Head Start
In 1965, the federal government established the Head Start program as part of the “War on Poverty.” Head Start centers have been widely recognized as providing effective preschool care for three and four year old children of low-income families. Head Start is a model program that provides a comprehensive range of services for the child and family including services to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs. A major component of the program is an emphasis on parent participation.
The Head Start program in San Luis Obispo County is operated by the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO). Nine centers around the county operate part-day and full-day sessions and serve 387 children. Ten percent of the enrollment is reserved for children with special needs.
As welfare-to-work programs expand under CalWORKS, Head Start is partnering with other community agencies to develop new programs to meet family needs for non-traditional child care, and to assist in efforts to move poor families to a level of self-sufficiency.
California State Preschool
The California State Preschool’s goal is to provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum to benefit children’s social/emotional, physical, cognitive, language, and creative development. The California State Preschool is:
- Open to preschool children three to five years of age;
- A three-hour day, parent/child education program;
- Funded by the California Department of Education and operated by the
San Luis Obispo County Office of Education (SLOCOE), Paso Robles Unified School District, and EOC; and
- Free to families whose gross monthly income does not exceed the income ceilings established by the California Department of Education. Proof of income and birth certificate are required to determine eligibility.
Migrant Families
Migrant Child Care is available in State-owned migrant housing camps, out-of-camp facilities, and licensed family child care provider homes during peak agricultural periods. Often these programs offer an enriched educational component. They provide bilingual support services to families in addition to early care and education. Health professionals are available to families at each child care site. County offices of education, school districts, and private non-profit agencies operate centers and oversee family child care homes. In San Luis Obispo County, the Migrant Child Care programs are operated by CAPSLO.
