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Head Start and Early Head Start in Washington, DC

51 centers in Washington (District of Columbia). 44 offer Early Head Start, from pregnancy to age 3, and 11 offer Head Start preschool for ages 3 to 5. You apply through 9 programs, which report 1,913 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 District of Columbia

$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 Washington

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

  • Bell Teen Parent & Child Development

    Early Head Start

    3101 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20010

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 26 funded slots

    (202) 939-7700
    CallDirections

  • Big Mama's Children Center

    Early Head Start

    4680 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SW, Washington, DC 20032

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 12 funded slots

    (202) 563-5303
    CallDirections

  • Bladensburg Road, NE

    Early Head Start

    1151 Bladensburg Rd NE, Washington, DC 20002

    Run by Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA · 64 funded slots

    Directions

  • Bright Beginnings Inc @ Garfield Elementary

    Early Head Start

    2435 Alabama Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by Bright Beginnings Inc · 34 funded slots

    (202) 842-9090
    CallDirections

  • Bright Beginnings Inc @ Whitlock Elementary School

    Early Head Start

    533 48th Pl NE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by Bright Beginnings Inc · 34 funded slots

    (202) 842-9090
    CallDirections

  • Bright Beginnings Inc.

    Early Head StartHead Start

    3418 4th St SE, Washington, DC 20032

    Run by Bright Beginnings Inc · 150 funded slots

    (202) 842-9090
    CallDirections

  • C.W. Harris Elementary School

    Head Start

    301 53rd St SE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by District of Columbia Public Schools · 30 funded slots

    (202) 645-3188
    CallDirections

  • Catholic Charities Child Development Center

    Early Head Start

    801 Buchanan St NE, Washington, DC 20017

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 12 funded slots

    (202) 281-2705
    CallDirections

  • CentroNia Upshur Early Head Start

    Early Head Start

    1288 Upshur St NW, Washington, DC 20011

    Run by CentroNia · 72 funded slots

    (202) 726-1275
    CallDirections

  • Community Educational Research Group @ Good Hope Road

    Early Head Start

    2503 Good Hope Rd SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 11 funded slots

    (202) 582-0323
    CallDirections

  • Community Educational Research Group @ Minnesota Avenue

    Early Head Start

    4021 Minnesota Ave NE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 8 funded slots

    (202) 397-1170
    CallDirections

  • ECDC #22, Frederick Douglass-2

    Early Head Start

    3240 Stanton Rd SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by United Planning Organization · 102 funded slots

    (202) 889-2080
    CallDirections

  • ECDC #23 Luke C. Moore

    Early Head Start

    1001 Monroe St NE, Washington, DC 20017

    Run by United Planning Organization · 8 funded slots

    (202) 671-6313
    CallDirections

  • ECDC #24 Dunbar Senior High School

    Early Head Start

    101 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001

    Run by United Planning Organization · 8 funded slots

    (202) 724-4407
    CallDirections

  • ECDC #25 Ballou Senior High School

    Early Head Start

    3401 4th St SE, Washington, DC 20032

    Run by United Planning Organization · 16 funded slots

    (202) 645-6689
    CallDirections

  • ECDC #8 Azeeze Bates Center

    Early Head Start

    444 16th St NE, Washington, DC 20002

    Run by United Planning Organization · 32 funded slots

    (202) 388-7960
    CallDirections

  • Educare DC

    Early Head StartHead Start

    640 Anacostia Ave NE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by Educare DC · 106 funded slots

    (202) 727-5604
    CallDirections

  • Educare DC at IDEA

    Early Head Start

    4501 E Lee Street, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by Educare DC · 96 funded slots

    (202) 399-4750
    CallDirections

  • Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center @ Amidon Bowen

    Early Head Start

    401 I St SW, Washington, DC 20024

    Run by Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center, Inc. · 16 funded slots

    (202) 462-3375
    CallDirections

  • Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center, Inc. at the Ruth E. Rucker Bld (Main Center)

    Early Head StartHead Start

    1719 13th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

    Run by Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center, Inc. · 125 funded slots

    (202) 462-3375
    CallDirections

  • Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center, Inc@ Browne

    Early Head Start

    850 26th St NE, Washington, DC 20002

    Run by Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center, Inc. · 10 funded slots

    (202) 462-3375
    CallDirections

  • First Rock Baptist CDC

    Early Head Start

    4638 H St., SE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by Educare DC · 32 funded slots

    (202) 575-5859
    CallDirections

  • Garfield Elementary School

    Head Start

    2435 Alabama Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by District of Columbia Public Schools · 45 funded slots

    (202) 645-3188
    CallDirections

  • Healthy Babies-2

    Early Head Start

    4501 Grant St NE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by United Planning Organization · 56 funded slots

    (208) 208-2080
    CallDirections

  • Hendley Elementary School

    Head Start

    425 Chesapeake St SE, Washington, DC 20032

    Run by District of Columbia Public Schools · 40 funded slots

    (202) 645-3450
    CallDirections

  • House of Ruth

    Early Head Start

    2011 Savannah St SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by United Planning Organization · 20 funded slots

    (202) 238-4686
    CallDirections

  • House of Ruth Kidspace Child and Family Development Center

    Early Head Start

    2910 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 12 funded slots

    (202) 667-7001
    CallDirections

  • Jubilee Jumpstart

    Early Head Start

    2525 Ontario Rd NW, Ste B, Washington, DC 20009

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 11 funded slots

    (202) 506-4607
    CallDirections

  • Kids Are People Too V

    Early Head Start

    4315 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave NE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 28 funded slots

