Head Start and Early Head Start in Columbia, MO

3 open Head Start and Early Head Start locations in Columbia, from the federal Office of Head Start.

Head Start and Early Head Start

Bear Creek Early Learning Center

1306 Elleta Blvd, Columbia, MO 65202

Run by Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA)

Head Start

Columbia Public School (CPS)

2191 Smiley Ln, Columbia, MO 65202

Run by Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA)

Head Start and Early Head Start

Worley Street

1402 W Worley St, Columbia, MO 65203

Run by Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA)

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 Columbia

Licensed child care and after-school programs in Columbia · Youth nonprofits in Columbia · Missouri 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 The information is reported by each Head Start grant recipient and can be out of date, so call the center to confirm its address, hours and openings.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.