Head Start and Early Head Start in Santa Maria, CA

9 open Head Start and Early Head Start locations in Santa Maria, from the federal Office of Head Start.

Head Start

CAC Adam Center

500 Windsor St, Santa Maria, CA 93458

Run by Community Action Commision of Santa Barbara County

Head Start and Early Head Start

CAC Alvin Center

316 East McElhany, Santa Maria, CA 93454

Run by Community Action Commision of Santa Barbara County

Head Start

CAC JC Washington (Chapel) Center

201 W Chapel St, Santa Maria, CA 93458

Run by Community Action Commision of Santa Barbara County

Early Head Start

CAC Little Village Center

219 W Chapel St, Santa Maria, CA 93458

Run by Community Action Commision of Santa Barbara County

Head Start

CAC Los Padres Center

530 E Enos Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93454

Run by Community Action Commision of Santa Barbara County

Head Start

CAC Meridian Center

1720 S Depot St Bldg J, Santa Maria, CA 93458

Run by Community Action Commision of Santa Barbara County

Head Start

CAC Sierra Madre Center

1002 Sierra Madre Ave, Santa Maria, CA 93454

Run by Community Action Commision of Santa Barbara County

Head Start and Early Head Start

CAC Westgate Center

1240 Bethel Ln Ste 1A, Santa Maria, CA 93458

Run by Community Action Commision of Santa Barbara County

Head Start

Pasitos

920 N Railroad Ave, Santa Maria, CA 93458

Run by Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo Co

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 Santa Maria

Licensed child care and after-school programs in Santa Maria · Youth nonprofits in Santa Maria · 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.