Head Start and Early Head Start in Watsonville, CA
18 centers in Watsonville (Santa Cruz County). 8 offer Early Head Start, from pregnancy to age 3, and 11 offer Head Start preschool for ages 3 to 5. You apply through 4 programs, which report 527 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 sizeCenters in Watsonville
Listed A to Z. A center may serve only some ages; the tags show which programs it runs.
Calabasas Preschool Migrant & Seasonal Head Start
Head StartMigrant and Seasonal202 Calabasas Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 761-6185ELO Admin Office/Early Head Start
Early Head Start408 E Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 285-0790H.A. Hyde Preschool Migrant & Seasonal Head Start
Head StartMigrant and Seasonal125 Alta Vista St, Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 761-6179Ohlone Preschool Migrant & Seasonal Head Start
Head StartMigrant and Seasonal21 Bay Farms Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 761-6666Strawberry Patch Head Start/Early Head Start
Early Head Start710 Green Valley Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076
Strawberry Patch Head Start/Early Head Start
Head Start710 Green Valley Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076
Terry Jimenez Center
Early Head StartHead Start201 Brewington Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 763-6903
Where to apply in Watsonville
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 Watsonville.
- (831) 688-3802
Encompass Community Services
- No line reported
Cdi EHS
- No line reported
Cdi HS
- (831) 728-6955
Pajaro Valley Unified School District
New to Head Start? Who qualifies, what it costs and how applying works
Help paying for child care
- Child care assistance (subsidies) by stateWhen Head Start is full or your income is a little higher
- 2026 federal poverty guidelinesThe income table Head Start uses
- Child care cost by countyWhat daycare costs in California
- How much childcare costsCenter, home daycare and nanny prices
- WIC income limitsFood help for pregnancy and children under 5