Who Can Apply for Head Start?
Children must be three years-of-age, and not yet five years-of-age, by October 1 of the calendar year to be enrolled. Families are encouraged to apply prior to child’s 3rd birthday and can be enrolled immediately upon your child turning 3 years old on October 1, 2024. Children do NOT need to be potty-trained to attend Head Start!
Families must reside in our service area, which is ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO. Verification of residency is required.
Families must provide verification of income to qualify for the program. Regardless of income, some children are automatically eligible:
- Foster children or children in kinship care
- Families experiencing homelessness
- Families receiving TANF/Colorado Works
- Families receiving SNAP (Food Stamps)
- Families receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
Although most of our families are below the federal poverty guideline, income is not our only criterion. We encourage all families to apply!
Submit a Pre-Application
Please contact Maritza Espinoza at [email protected] or 720.523.4616 or Leslie Oliver at [email protected] or 720.378.0201 for any enrollment questions and to make an appointment to begin your child’s enrollment at any one of the Adams County Head Start locations:
Brighton | Commerce City | Northglenn | Thornton | Westminster
If you would like to download and print a copy of the Head Start preapplication and begin to fill this out prior to your appointment, please click below:
- English Pre-application
- Spanish Pre-application
- Hmong Pre-application
- Dari Pre-application
- Russian Pre-application
Required Documents
Head Start requires the following additional documents to determine eligibility for the program. You may submit them when you are called by a Family Health Specialist:
- Your child’s birth certificate or other form of age verification
- Verification of residency (Utility bill, lease, mortgage statement, SSI verification, Food Stamp or TANF verification with parent/guardian name and address)
- Your child’s current and complete immunization record. Click here to learn more about required immunizations in Colorado
- Your child’s physical exam completed within the last 12 months
- Your child’s dental exam form. If your child has not yet visited the dentist, now is a great time to schedule his/her first appointment!
- Proof of family’s income (2021 W2’s, 2021 income tax returns, or twelve months of check stubs; verification of TANF or SSI are also acceptable.)
Head Start staff can assist you in obtaining any of the above information. If you have any questions about what is needed, please feel free to call us anytime at 720.523.4602.
There is also a Universal Application process where you can find out what other childcare programs your family may qualify for. To visit this page and learn more, click here.
Health Documents
Please schedule your child's annual physical exams and necessary immunization appointments so your child can begin school. Without a current physical exam, or proper immunization documentation, your child will need to wait to begin school until these documents are received by your Health Specialist.
If you need assistance with understanding what medical documentation is needed to begin school, please call Leslie Oliver, RDN, RN at 720.378.0201.
If you need health care coverage, please visit Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) websites.
You can see if you qualify by applying directly on their website. Please see directions on how to apply below.
- You can apply any time of the year.
- Don’t assume you don't qualify -- there are different eligibility categories for different situations.
- Anyone can apply online at Colorado.gov/PEAK or by phone at 1.800.221.3943 (press "1" for phone applications).
- Want to learn more? Check out our enrollment info.
Resources for Families
- Hunger Free Colorado provides a comprehensive list of food resources
- Adams County Health Department - COVID Resources
- WIC
- The Colorado Food Cluster will deliver free meals directly to your home for children 3-18 years old. Download a flier in English or Spanish.
