Head Start in New Mexico
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
- 119
- towns
- 58
- towns have their own Head Start page
- 8
- of all New Mexico daycares
- 17%
Map of New Mexico: 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 New Mexico
- Head Start centers (ages 3 to 5)
- 100
- Free preschool for children from families who qualify.
- Early Head Start centers (birth to 3)
- 56
- For babies and toddlers, and many programs also serve expectant families.
- on the federal Head Start site list
- 67
- 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.
New Mexico
Largest towns for Head Start in New Mexico
Programs
Programs in New Mexico
Counts come from each daycare's name and what it says it offers; the state license list is not on DaycarePal yet. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.
| Program | Listed |
|---|---|
| All daycares | 709 |
| Take infants | 94 |
| Child care centers | 701 |
| Accept subsidy | 46 |
| In-home daycares | 8 |
| Christian & church daycares | 45 |
| Montessori schools | 35 |
| Preschools & pre-K | 157 |
| Early morning daycare | 200 |
| Part-time daycare | 26 |
| Drop-in daycare | 12 |
| Bilingual daycare | 33 |
| Head Start | 119 |
The New Mexico license list
New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department licenses daycares in New Mexico. The New Mexico license list is not on DaycarePal yet.
- Listings
- From public business listings: the name, address, phone, website and hours each business publishes
- License
- No license record is matched to these listings yet; that does not mean a daycare is unlicensed
- Inspections
- Not on these listings; check the state's own search
Before you enroll
Applying to Head Start in New Mexico
- 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.
New Mexico
Cost, inspections and ratios in New Mexico
A to Z
All 58 New Mexico towns with Head Start, A to Z
A7 towns
- Acoma Pueblo1 center
- Albuquerque18 centers
- Animas1 center
- Anthony2 centers
- Anton Chico1 center
- Artesia2 centers
- Aztec1 center
B2 towns
- Bernalillo1 center
- Bloomfield2 centers
C5 towns
- Church Rock1 center
- Clovis3 centers
- Columbus1 center
- Crownpoint1 center
- Cuba1 center
D1 town
- Deming3 centers
F2 towns
- Farmington6 centers
- Fruitland1 center
H1 town
- Hobbs2 centers
J1 town
- Jemez Pueblo1 center
K1 town
- Kirtland2 centers
L5 towns
- Las Cruces6 centers
- Las Vegas1 center
- Lordsburg1 center
- Los Lunas1 center
- Lovington1 center
M6 towns
N1 town
- New Laguna2 centers
P1 town
- Portales2 centers
Q1 town
- Questa1 center
R5 towns
- Ramah1 center
- Ranchos De Taos1 center
- Raton1 center
- Rio Rancho2 centers
- Roswell2 centers
S9 towns
- San Felipe Pueblo1 center
- Santa Clara1 center
- Santa Fe13 centers
- Santa Rosa1 center
- Shiprock1 center
- Silver City3 centers
- Smith Lake1 center
- Socorro1 center
- Springer2 centers
V1 town
- Vado1 center
Z1 town
- Zuni1 center
No town on this list matches. Check the spelling, or search by ZIP code above.
Nearby
Nearby states
Questions
Questions about Head Start in New Mexico
How many Head Start and Early Head Start centers are in New Mexico?
119 Head Start and Early Head Start centers are listed in 58 New Mexico 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 New Mexico town has the most Head Start and Early Head Start centers?
Albuquerque, with 18 listed. Next are Santa Fe (13) and Farmington (6).
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 New Mexico?
New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department licenses daycares in New Mexico. Its license list is not on DaycarePal yet, so the listings here come from public business listings and show no license or inspection record. Use the state's own search, linked on this page, to check a daycare's license.