Children ages birth to 5 from families with incomes below the poverty guidelines are eligible for Head Start services. These guidelines are adjusted for family size and are used to determine financial eligibility for Head Start and other federal programs.
Use these resources to assess income eligibility for Head Start programs.
These FAQs explain how Head Start programs can use a housing adjustment to factor in high housing costs in income eligibility assessments, with guidelines on documentation, costs covered, and application flexibility.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides information that will assist programs in determining the gross income of those families with members in the armed forces. Family service staff will find this information beneficial in determining the eligibility of children of military families for enrollment in the Head Start program.
The HHS Poverty Guidelines are used to determine income eligibility for participation in Head Start programs. Program staff may refer to these resources when working with families.
Programs may use the Head Start Eligibility Verification Form as a component of the eligibility determination record alongside copies of documents or statements deemed necessary to verify eligibility.