Head Start
Head Start Preschool Flyers
Head Start Registration Information
To be eligible for Head Start services, a child must be 3 or 4 by September 10 and be from a low-income family (meeting federal income guidelines). Generally, qualifying children live close to the school site they attend, ensuring a successful transition into kindergarten at the same location.
Head Start Applications
Applying for a spot in a Head Start class
Which Head Start Program will my student attend?
Salem-Keizer Head Start and Community Action Head Start use the same application to qualify families. The family’s residence will determine which program will best serve the family.
What do I need for this application?
The following items must accompany the application in order to complete the process:
- Completed Head Start Application, signed and dated
- Proof of income to determine federal income eligibility
- A copy of your child’s birth certificate
- A copy of your child’s immunization records
More information on each of these items is available in the Head Start Application package document: English | Spanish
Applications are scored when they are received at the central office. Scores are determined by income and child/family needs.
Email your application and accompanying documents to us
Please email completed applications and supporting documents to: prekapplications@salkeiz.k12.or.us
Limited Class Size
Eligible families are contacted to complete the required program paperwork. Families will be notified by mail if they are placed on the waiting list.
We can only have 17 children in the part day classrooms and 19 children in the full-day classrooms. As children drop from the program, new children are added from the waiting list.
Returning children are re-enrolled in May for the following school year. Program applications are sent to elementary schools in April, in order to begin the enrollment process for the following year.
About Head Start
Parent Handbook
Nurturing environment for 3-5 years old kids
Head Start is a safe and nurturing environment for children between the ages of 3 and 5. Head Start provides a variety of support programs for students and families to help them on the road to success.
Bilingual Language Support
It is estimated that approximately 50 percent of the program families speak languages other than English. Since Spanish is the most predominant of the other languages spoken, all of the classrooms are staffed with bilingual language support and parent volunteers.
Each classroom has a paid parent assistant. The parent assistant is typically a parent of one of the Head Start students in the classroom.
High Quality Services to Children and Families
Salem-Keizer Head Start is a state-funded program. The Oregon Department of Education monitors the program. Head Start Performance Standards are mandatory regulations that all Head Start programs must implement. The standards define the objectives and goals of a quality program.
As the program grantee, the Salem-Keizer School Board and the program Policy Council have the responsibility of shared governance, overseeing the delivery of high quality services to children and families. Each classroom has two parent representatives on Policy Council who make decisions about program operation, approve program policies and serve as the link from the sites to Policy Council.
Salem-Keizer Head Start has high standards for children and staff. Staff are highly qualified district employees. The educational team uses ongoing assessment of each child, which enables them to set goals, individualize programs and keep parents informed of their child’s progress throughout the school year.