    (202) 397-1200
    CallDirections

  • Kids Are Us Learning Center

    Early Head Start

    1236 Southern Ave SE, Washington, DC 20032

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 17 funded slots

    (202) 561-0290
    CallDirections

  • Kimball Elementary School

    Head Start

    3375 Minnesota Ave SE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by District of Columbia Public Schools · 30 funded slots

    (202) 671-6260
    CallDirections

  • King Elementary School

    Head Start

    3400 Wheeler Rd SE, Washington, DC 20032

    Run by District of Columbia Public Schools · 23 funded slots

    (202) 939-4900
    CallDirections

  • Love First Child Development Center Site #1

    Early Head Start

    1000 V St NW, Washington, DC 20001

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 20 funded slots

    (202) 265-9040
    CallDirections

  • Loving Care Day Nursery, Inc.

    Early Head Start

    1818 New York Ave NE, Ste 101, Washington, DC 20002

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 28 funded slots

    (202) 547-1877
    CallDirections

  • National Children's Center

    Early Head Start

    3400 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 20032

    Run by Educare DC · 74 funded slots

    (202) 279-4900
    CallDirections

  • Rosemount Center

    Early Head StartHead Start

    2000 Rosemont Ave NW, Washington, DC 20010

    Run by Rosemount Center · 116 funded slots

    (202) 265-9885
    CallDirections

  • Savoy Elementary School

    Head Start

    2400 Shannon Pl SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by District of Columbia Public Schools · 40 funded slots

    (202) 939-2000
    CallDirections

  • Spanish Education Development (SED)

    Early Head Start

    4110 Kansas Ave NW, Washington, DC 20011

    Run by United Planning Organization · 40 funded slots

    (202) 238-4686
    CallDirections

  • St. Timothy's Episcopal CDC

    Early Head Start

    3601 Alabama Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by Educare DC · 20 funded slots

    (202) 584-5662
    CallDirections

  • Stanton Elementary School

    Head Start

    2701 Naylor Rd SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by District of Columbia Public Schools · 42 funded slots

    (202) 671-6180
    CallDirections

  • Sunshine Early Learning Center

    Early Head Start

    4224 6th St SE, Washington, DC 20032

    Run by Office of the State Superintendent of Education · 24 funded slots

    (202) 561-1100
    CallDirections

  • United Planning Organization - home visitors

    Early Head Start

    301 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001

    Run by United Planning Organization · 84 funded slots

    (202) 238-4600
    CallDirections

  • UPO @ Anacostia High School

    Early Head Start

    1601 16th St SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by United Planning Organization · 24 funded slots

    (202) 724-4135
    CallDirections

  • UPO @ C. W. Harris Elementary School

    Early Head Start

    301 53rd St SE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by United Planning Organization · 16 funded slots

    (202) 645-5613
    CallDirections

  • UPO @ Coolidge High School

    Early Head Start

    405 Sheridan St NW, Washington, DC 20011

    Run by United Planning Organization · 13 funded slots

    (208) 208-2080
    CallDirections

  • UPO @ Davis Elementary School

    Early Head Start

    4430 H St SE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by United Planning Organization · 8 funded slots

    (202) 238-4686
    CallDirections

  • UPO @ Edgewood Child Development Center

    Early Head Start

    601 Edgewood St NE, Main Level, Washington, DC 20017

    Run by United Planning Organization · 24 funded slots

    (202) 238-4686
    CallDirections

  • UPO @ Ketcham Elementary School

    Early Head Start

    1919 15th St SE, Washington, DC 20020

    Run by United Planning Organization · 24 funded slots

    (202) 610-5872
    CallDirections

  • UPO @ Marie Reed Elementary School

    Early Head Start

    2195 Champlain St NW, Washington, DC 20009

    Run by United Planning Organization · 6 funded slots

    (202) 207-3862
    CallDirections

  • UPO @ Roosevelt High School

    Early Head Start

    4301 13th St NW, Washington, DC 20011

    Run by United Planning Organization · 16 funded slots

    (202) 939-3609
    CallDirections

  • Woodson High School

    Early Head Start

    540 55th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20019

    Run by United Planning Organization · 8 funded slots

    (202) 724-8841
    CallDirections

Where to apply in Washington

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 Washington.

  • United Planning Organization

    18 centers · Early Head Start

    (202) 238-4686

  • Office of the State Superintendent of Education

    12 centers · Early Head Start

    No line reported

  • District of Columbia Public Schools

    7 centers · Head Start

    (202) 698-1088

  • Educare DC

    5 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (202) 741-8665

  • Bright Beginnings Inc

    3 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (202) 842-9090

  • Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center, Inc.

    3 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (202) 462-3375 ext. 222

  • CentroNia

    1 center · Early Head Start

    (301) 543-8040

  • Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA

    1 center · Early Head Start

    No line reported

  • Rosemount Center

    1 center · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (202) 265-9885

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

Help paying for child care

Other benefits in District of Columbia

Having a baby in District of ColumbiaBenefits, each with its source, checked October 2026Pregnancy MedicaidUp to 324% FPLWICYesPaid family leaveYesMedicaid pays for a doulaYesSee District of Columbia