Head Start in Arizona
Head Start is free preschool for children 3 to 5 from families who qualify, and Early Head Start serves babies and toddlers. Families qualify by income, or when they receive public assistance, a child is in foster care or the family has no stable home.
- Head Start and Early Head Start centers listed
- 283
- towns
- 66
- towns have their own Head Start page
- 17
- of all Arizona daycares
- 11%
Map of Arizona: each dot is a town with Head Start and Early Head Start centers, sized by how many are listed
Head Start
Head Start and Early Head Start in Arizona
- Head Start centers (ages 3 to 5)
- 255
- Free preschool for children from families who qualify.
- Early Head Start centers (birth to 3)
- 122
- For babies and toddlers, and many programs also serve expectant families.
- on the federal Head Start site list
- 231
- The Office of Head Start lists a site at these daycares. The others say Head Start in their name, on their website or on their state record.
Arizona
Largest towns for Head Start in Arizona
Programs
Programs in Arizona
Counts come from the state record and what each daycare says it offers. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.
| Program | Listed |
|---|---|
| All daycares | 2,529 |
| Take infants | 293 |
| Child care centers | 2,251 |
| Accept subsidy | 124 |
| In-home daycares | 278 |
| Christian & church daycares | 202 |
| Montessori schools | 117 |
| Preschools & pre-K | 808 |
| Early morning daycare | 468 |
| Part-time daycare | 184 |
| Drop-in daycare | 31 |
| Bilingual daycare | 41 |
| Head Start | 283 |
The Arizona state record
Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Child Care Licensing licenses daycares in Arizona.
- License list
- The state's public list of licensed child care
- Ages served
- On some licenses only; elsewhere shown where the daycare gives them
- Inspections
- Every visit the state publishes back to 2023
- Cited rules
- The inspector's finding, in the state's own words
Before you enroll
Applying to Head Start in Arizona
- 1
Check that you qualify
Families qualify by income, or when they receive TANF, SSI or SNAP, a child is in foster care or the family has no stable home. Programs may take some other children too.
- 2
Have your papers ready
Ask the program which papers to bring, such as proof of your child's age and of your family's income or benefits.
- 3
Ask about the waitlist
There are not enough places for every child who qualifies. If no place is open now, ask to join the waitlist.
- 4
Ask about the day
Some programs run full days, some part days or the school year only, and some visit families at home. Ask which fits your family.
Arizona
Cost, inspections and ratios in Arizona
A to Z
All 66 Arizona towns with Head Start, A to Z
A4 towns
- Ajo1 center
- Apache Junction1 center
- Ash Fork1 center
- Avondale4 centers
B3 towns
- Bisbee1 center
- Buckeye2 centers
- Bullhead City1 center
C7 towns
- Camp Verde1 center
- Casa Grande1 center
- Chandler5 centers
- Chino Valley1 center
- Clarkdale1 center
- Coolidge1 center
- Cottonwood1 center
G5 towns
- Gilbert3 centers
- Glendale10 centers
- Golden Valley1 center
- Goodyear1 center
- Guadalupe1 center
H1 town
- Holbrook1 center
K1 town
- Kingman4 centers
L3 towns
- Lake Havasu City2 centers
- Lakeside1 center
- Laveen1 center
M5 towns
- Marana1 center
- Maricopa1 center
- Mesa14 centers
- Miami1 center
- Mohave Valley1 center
N1 town
- Nogales3 centers
P5 towns
- Page1 center
- Peoria1 center
- Phoenix112 centers
- Pima1 center
- Prescott Valley5 centers
Q1 town
- Queen Creek1 center
S11 towns
- Safford2 centers
- San Luis6 centers
- San Tan Valley1 center
- Scottsdale2 centers
- Show Low1 center
- Sierra Vista2 centers
- Snowflake1 center
- Somerton4 centers
- Springerville1 center
- St Johns1 center
- Surprise2 centers
Y1 town
- Yuma9 centers
No town on this list matches. Check the spelling, or search by ZIP code above.
Nearby
Nearby states
Questions
Questions about Head Start in Arizona
How many Head Start and Early Head Start centers are in Arizona?
283 Head Start and Early Head Start centers are listed in 66 Arizona towns. Head Start programs also run classrooms in public schools and home-based services that may not be on this list; the Office of Head Start's locator lists every site.
Which Arizona town has the most Head Start and Early Head Start centers?
Phoenix, with 112 listed. Next are Tucson (26) and Mesa (14).
Who qualifies for Head Start?
Children from families whose income is at or below the federal poverty guidelines, families that receive TANF, SSI or SNAP, children in foster care and children experiencing homelessness. Programs may also take some children who do not meet these rules, so ask.
Is Head Start free?
Yes. Head Start and Early Head Start cost nothing for families who qualify.
What ages does Head Start serve?
Head Start preschool is for children 3 to 5. Early Head Start is for babies and toddlers from birth to 3, and many programs also serve expectant families.
How do I apply for Head Start?
Call or visit the Head Start program near you; it explains the papers you need. If no place is open now, ask to join the waitlist. The Office of Head Start's apply page links to its national locator.
Who licenses daycares in Arizona?
Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Child Care Licensing licenses daycares in Arizona. It publishes its inspections and the rules it cited, and we copy them onto each listing.