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Merced, California

Head Start and Early Head Start in Merced, CA

6 open Head Start and Early Head Start locations in Merced, from the federal Office of Head Start.

Head Start

Danielson Head Start

1235 N Street, Merced, CA 95341

Run by Merced County Superintendent of Schools

Head Start

Galen Clark Head Start

213 E 11th St, Merced, CA 95341

Run by Merced County Superintendent of Schools

Early Head Start

Merced College CDC

3600 M St, Merced, CA 95348

Run by Merced County Superintendent of Schools

Head Start and Early Head Start

Merced Early Learning Center

1850 Wardrobe Ave, Merced, CA 95341

Run by Merced County Superintendent of Schools

Who can enroll

Head Start serves children ages 3 to 5 (ask the center about its birthday cutoff date). Early Head Start serves pregnant women, babies and toddlers under 3. Both are free for families who qualify.

Families usually qualify when household income is at or below the federal poverty guideline for their family size, or when the family gets public assistance such as TANF or SSI, the child is in foster care, or the family is experiencing homelessness. Programs may also enroll some children from families just above the guideline, and each program sets its own application steps and waitlist, so ask the center.

Official HHS poverty guidelines (current year) · Head Start's own center locator

Also in Merced

Licensed child care and after-school programs in Merced · Youth nonprofits in Merced · California program rules

Source: Head Start Service Location Dataset, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start (CSV file), file dated November 8, 2026. The information is reported by each Head Start grant recipient and can be out of date, so call the center to confirm its address, hours and openings. Locations the program lists as closed are left out. Home-based locations show city and ZIP code only. A listing is not an endorsement.