Head Start

Head Start, launched in 1964, was designed to help break the cycle of poverty facing preschool children in low-income families. Today, Head Start is a comprehensive child development program available to income- eligible families at no cost.

Community Action Head start provides home-based, center-based, and family child care experiences for children. As a combined Early Head Start and Head Start program, services are available for prenatal women, infants and children through kindergarten age. In Kansas, children are eligible for kindergarten the year they become five years old, on or before August 31.

Early Head Start services; for prenatal women and children through age 3, on or before August 31; are available through Community Action program for families throughout Shawnee County.

Head Start services; for preschool children ages 3 or 4, on or before August 31; are available through Community Action program for families in the eastern portion of USD 501 Topeka Public Schools and the Shawnee County portions of USD 437 Auburn-Washburn School District, USD 345 Seaman School District, and USD 450 Shawnee Heights School District.

Children from families receiving public assistance (TANF or SSI) are eligible for Early Head Start and Head Start services regardless of family income. Foster children are also Early Head Start- and Head Start-eligible regardless of their foster family's income. For families with other income sources, a full year's proof of income is required for review at the time of application. Application opportunities are reserved for families making no more than 130% of the annually published Program Income Guidelines.

Income-eligible families will be placed on a waiting list until services become available for their children.

Head Start Center Locations:

Community Action Hudson Center
2410 SE Highland Ave.
Topeka, KS 66605
Phone: 785-266-0245 (800-792-8039)
Fax: 785-266-4967

Logan Elementary (One Classroom)
1124 NW Lyman Rd.
Topeka, KS 66608

Tecumseh North Elementary (One Classroom)
314 SE Stanton Rd.
Tecumseh, KS 66542

Wabaunsee County
PO Box 151
McFarland, KS 66501
785-765-2227

Additional Information:

Hudson Center 5-Day-Per-Week Calendar Hudson 5 Day Per Week Calendar.pdf.
Hudson Center Preschool Full-Day Calendar Preschool Full Day.pdf.
Hudson Center Infant-Toddler Calendar Infant Toddler Hudson Calendar.pdf.
Tecumseh North Calendar Tecumseh North.pdf.
Early Head Start Center-Based Information Early Head Start Center Based.pdf.
Early Head Start Center-Based Information SPANISH Early Head Start Home Based SPANISH.pdf.
Early Head Start Home-Based Information Early Head Start Home Based.pdf.
Early Head Start Home-Based Information SPANISH Early Head Start Home Based SPANISH.pdf.
Shawnee County Preschool Information Shawnee County Preschool.pdf.
Shawnee County Preschool Information SPANISH Shawnee County Preschool.pdf.
Wabaunsee County Information Wabaunsee County.pdf.

For eligibility criteria click HS-eligibility-criteria.pdf

For more information, please contact:

Adam Spence, Family and Community Partnerships Content Area Expert
2410 SE Highland; Topeka, KS 66605
Phone: 785-266-0245 (800-792-8039)
Fax: 785-266-4967
E-mail: aspence@inlandnet.net

                        Phyllis Marmon, Program Director
                        1000 SE Hancock; Topeka, KS 66607
                        Phone: 785-235-9561 (866-235-9561)
                        Fax: 785-235-9564
                        E-mail: marmon@inlandnet.net