Head Start in Pennsylvania
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
- 174
- towns
- 62
- towns have their own Head Start page
- 4
- of all Pennsylvania daycares
- 3%
Map of Pennsylvania: 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 Pennsylvania
- Head Start centers (ages 3 to 5)
- 84
- Free preschool for children from families who qualify.
- Early Head Start centers (birth to 3)
- 62
- For babies and toddlers, and many programs also serve expectant families.
- on the federal Head Start site list
- 100
- 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.
Pennsylvania
Largest towns for Head Start in Pennsylvania
Programs
Programs in Pennsylvania
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 | 6,471 |
| Take infants | 898 |
| Child care centers | 4,955 |
| Accept subsidy | 5,759 |
| In-home daycares | 1,516 |
| Christian & church daycares | 320 |
| Montessori schools | 131 |
| Preschools & pre-K | 1,317 |
| 24-hour daycare | 10 |
| Night daycare | 294 |
| Early morning daycare | 2,348 |
| Weekend daycare | 237 |
| Part-time daycare | 351 |
| Drop-in daycare | 63 |
| After-school care | 3,376 |
| Bilingual daycare | 45 |
| Head Start | 174 |
The Pennsylvania state record
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning licenses daycares in Pennsylvania.
- 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 2021
- Cited rules
- The inspector's finding, in the state's own words
- Corrections
- Correction dates as the state records them
Before you enroll
Applying to Head Start in Pennsylvania
- 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.
Pennsylvania
Cost, inspections and ratios in Pennsylvania
A to Z
All 62 Pennsylvania towns with Head Start, A to Z
B4 towns
- Bethlehem1 center
- Bloomsburg2 centers
- Braddock1 center
- Butler1 center
C6 towns
- Carbondale2 centers
- Carlisle1 center
- Carnegie1 center
- Chambersburg1 center
- Clifton Heights1 center
- Coatesville1 center
E5 towns
- E Prospect1 center
- East Stroudsburg2 centers
- Ellwood City1 center
- Erie5 centers
- Exton1 center
G1 town
- Greensburg2 centers
H4 towns
- Harrisburg1 center
- Hermitage1 center
- Hopwood1 center
- Huntingdon1 center
I1 town
- Irwin1 center
K1 town
- Kennett Square1 center
L6 towns
M6 towns
- Mahanoy City1 center
- Malvern1 center
- Meadville1 center
- Mifflinburg1 center
- Milford1 center
- Moscow1 center
N3 towns
- New Castle2 centers
- New Kensington1 center
- Norristown1 center
P4 towns
- Philadelphia71 centers
- Pittsburgh27 centers
- Pottstown5 centers
- Pottsville1 center
Q1 town
- Quakertown1 center
S4 towns
- Saxonburg1 center
- Scranton1 center
- Selinsgrove1 center
- Stroudsburg1 center
U1 town
- Uniontown1 center
V1 town
- Verona2 centers
W3 towns
- Washington1 center
- West Chester1 center
- West Grove1 center
Y1 town
- York1 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 Pennsylvania
How many Head Start and Early Head Start centers are in Pennsylvania?
174 Head Start and Early Head Start centers are listed in 62 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania town has the most Head Start and Early Head Start centers?
Philadelphia, with 71 listed. Next are Pittsburgh (27) and Erie (5).
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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning licenses daycares in Pennsylvania. It publishes its inspections and the rules it cited, and we copy them onto each listing.