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Head Start

BEGIN THE JOURNEY

Is your 3 or 4-year-old ready to begin his or her education journey with our Early Childhood program? Our Head Start/Pre-K program is one of the most important steps families can take to ensure students are prepared for success in Kindergarten and beyond. We serve approximately 5200+ students each year at select Elementary Schools, Head Start Centers as well as multiple Community Partner sites across Shelby County. Every year, students who attend an MSCS Early Childhood Program score higher in Kindergarten readiness and outperform peers on District goals for foundational skills, literacy and more.

 

PRE-K APPLICATION & QUALIFICATIONS

Pre-k team member at pre-k screening

Pre-K/Head Start Eligibility

  • Age for Pre-K: MSCS Pre-K is open children in Shelby County who turn 4 years-old by August 15th.
  • Age for Head Start: Head Start is open to children in Shelby County who turn 3 years-old by August 15th.
  • Eligibility: Priority is given to students who meet Federal Poverty Guidelines and who are categorically eligible:( SNAP, TANF, child receives SSI or if child is in foster care.)
  • Wait List: Students on the wait list will be considered if space is available.
  • Have questions? Call (901) 416-3450 or email [email protected].

Another pre-k team member at pre-k screening

Application Checklist & Requirements

  • Required Documents: Review the list of required documents for the eligibility interview on the flyers below. Documents can be uploaded to the parent portal or you may bring them to the eligibility interview and a member of our team will assist.
  • Acceptance: Emails will be sent to parents once the eligibility interview is completed as to the next steps in the registration process. Once all components of the registration process are completed, parents whose children meet the eligibility criteria will be sent an email to notify acceptance into the program. Parents whose children are not eligible will also be sent an email.
  • Orientation: Parents of accepted students must attend the mandatory orientation before the child can begin attending class. The classroom teacher will contact the parent for orientation at the beginning of the school year.
  • Apply: Submit one online application per household even if registering for multiple children. Once you have submitted the application, check your email for an email from GoEngage to verify your email address and to activate your Parent portal account. This must be done within 24 hours of application submission. This step is important as all correspondence will be sent through GoEngage.
  • Eligibility Interview: Once the application has been submitted, please use this link to schedule an eligibility interview. The required documents must be uploaded to your parent portal and brought to the eligibility interview. Interviews will be held in-person at various locations across the city.
  • FAQs: 2025-26 Application FAQs
flyer english

Click to view/download Pre-K Flyer English

flyer spanish

Click to view/download Pre-K Flyer Spanish

Begin the Journey to College and Career Readiness!

Memphis-Shelby County Schools
160 S. Hollywood St.
Memphis, TN 38112
(901) 416-5300

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Greatness Grows Here!

Memphis-Shelby County Schools offers educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, creed, age, disability, national origin, or genetic information.

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