To apply for the Head Start program, your child must be three years of age by September 1st of the current school year and not more than five years of age before September 1st. Early Head Start participants are selected from pregnancy through 35 months of age. Your family must meet Federally mandated Head Start income guidelines. Our priority is to enroll as many four-year olds as possible so that we may provide Head Start to as many eligible children as possible before they enter public school. All eligible four-year olds will be enrolled before three-year olds. There is no charge or fee for applying or enrolling your child in the Head Start program. However, there is a charge for Before- and After-School care. Eligible parents can apply to Child Care Resource or Child Care Central for financial assistance.
To complete the necessary application forms, you can go either to the Head Start-Early Head Start center nearest your home or to the JCCEO Headquarters. There are several documents which you must bring with you when filling out the forms. AN APPLICATION CAN NOT BE FILLED OUT WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION:
-The child's birth certificate (legal copy).
- Proof of Family Income: W-2 Form, or three recent paycheck stubs, or a letter from the Department of Human Resources or Social Security verifying monthly income for the past 12 months.
- Social Security numbers for all members of the household.
- Medicaid card (if applicable) or private insurance card.
- WIC card.
When you come to apply for your child to attend Head Start, you will complete an application form. The Head Start staff will assist you in completing the two-page form with information provided by you, such as:
- Medicaid number for applying child (bring current card).
- Health insurance name and policy number (if applicable).
- Social Security numbers for child' parents, applying child, and all other family members.
- Birthdates of parents/guardian and all children in the family.
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three people to contact in case of an emergency.
- Names of people that the child can be released to.
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers of child's physician and dentist.
