer two semesters allowing more access for families.
13. Once a semester starts, is there any chance of getting a spot in a class?
Yes, we suggest families sign up for the wait list if they cannot get into the class they want. If a family drops during the semester or does not show/does not contact us for 3 weeks, they are removed from the class and the spot is given to the next family on the wait list.
14. If I don't get into my first choice of class but do get into my second or third choice, can I remain on the wait list for my first choice?
You can remain on a wait list for your first choice until the semester begins. Once classes begin, families in a class will be removed from the wait list.
15. Can someone who is admitted to a class mid-semester get priority registration second semester?
No. Once accepted into a class, families are not given priority for a second semester.
CLASS OFFERINGS
16. I have an infant and a toddler. What are my options for classes?
You can enroll in a mixed age class (birth to kindergarten enrollment) and attend with both of your children. Or, you can enroll in a toddler class and bring your infant if s/he is under 4 months; the infant will remain with you in the Parent Education room during discussion.
17. My child is under 2 years. Are mixed age classes a good option for me?
Yes, the majority of children in mixed ages classes are usually 1-3 years.
18. Are there ECFE classes in the summer?
Yes, we now offer a limited number of ECFE classes in the summer.
19. How is it determined what classes to offer:
ECFE bases class offerings on wait list and attendance data, feedback from participants and the community, budget, needs across the city and the parameters of Minneapolis Public Schools teacher contract.
20. How can participants influence class offerings and times?
Parents are always welcome to make suggestions to the teaching staff or contact any of the administrative team. Mid/End of Semester evaluations are another way to let us know of your preferences. Finally, you can join the Early Childhood Education Advisory Council or attend any meeting to share your ideas.
