Head Start and Early Head Start
Discovery Center for Little Scholars
601 James R Thompson Blvd Building D, Room 1027, East Saint Louis, IL 62201
Run by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Head Start centers / Illinois / East Saint Louis
Head Start and Early Head Start
Jackie Joyner Kersee Head Start
A Head Start and Early Head Start center in East Saint Louis, Illinois, run by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Center details
Program: Head Start and Early Head Start
Ages served: Early Head Start: pregnant women, babies and toddlers under 3; Head Start: children ages 3 to 5
Address: 101 Jackie Joyner Kersee Cir, East Saint Louis, IL 62204
County: St. Clair
Run by: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL
Federal grant ID (for reference): 05CH012061
Funded seats at this site: Head Start: 60; Early Head Start: 40. These are total funded seats, not how many are open.
Phone: (618) 215-6084
To apply, call: (618) 482-8326 ext. 28309
Every Head Start program must meet federal quality rules for early learning, health and family support. When you call, ask: How do I apply and what documents do I bring? Is there a waitlist? Is the day full or part? Is there transportation?
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
More Head Start locations in East Saint Louis
Early Head Start
Home Base Option
East Saint Louis, IL 62201
Run by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Head Start and Early Head Start
Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House
1045 State St, East Saint Louis, IL 62201
Run by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Early Head Start
Uni Pres Kindercottage
564 Veronica Ave, East Saint Louis, IL 62205
Run by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Other options near East Saint Louis
Licensed child care and after-school programs in East Saint Louis · Illinois child care 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.
Something wrong? Head Start centers update their own records with the Office of Head Start; you can also tell us and we'll fix or remove this page.