The following children qualify for Head Start:

• Children ages 3-5 (if five years old, child's birthday must be after October 1 of current school year - except in District 49. Please call for more information.)
• Children in foster care, including kids place in kinship care, as assigned through DHS
• Children whose families receive TANF
• Children with one household family member who receives SSI (not SSDI or regular Social Security)
• Children whose family is deemed homeless under the McKiney-Vinto Act
• Children whose family income is under the poverty guidelines set by the federal government. A "family" is made up of individuals related to the child by blood or marriage AND are being supported under the same income as the enrolling child. Women who are pregnant are only counted as one person. A family must show proof that their income was under the guidlines in the previous 12 months OR from the previous tax year.

The 2012 guidelines are as follows:

A family of two must make under $15,130
A family of three must make under $19,090 
A family of four must make under $23,050
A family of five must make under $27,010
A family of six must make under $30,970
A family of seven must make under $34,930
A family of eight must make under $38,890
If you have a family with more than eight members, add $3,960 for each additional person.

When a family enrolls, they must show proof of income even if they fall under one of the automatic qualifiers for Head Start. We CANNOT place children without seeing proof of income.