2.1.1


Head Start and Early Head Start Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility for Head Start or Early Head Start is established by the following criteria, which are established by the Head Start Act of 2007, and the Head Start Program Performance Standards, updated in August 2024.

  • Homelessness/McKinney Vento
  • Foster Care
  • Income
  • Public Assistance
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF)/CalWORKS/CalFRESH (SNAP)

In addition to the information provided below, you can refer to the Eligibility, Selection, and Enrollment Policy. Additional information can be found online.

Income Requirements

Head Start uses the federal poverty guidelines to determine income eligibility. Families within the federal poverty guidelines are prioritized for selection before any families verified as over-income. Refer to the Eligibility, Selection, and Enrollment Policy for rules about enrollment for families who are over income.

To verify income eligibility, the family must supply proof of income for the last 12 months or the last calendar year. Documentation for income eligibility may include a family’s signed Tax Form 1040, W-2, 1099 tax document, or pay stubs. If income documentation is unavailable or nonexistent, other forms may be provided to the family to establish income eligibility (e.g. Family Income Self-Declaration and Zero Income Statement).

Excessive Housing Costs

Effective August 2024, The Head Start Program Performance Standards allow programs to adjust a family’s gross income calculation to account for excessive housing costs. If a family spends more than 30 percent of their total gross income on housing costs, the program may reduce the total gross income by the amount spent on housing costs that exceed more than 30 percent. Families who are not categorically eligible may provide proof of housing expenses during the application and eligibility interview (e.g., mortgage notes, rent receipts, homeowners/rental insurance statements, utility bills, etc.).

Homelessness/McKinney-Vento

Homeless children are eligible for educational assistance as established by the McKinney-Vento Act. To support staff knowledge of family homelessness and Mckinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act, please review the modules provided by the Office of Head Start title Supporting Families and Children Experiencing Homelessness.

Note: Normally we try to avoid using the term “homeless”, as the McKinney-Vento Act is also applicable to families who have inadequate housing, including such situations as overcrowding or non-working utilities.

Head Start agencies can reserve up to 3% of funded enrollment slots for children who are homeless or in foster care. These slots must be filled within 30 days of vacancy. Reserved slots that are still unfilled after 30 days will be considered vacant and subject to regular selection procedures within the next 30 days.

Area Managers seeking to reserve slots for families experiencing homelessness or children in foster care must seek approval from the ERSEA Manager.

During the application and eligibility meeting, an Enrollment Coordinator completes a staff statement regarding the family’s living situation to establish homelessness/McKinney-Vento eligibility. With the family’s written permission, an Enrollment Coordinator must attempt to obtain third-party verification of the family’s current circumstances.

Foster Care

Head Start agencies can reserve up to 3% of funded enrollment slots for children who are homeless or in foster care. These slots must be filled within 30 days of vacancy. Reserved slots that are still unfilled after 30 days will be considered vacant and will be subject to regular selection procedures within the next 30 days.

Area Managers seeking to reserve slots for families experiencing homelessness or children in foster care must seek approval from the ERSEA Manager.

To verify eligibility for a child in foster care, a foster family must provide a copy of the Foster Care Agreement, the first couple pages of the Health and Education Passport, and/or a placement letter to show current status.

If the provided foster documentation is older than three months, the Enrollment Coordinator working with the foster family must obtain verification that the child is still in the current foster home. With the foster family’s written permission, the Enrollment Coordinator contacts the foster agency or social worker to obtain written confirmation that the foster agreement/placement is still active.

TANF/CalWORKS/CalFresh (SNAP)

Children of families that receive benefits from TANF, CalWORKS, or CalFRESH (SNAP) are automatically eligible for Head Start. Families can provide a current copy of their Verification of Benefits or Notice of Action (NOA), from the Department of Human Services, which demonstrates proof of receiving these benefits. If the documentation provided is older than three months, families need to acquire a more current document demonstrating they receive TANF/CalWORKS/CalFRESH. Families may request documentation from a local Health and Human Services Agency or BenefitsCal to obtain a current Verification of Benefits.

Note: Families receiving Medi-Cal or WIC benefits are not automatically eligible for Head Start or Early Head Start.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

If any family member living/counted in the household receives SSI, the child is automatically eligible for Head Start.

SSI is a program that provides stipends to low-income people who are aged 65 or older, blind, or disabled. Children with disabilities or who are blind may also receive SSI. Receipt of SSI counts as Public Assistance eligibility for Head Start.

To verify this eligibility, families should provide an SSI award letter to confirm that a family member is receiving SSI. If the award letter is older than three months, the family may visit a local Social Security Administration office or log into the website to download a new award letter. They may also provide a bank statement showing the direct deposit from the Social Security Administration to support the outdated award letter.

Note: Social Security retirement, disability, and survivor benefits are not SSI and would not qualify as Public Assistance eligibility.

Eligibility Points

Eligibility is based on a point system, as indicated by the table below.

Eligibility/Income Points – 1 only
Meets income guidelines 50
Public assistance (Supplemental Security Income or CalWORKS/CalFRESH/TANF) 50
Foster Child 300
Homeless/McKinney-Vento 300
Between 100-130% of poverty guidelines 10
Over income: > = 130% 0
Disabled Child Points
IEP/IFSP 10
Diagnosed medical condition 5
Both 15
High Risk Referral Points (Effective 01/2021)
Active CPS, Pathways to Hope, Teen Challenge, Vision of the Cross 20
Additional Points: Enrolled Only
Transitioning – Current year
Must meet collaboration requirements where applicable, transferring from another Head Start agency*		 500
Returning – Next school year, continuous services 1000
Additional Points: Employee Only (Effective 1/2025)
Current Employee of SHS 1

 

* For example, if the family is over-income they may not be eligible to continue in the program, despite having attended in the past.