Education, Health, & Nutrition
Providing the Opportunity to Succeed
Our Head Start program serves over 2,000 children each year, and has been recognized as the Best Public Preschool in Utah. We provide comprehensive family support and research-based curriculum to make sure every child is able to reach their potential.
Services & Benefits
Head Start is more than a preschool. Head Start (ages 3-5) and Early Head Start (ages 0-3) provide high-quality education, healthy meals, medical and dental screenings, and holistic support for the whole family to prepare your child for Kindergarten and beyond!
Award-winning Education
Our Head Start program has gained state and national recognition for our holistic program which includes social-emotional, physical, and cognitive development as well as school readiness. We focus on language development, literacy skills, and mathematics knowledge—numbers, shapes, measurement, patterns, and other traditional mathematical problems—to prepare students to excel in kindergarten and beyond. Head Start is an inclusive preschool setting with 10% of our program reserved for children with disabilities to be served in an inclusive classroom setting.
Health & Dental Services
All Head Start students receive mental health support as well as preventive screenings and exams—immunizations, physical and dental exams, vision and hearing screenings. Children also receive developmental and social-emotional screenings to assess developmental milestones and the need for additional supports.
Healthy Meals
Head Start children receive free healthy meals, made fresh daily in our Central Kitchen and delivered to our sites. These meals meet at least two-thirds of children’s daily nutritional needs not only for their health and well-being but for their intellectual and social development. Dietary accommodations are available.
Support for the Whole Family
At Head Start, we support the whole family. From connecting you with other parents and offering parenting courses to assessing additional needs your family may have, our team is here to support you however we can. Family advocates, teachers and parents work together to engage children and achieve both family and child goals.
Am I Eligible?
By Age
Head Start and Early Head Start accept applications year-round for children 0-5. Head Start also offers a prenatal program for expectant mothers. Children do not need to be potty-trained to be eligible.
By Income
Parents or caregivers who make 100% or less of the federal poverty level are eligible for services. Children with disabilities or foster children are still eligible if parents or caregivers make more than the federal poverty level.
By Location
Utah Community Action’s Head Start program serves Salt Lake and Tooele Counties.
Head Start is an equal opportunity program and does not discriminate against race, religion, or sex. Utah Community Action does not deny placement on the basis of a disability or its severity to any child. We do not provide transportation for students, however, assistance with carpooling or bus/TRAX vouchers are available.
What to Expect
Step 1
Complete a simple online application in 10 minutes or less!
Step 2
Schedule your phone appointment with our enrollment team to finish the process.
Step 3
Your child will be placed in a classroom once there is availability. Availability varies. We recommend applying early to help speed up the process.
Follow Up
If you would like to apply for our Head Start program, please complete the application above in our ‘How to Apply’ section by clicking ‘Complete the Application’ and then choose your preferred language in order to apply. If you have already applied for our Head Start program and need an update on the status of your application, or have other questions about Head Start, fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Has anyone in your immediate family previously applied for Utah Community Action’s Head Start program?
If yes, you are already in our system and do not need to complete the online application. Click ‘yes’ to schedule an eligibility interview appointment with one of our staff members to complete the application process. If no, click ‘no’ to begin the application process: 1. Complete the online application. 2. After submitting the online portion of the application, you’ll be directed to our bookings page to schedule an eligibility interview appointment to complete the application process.
Alguien de su familia inmediata ha solicitado anteriormente para Utah Community Action’s Head Start?
En caso afirmativo, ya está en nuestro sistema y no necesita completar la solicitud en línea. Haga clic en “sí” para programar una cita de entrevista de elegibilidad con uno de nuestros miembros del personal para completar el proceso de solicitud. Si no, haga clic en ‘no’ para comenzar el proceso de solicitud: 1. Complete la solicitud en línea. 2. Después de enviar la parte en línea de la solicitud, se lo dirigirá a nuestra página de reservas para programar una cita de entrevista de elegibilidad para completar el proceso de su solicitud.