Income can be calculated by referencing the income chart. 

Or using the Federal Poverty Limit calculator to estimate whether your current income level meets eligibility requirement for an early childhood (Birth - 4YRS) seat.

Applicants can upload their documents in the parent enrollment portal as a part of the application process. Families will need to provide proof of guardianship, child's age, residency, and income. Some families may upload additional documentation, such as an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

• Parent photo ID
• 2 Documents proving Orleans Parish residency
• Birth certificate for proof of age
• Proof of income for all members of the household contributing to the household income (not applicable for tuition-based programs)
• If enrolling in a Gifted & Talented program, proof of current Gifted evaluation

ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTATION

Proof of guardianship	Parent or Guardian’s Photo ID
Proof of age	Birth Certificate (State or Foreign Issued) Or Current Passport Or Visa
Proof of residency	Two (2) of the following documents are required for proof of residency (no older than 90 days):     Current rental lease agreement Homestead Exemption in the parent’s name Electricity/gas bill Sewerage/water bill Telephone bill (landline only) Cable/internet service bill Current official letter from government agency (Department of Social Service, Department of Health & Hospitals, etc.)
Proof of income	One of the following documents is required for income verification:     SNAP Budget Sheet or Benefits Statement (for PK4 only) Provide all check stubs within the previous 45 days (if paid monthly, provide check stubs within the previous 60 days), for ALL parent(s) and other adult(s) living in the household, including Social Security Income benefits, if applicable, accompanied by all other applicable income documentation Letter from employer indicating: Where you are employed, Your hourly rate and frequency of pay Average hours worked a week Most recent Social Security benefits statement Most recent unemployment compensation statement Alimony as shown in court decree or agreement Most recent pension statements

• Log into the Parent Portal. If it is your first time applying, you will need to create login credentials.​
• Follow the prompts to create your family profile.​
• Complete Eligibility Check prompts.​
• Select school choices. ​
• Answer questions and upload documents for eligibility verification directly in the Parent Portal.

Contact a local Head Start program to learn which documents are needed to enroll in an Early Head Start (Birth-3) or Head Start (PK3/PK4) program.

If you need more help finding a Head Start program near your home, call (toll-free) 1-866-763-6481 Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. ET. 

Income eligibility limits will vary according to household size and funding source.  You can view this information on the income eligibility chart.  This is updated each spring after the federal government updates the federal poverty limits. For example, for a household size of 4 people, 200% of the federal poverty limit (FPL) is $60,000/year and meets eligibility for some of the early childhood funding sources, but not for all the funding sources.

Federal Poverty Limit Calculator