Head Start is a federal program funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) that offers free early education to young children from low-income families. Local agencies, school districts and nonprofits run the classrooms, often in buildings that are also licensed child care centers.
Ages
- Early Head Start: infants and toddlers younger than three.
- Head Start preschool: children who are at least three, or turn three by the date the local school district uses for eligibility, and are not yet old enough for school.
Cost
A Head Start program must not charge eligible families a fee to participate, including for special events such as field trips, and cannot make enrollment depend on paying a fee (45 CFR § 1302.18).
Who qualifies
- Family income at or below the federal poverty line (the HHS poverty guidelines for the family's size).
- Or the family is eligible for public assistance, such as TANF (for example CalWORKs in California).
- Or the child is homeless or in foster care.
Programs may also enroll some children from families above these limits: up to 10% of enrollment for children who would benefit, and in some programs more children from families below 130% of the poverty line, once eligible children are served (45 CFR § 1302.12).
How to apply
- Find programs near you with the Head Start Center Locator.
- Contact the program: it checks eligibility, may keep a waiting list and can tell you its hours.
- If you need care beyond Head Start hours, ask about wraparound care, or about your state child care assistance program (see help paying).
Head Start programs in our listings
20 program pages in our listings have Head Start or State Preschool in their name. Each page shows the license details the state publishes; confirm enrollment rules with the program.
- Cleveland Street Head Start, Amarillo
- Texas Tech University Center for Early Head Start, Lubbock
- Region 16 Head Start Nelson, Amarillo
- ECS Montgomery Head Start, San Diego
- FEOC Richard Keyes Head Start, Fresno
- Fresno EOC Dakota Circle Head Start, Fresno
- Fresno EOC Franklin Head Start, Fresno
- Fresno EOC Kings Canyon Head Start, Fresno
- Howe Ave. Children's Center/Head Start/P.s., Sacramento
- NHA Home Avenue Head Start Family Focus Center, San Diego
- Phillip M Stokoe Head Start, Riverside
- RCOE - Casa Blanca Head Start, Riverside
- RCOE - La Granada Head Start, Riverside
- SETA - Elkhorn Head Start, Sacramento
- SETA - Northview Head Start, Sacramento
- Collett State Preschool, Riverside
- ABCD Head Start And Children's Services @ Harrison Ave., Boston
- Louise B. Royal Head Start Center, Tallahassee
- North Tampa Community Head Start Center, Tampa
- Mosi Head Start Center, Tampa
More guides: how to choose a daycare and questions to ask on a tour.