A New Opportunity for Enrollment
The Office of Head Start is providing a new opportunity for eligibility and simplifying a list of income sources!
Quality Improvement
Policy Goal: Better identify families living in poverty who are eligible for Head Start
Clearly Define Income:
- Provide a concrete list of income sources considered foreligibility
Account for High Cost of Living:
- Excessive housing costs can be deducted from a family’sincome when determining eligibility
Adjusting for Excessive Housing Costs
Quality Improvement
Refined Definition of Income
- Gross income and only includes wages, business income, unemployment compensation, pension or annuity payments, gifts that exceed the threshold for taxable income, and
- Military income (excluding special pay for a member subject to hostile fire or imminent danger under 37 U.S.C. 310 or any basic allowance for housing under 37 U.S.C. 403 including housing acquired under the alternative authority under 10 U.S.C.169 or any related provision of law).
- Gross income only includes sources of income provided in this definition; it does not include refundable tax credits nor any forms of public assistance.
HHS Poverty Guidelines 2024
Here is what our 2024 federal guidelines are, if you do not fall within them to be eligible, here is another option to deduct housing costs above a 30% housing threshold.
Family Size | 100% | 130% |
1 | $15,060 | $19,578 |
2 | $20,440 | $26,572 |
3 | $25,820 | $33,566 |
4 | $31,200 | $40,560 |
5 | $36,580 | $47,554 |
6 | $41,960 | $54,548 |
7 | $47,340 | $61,542 |
8 | $52,720 | $68,536 |
Each Additional Member | $5,380 | $6,994 |
*Effective January 11, 2024 – Released by the Dept of Health & Human Services