Program Overview
The California Head Start is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is run by the Administration of Children and Families, Early Childhood and Learning Centre (ECLKC) in the state of California. The aim of the program is to improve the children’s cognitive, emotional and social skills belonging to low-income households. The California Head Start helps enhance the readiness of the children from poor households who are five years of age or younger. The program also helps to create a healthy parent-children relationship in the family by emphasizing the role of parents in the life of the children.
There other components of the California Head Start program are,
- Early Head Start
- Migrant/Seasonal Head Start
Eligibility Requirements
The eligibility conditions for the Head Start program in the state of California including,
- The candidate must be a permanent citizen or a legal alien of the U.S
- The candidate must be a resident of the state of California
- Children who are five years old or younger are eligible to apply for the California Head Start program
- Children belonging to homeless families are eligible to apply for the California Head Start program
- Children living with foster families can also apply for the program
- The candidate’s household income must fall under the eligibility condition determined by the Federal Poverty Level.
- Households that are receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplementary Security Income (SSI) can also apply for the Head Start program and its other services in the state of California
- Women who are pregnant or families with children between 3-5 years of age can apply for the Early Head Start program in the state.
- Migrant families with children who are 5 years old can apply for the Migrant Head Start services
- Farmworkers with kids up to five years of age can apply for the Seasonal Head Start program in California
It is advisable to apply for the program before the deadline in order to make sure your child is not deprived of the program’s benefits.
The number of members in a household and total household income is also very important factors while considering a candidate for the Head Start program in the state of California. The amount of the maximum gross income level before taxes must equate,
| Total Size Of Household | Maximum Annual Income Level |
| 1 | $12,490 |
| 2 | $16,910 |
| 3 | $21,330 |
| 4 | $25,750 |
| 5 | $30,170 |
| 6 | $34,590 |
| 7 | $39,010 |
| 8 | $43,430 |
In case, the household size is greater than 8 members an additional amount of $4420 is considered per member. The amount of annual income level might change from time to time. Therefore, it is a good step to contact the managing agency in your area. They will be able to provide you with the most recent and up-to-date guidelines about the California Head Start program.
Other Requirements
There is a possibility of enrolling 10% of children who belong to families with an income level about the Federal Poverty Guidelines for the California Head Start. It is also possible that the California Head Start program selects 35% of children belonging to a household with an income level above the FDL guidelines for the program but below 130% of the poverty income level. But the program needs to make sure that the eligibility criteria of the applicants are being met before serving.
The application should contact their local Head Start program to get to know the requirements for the program in the community. There are chances that you might not get the program benefits even if you fulfill all the eligibility criteria, which happens due to limited funding from the government. In such a case, you should go to the program office and make sure your family name is on the waiting list of the California Head Start.
The program criteria vary from state to state hence it is important to check with your local Head Start office to get the most accurate information.
How To Apply
Contact local office
Once you check the requirement for the California Head Start program for the next step is to apply for the program. To receive the program’s benefits you will have to contact the local Head Start representative in your community. They will guide you about the program’s requirements and will take you through the whole paperwork of the California Head Start program in the state.
Contact via telephone
In case you have other queries regarding the program and its services please call the California Head Start office at 1-866-763-6481 to find a county representative in your locality. The representative will guide you about the program’s policies and guidelines to give you a better understanding of the Head Start in California.
For Further Information
You can also visit the official California Head Start website. The page provides you with up-to-date information regarding the California Head Start program and all the other services the program provides, to make the application process less daunting. Here the applicant can go to the Head Start Locator to find an office in their locality.
The Early Childhood and Learning Centre department administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for running the California Head Start program in the state. The ECLKC makes sure that all the applications are accessed properly. The agency makes sure to determine the eligibility of the candidates as soon as possible and within a few days of the submission of the application form. The qualified families are approached about their qualifications once they are selected.