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Head Start and Early Head Start in Oakland, CA

23 centers in Oakland (Alameda County). 17 offer Early Head Start, from pregnancy to age 3, and 16 offer Head Start preschool for ages 3 to 5. You apply through 4 programs, which report 1,063 funded slots here. It's free if you qualify.

Source: Office of Head Start service locations, as of October 2026. Each program reports its own sites, so call before you visit. Closed sites are left out.

Who qualifies in California

$27,320a year or less for a family of three, or $33,000 for four. That's the 2026 federal poverty line, Head Start's income limit.

You also qualify at any income if you get TANF or SSI, your child is in foster care, or your family is homeless.

Sources: 45 CFR 1302.12; HHS poverty guidelines

Poverty guidelines for every family size

Centers in Oakland

Listed A to Z. A center may serve only some ages; the tags show which programs it runs.

  • 85th Avenue

    Early Head StartHead Start

    8501 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94621

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 34 funded slots

    (510) 544-3821
    CallDirections

  • Brighter Beginnings Home-Based Program

    Early Head StartHead Start

    2744 E 11th St, Ste H01, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 140 funded slots

    (510) 437-8950
    CallDirections

  • Broadway

    Early Head Start

    2619 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 24 funded slots

    (510) 238-7091
    CallDirections

  • Brookfield

    Head Start

    9600 Edes Ave, Oakland, CA 94603

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 32 funded slots

    (510) 615-5737
    CallDirections

  • Centro Infantil de la Raza

    Head Start

    2660 E 16th St, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 20 funded slots

    (510) 879-8819
    CallDirections

  • City of Oakland Home-Based Program

    Early Head StartHead Start

    2595 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 139 funded slots

    (510) 238-3165
    CallDirections

  • De Colores Head Start and Early Head Start

    Early Head StartHead Start

    1155 35th Ave, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 116 funded slots

    (510) 535-6102
    CallDirections

  • Eastlake

    Early Head Start

    1612 45th Ave, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by YMCA Early Head Start · 40 funded slots

    (510) 534-7441
    CallDirections

  • Eastlake

    Head Start

    1612 45th Ave, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by YMCA Head Start · 38 funded slots

    (510) 534-7441
    CallDirections

  • Foothill Square Early Head Start

    Early Head StartHead Start

    10700 MacArthur Blvd, Ste 10, Oakland, CA 94605

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 72 funded slots

    (510) 553-1328
    CallDirections

  • Fruitvale Child Development Center

    Early Head Start

    2619 E 15th Street, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 30 funded slots

    (510) 535-2761
    CallDirections

  • Lion Creek Crossings

    Early Head StartHead Start

    6818 Lion Way, Ste 110, Oakland, CA 94621

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 24 funded slots

    (510) 615-5587
    CallDirections

  • M Robinson Baker

    Early Head Start

    3265 Market St, Oakland, CA 94608

    Run by YMCA Early Head Start · 17 funded slots

    (510) 272-0669
    CallDirections

  • Manzanita

    Head Start

    2701 22nd Ave, Oakland, CA 94606

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 16 funded slots

    (510) 535-5624
    CallDirections

  • Rusdale Continuation School

    Early Head Start

    8251 Fontaine St, Oakland, CA 94605

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 6 funded slots

    (510) 879-2353
    CallDirections

  • San Antonio Park

    Early Head Start

    1701 E 19th St, Oakland, CA 94606

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 18 funded slots

    (510) 535-5639
    CallDirections

  • St. Mary's Child Development Center

    Head Start

    3208 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94608

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 27 funded slots

    (510) 595-4030
    CallDirections

  • Sungate

    Head Start

    2563 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 24 funded slots

    (510) 535-5649
    CallDirections

  • The Unity Council Homebased Alameda County

    Early Head StartHead Start

    2648 International Blvd, Ste 200, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 126 funded slots

    (510) 535-6106
    CallDirections

  • Thurgood Marshall Head Start and Early Head Start

    Early Head StartHead Start

    1117 10th St, Oakland, CA 94607

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 24 funded slots

    (510) 836-0543
    CallDirections

  • West Grand

    Early Head Start

    1058 W Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94607

    Run by City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services · 24 funded slots

    (510) 238-2268
    CallDirections

  • Wilma Chan Child Development Center

    Early Head StartHead Start

    7980 Plymouth St, Oakland, CA 94621

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 32 funded slots

    (510) 535-6900
    CallDirections

  • Yazmin Jara Child Development Center

    Early Head StartHead Start

    1900 Fruitvale Ave, Ste 1A, Oakland, CA 94601

    Run by The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I · 40 funded slots

    (510) 535-6942
    CallDirections

Where to apply in Oakland

You apply to the program, not to one center. Each number here is the program's enrollment line: staff check whether you qualify, tell you which centers have room, and add you to the waiting list if they're full. Counts are centers in Oakland.

  • City of Oakland Office of Health & Human Services

    10 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (510) 238-3165

  • The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, I

    10 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (510) 535-6949

  • YMCA Early Head Start

    2 centers · Early Head Start

    No line reported

  • YMCA Head Start

    1 center · Head Start

    No line reported

New to Head Start? Who qualifies, what it costs and how applying works

Help paying for child care

Other benefits in California

Having a baby in CaliforniaBenefits, each with its source, checked October 2026Pregnancy MedicaidUp to 322% FPLWICYesPaid family leaveYesMedicaid pays for a doulaYesSee California