Our Southern Oregon Head Start, Early Head Start, and Preschool Promise programs are free to qualifying families, and we still have room for more children this school year!
Whether you’re in need of childcare for your infant or toddler, or a school-readiness setting for your 2 to 5 year old, Head Start programs offer a creative, nurturing, and health-focused environment for your little one to grow and learn.
Our services include free early childhood education, infant and toddler childcare, healthy meals and snacks throughout the day, health screenings, and mental health support services. At all Southern Oregon Head Start centers, we support learning through play, creative expression, and guided activities.
Wondering which program to choose for your child?
- Head Start serves 3 to 4 year olds with half-day, full-day, or duration (6-7 hour) classes
- Early Head Start serves 0 to 2 to year olds with full-time or part-time care
- Preschool Promise serves 3 to 5 year olds getting ready for kindergarten with full-day care
You can visit our Locations page to virtually tour our 27 locations throughout Jackson and Josephine counties, and see the programs available at each. If you have questions, you can contact a center directly at the phone number listed, or call our main office at (541) 734-5150.
Frequently Asked Head Start Enrollment Questions
For those who have questions about joining our Head Start programs or whether your family qualifies to enroll (our services are available to ALL), we’ve compiled this list of frequently asked parent questions. Once you’re ready, you can apply to Southern Oregon Head Start online anytime!
Who can enroll in Southern Oregon Head Start?
While many of the families we serve are low-income, our preschool and childcare services are available to all. If you qualify, these services are free. Families who receive public assistance (TANF or SSI), and those with children in foster care or children who are homeless, also qualify for free enrollment regardless of income.
What is the application process?
We have an easy online application available in English and Spanish. It takes about five minutes to fill out, and then we’ll contact you about setting up an interview. During the interview, we may request documents (such as foster child placement or proof of certain public assistance).
Then, we work on getting you set up with the best-fit available program. We do not accept new children or families on the spot — instead, your name will be added to a waitlist while we use this time to make arrangements and follow-up with families if more communication or documentation is needed.
We run reports regularly to determine which programs have openings, and who the next children on the waitlist are. We will contact you when there is opening, and your child is next on the waitlist.
Which preschool and childcare programs are currently enrolling?
Right now, we have space in our Head Start (ages 3-4), Early Head Start (ages 2-3) and Preschool Promise (ages 3-5) programs. You can pop over to our Locations page to virtually visit our 27 center sites, and see which programs are available at each.
Can I choose which location to enroll my child(ren) in?
Yes! You are welcome to choose the center you would like to enroll your children in. We invite families to choose one location for Early Head Start. For Head Start, families may choose one duration (full-day) program and one part-day program.
Is there an application deadline?
No. You can enroll your child anytime, though at a certain point each spring we stop accepting applications for the current school year, and transition to accepting applications for the following school year. If you’re interested in enrolling your child for the current school year (through June 2022), we encourage you to apply soon!
Do I have to reapply to Head Start each year?
Once you’re enrolled in Southern Oregon Head Start, there’s no need to reapply. However, if you’ve applied with us and your child is still not enrolled for any reason, you would need to reapply each year in the future to update your income information.
Are there a minimum number of hours or attendance requirements?
We encourage all families to meet 90% minimum attendance. This helps both families and children practice good attendance habits for when they move on to kindergarten and grade school.
If you still have questions about the application process or any of our Head Start programs, please be in touch! You can also visit our Parents corner of the website for information about daily menus, events, parent involvement opportunities, and more.