Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

Residence
     Families living in McLean or Livingston counties (the geographical area designated in the Heartland Head Start Grant) are potentially eligible for the Heartland Head Start program.

Age
     The local school age cut-off is September 1. Head Start is required to use the local school districts age requirement. Children who are at least three years of age by September 1 of the current year are potentially eligible. Children who have their fifth birthday by September 1 must be encouraged to enroll their child in a local kindergarten program.

Income
     Families use their current years income or the year before. Example: If recruitment takes place in January of 2002, the family may show current check stubs or employment income verification OR they may elect to submit a W-2 or other income verification from 2001.

Over-Income
     Up to 10% of families enrolled in Head Start may be over income guidelines. Heartland Head Start serves over 300 families. This means that potentially over 30 families could be over the income guidelines, families with special needs children, families referred by agencies or families with special needs should be encouraged to complete applications even if they are over the income guidelines.

First priority is given to:

• Children who will be four (4) years old by September 1st of the year they begin the program.
• Children with special needs
• Families  that meet federal income guidelines, which are set at 100% poverty level.
• Eligible children can be accepted only after the completion of the required forms including physical and TB test, and a meeting between the Family and a Heartland Head Start staff member.

Requirements                 Eligibility                        Forms