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Data Sources
Where the listings come from
The listing database was compiled in two ways:
- Public Head Start center data. The large majority of records (about 17,600) were loaded from a publicly available export of federal Head Start and Early Head Start center information, containing each center's name, address, phone, coordinates, program type flags (Head Start, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start) and the grant number and grantee organisation that operated it. The original export file is not retained on our systems, so we cannot cite its exact filename or release date; the records themselves carry creation dates in 2014 and update dates in 2017 and 2018.
- Research updates. About 6,000 of those records were later reviewed by hand from program and grantee websites, adding descriptions, eligibility notes, age ranges and application instructions where they were found. Records that completed that review are the ones marked as published.
- Operator submissions. A small number of programs (fewer than twenty) were added or edited through the site's own submission forms by their operators or visitors, after moderation.
Which fields are compiled from public information
Program name, street address, city, county, state, ZIP code, phone number, website, map coordinates, program type flags, grant number and grantee organisation details come from the public export. Descriptions, eligibility notes, age requirements and application instructions come from the research pass or from operator submissions. Comments, questions and answers are written by site visitors and are moderated before they appear.
Known limitations
- Age of the data. Most records were last materially updated in 2017–2018. Programs open, close, move and change phone numbers; a listing may be out of date.
- Coverage. The database is essentially a Head Start center list. It does not yet systematically cover state-funded pre-K, public-school preschool, childcare subsidies or other free or reduced-cost options.
- Publication states. Records that have not completed the research review are shown for reference but are marked so that search engines do not index them; see How We Review Listings.
- No live verification. There is no automated feed from any government system and no scheduled re-verification. We correct records when errors are reported and confirmed.
- Not an eligibility decision. Eligibility, availability and enrollment are decided by each program and its local agency, not by this directory.
For current Head Start and Early Head Start information, the separately maintained directory at HeadStartPrograms.org is updated from current federal data. To report an error here, see the Corrections Policy.