Head Start and Early Head Start in Milwaukee, WI
30 centers in Milwaukee. 27 offer Early Head Start, from pregnancy to age 3, and 17 offer Head Start preschool for ages 3 to 5. You apply through 6 programs, which report 2,272 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 Wisconsin
$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 Milwaukee
Listed A to Z. A center may serve only some ages; the tags show which programs it runs.
Acelero Learning Teutonia
Early Head StartHead Start5719 N Teutonia Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53209
(414) 226-5594Acelero Learning Walton
Early Head StartHead Start7833 W Capitol Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53222
(414) 616-5000Brighter Beginnings Preschool and Learning Center
Early Head Start6401 W Capitol Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53216
(414) 544-3164COA Youth and Family Centers-Riverwest
Early Head Start909 E North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53212
(414) 562-2929Grisby's Child Development Center
Early Head Start5301 W Burleigh St, Milwaukee, WI 53210
(414) 444-2544Jo's Early Learning Academy North
Early Head StartHead Start4801 W North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53208
Jo's Early Learning Academy South
Early Head StartHead Start3027 W Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215
Malaika Early Learning Center
Early Head StartHead Start125 W Auer Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53212
(414) 562-2929Malaika Early Learning Center - Thrive on King
Early Head Start331 W Garfield Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53212
(414) 562-2929Penfield Children's Center
Early Head StartHead Start833 N 26th St, Milwaukee, WI 53233
(414) 345-6358St. Francis Children Center
Early Head Start6700 N Port Washington Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53217
(414) 562-2929TenderCare Christian Child Care Center
Early Head StartHead Start5229 W Capitol Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53216
(414) 447-8396UCC Jackson Park Center
Early Head StartHead Start3401 S 39th St, Milwaukee, WI 53215
United Community Center Bruce Guadalupe Community Preschool
Head Start1028 S 9th St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
(414) 645-4869United Community Center Guadalupe South
Early Head StartHead Start239 W Washington St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
(414) 999-4457United Community Center Ricardo Diaz Early Learning Academy
Early Head StartHead Start2130 W Becher St, Milwaukee, WI 53215
(414) 645-7001
Where to apply in Milwaukee
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 Milwaukee.
- (414) 562-2929
Next Door Foundation, Inc.
- No line reported
Wi Early Childhood Association Inc.
- (414) 294-9994
Acelero Inc.
- No line reported
United Community Center, Inc.
- No line reported
Jo's Early Learning Academy II, Inc.
- (414) 345-6358
Penfield Children's Center
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 Wisconsin
- How much childcare costsCenter, home daycare and nanny prices
- WIC income limitsFood help for pregnancy and children under 5