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Des Moines, Iowa

Head Start and Early Head Start in Des Moines, IA

15 open Head Start and Early Head Start locations in Des Moines, from the federal Office of Head Start.

Head Start

Capitol View

320 E 16th St, Des Moines, IA 50316

Run by Drake University Head Start

Early Head Start

House of Mercy

1409 Clark St, Des Moines, IA 50314

Run by Drake University Early Head Start

Head Start

McKee Learning Center

2116 E 39th Ct, Des Moines, IA 50317

Run by Des Moines Public Schools Head Start

Head Start

McKinley

1610 SE 6th St, Des Moines, IA 50315

Run by Drake University Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start

Merle Hay

3800 Merle Hay Rd Ste 322, Des Moines, IA 50310

Run by Drake University Head Start

Head Start

Mitchell

111 Porter Ave, Des Moines, IA 50315

Run by Des Moines Public Schools Head Start

Head Start

Moulton

1541 8th St, Des Moines, IA 50314

Run by Drake University Head Start

Early Head Start

Oak Academy

1401 Center St, Des Moines, IA 50314

Run by Drake University Early Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start

Southridge

1111 E Army Post Rd Ste 2004, Des Moines, IA 50315

Run by Drake University Head Start

Head Start

Taylor

1801 16th St, Des Moines, IA 50314

Run by Des Moines Public Schools Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start

Wonder Years Academy

3838 Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50310

Run by Drake University Head Start

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 Des Moines

Licensed child care and after-school programs in Des Moines · Youth nonprofits in Des Moines · Iowa 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.