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.

This resource clarifies eligibility duration requirements or children younger than 3 who are served by Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs.

Read Director Garvin’s letter on the changes to Head Start eligibility criteria for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs.

On March 23, 2024, President Biden signed into law provisions giving Head Start programs additional flexibility to serve children in tribal communities and children of farmworkers.

This page includes informational resources about the additional flexibility to serve children in tribal communities and children of farmworkers.

Read answers to FAQs about the guidance that adds the receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to Head Start eligibility criteria.

Learn more about how the receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits now qualifies families for Head Start eligibility.

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.

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 poverty guidelines, which are issued every year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services, are a simplified version of the federal poverty thresholds used for administrative purposes. Grantees often have questions regarding who is eligible for enrollment in Head Start and other social services programs. These frequently asked questions will assist them in understanding how to use the guidelines to assess eligibility and other questions they may have.