“Can My Child Attend Head Start?”

Your child may be eligible for Head Start if your family’s circumstances fit into one or more of the following sections:

Public Assistance

Includes TANF/CalWORKs, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and SNAP/CalFresh

  • If the caregiver receives or is eligible to receive public assistance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a child in their care is eligible for Head Start

  • If the child living with relatives receives a “child-only” TANF grant, then the child receives public assistance. A child who receives or is eligible to receive public assistance is eligible for Head Start.

  • Food Stamps: Cal Fresh/SNAP

Homeless

As defined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including families housed with other families with no residence of their own, families in a shelter program, and families that are unsheltered.

This can include the following living arrangements:

  • Shelters/Transitional Housing

  • Hotels/Motels

  • Staying with others

  • Staying in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations, or similar settings

  • Substandard housing, such as living in a crowded apartment/home, car garage, laundry room, storage area

  • If a child is living with non-parental relatives due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason, the child is eligible for Head Start.

Please contact us if you would like to know if your current living arrangements meet the definition of homelessness according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act.

Foster Care

  • A child who receives cash aid through Foster Care or Kinship Care is considered a family of one.

  • No caregiver’s income information is required for children in Foster Care of Kinship Care.

Low Income

2022 Federal Poverty Guidelines

To be income-eligible, meaning your child can attend Head Start based on your family’s income, the total family income for the past 12 months, or the previous calendar year (2022) must be verified. Proof of income from ALL income sources must be submitted.

Proof of Income includes:

  • 2022 Tax Forms (Tax form 1040, W-2, 1099MISC)

  • Pay Stubs

  • Unemployment Documents

  • Self-employees and Informal employment - please reach out to us and we will work with you.

Over-Income

Head Start programs can enroll a limited number of children whose families are above the income guidelines.

  • Families that are over-income (above 130% based on the poverty guideline chart above) are welcome to apply for Head Start / Early Head Start services.

  • Over-Income families will be considered for enrollment starting in September 2022.

  • Families with a child(ren) with an IEP/IFSP and are over-income will receive priority over other over-income families.

What are my other options if my child is ineligible?

The 2-1-1 San Diego program can help you locate other childcare services in your community. You can contact them directly at 211 or visit https://211sandiego.org/.

Application Assistance

If you have questions or are in need of assistance when completing the application, call 619-422-1642 or email us at e2@ecscalifornia.org.

Apply to head start / early head start here.