- Grand Prairie Independent School District
- Early Head Start
Early Education Programs
Early Head Start
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The goal is to offer an exemplary educational program for qualifying families with infants and toddlers (birth-3 years).
Early Head Start is a collaborative partnership between SER-Jobs for Progress and the Grand Prairie Independent School District serving individuals in Dallas County.
Purpose of Program
- Enhance children’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development
- Enable parents to be better caretakers and teachers to their children
- Help parents meet their goals, including that of economic independence
Services Provided by Early Head Start
- Quality early education through the center or home-based program
- Parenting skills training for families with newborns and other infants
- Parent education, including parent-child activities
- Comprehensive health services including services to women before, during and after pregnancy; assistance with well-baby and well-child checkups
- Ongoing support for parents, referral to agencies in the community to meet specific needs and peer support groups
Locations
- Little Coyotes at Crosswinds ACH
- Little Dragons at Daniels Elementary
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Who is Eligible for Early Head Start?
- The family's income must fall within the federal poverty income guidelines.
- For Early Head Start a child must be an infant or a toddler younger than three years old.
- The child must live within the school district boundaries of Grand Prairie ISD. (with the exception of students meeting the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act).
- Pregnant women and teens that meet the above eligibility criteria may apply for Early Head Start services.
Before you can enroll your child/children in the Head Start program; you must meet the US Department of Health and Human Services Income guidelines. For example, for a family of 4, the total household income must be at or below $24,300.
2020 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia
How Can I Enroll?
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For enrollment please contact Yolanda Shamlin-Shields at 972-522-2978.
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What Do I Need to Bring?
Each family applying will have to provide the following income documents in order of priority:
- 1040, or 1040A income tax form which documents all of the family members in the household.
- Annual benefit statements such as: TANF, SSI, Social Security, Child Support, Foster Care Payment, and Unemployment compensation when applicant has been unemployed for the past twelve months.
- Families who receive cash benefits may submit a letter from their employer stating annual income of employee on company letterhead, signed, and dated by employer with the employer’s company address, and phone number. Letter must be notarized with a notary seal.
Other required documents are:
- Copy of child’s certified birth certificate.
- Copy of child’s social security card.
- Copy of child’s current immunization record.
- Copy of child’s lead screening form results.
- Copy of child’s medical insurance information.
- Copy of child’s physical exam.
- Copy of child’s dental exam.
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Who Can I Contact?
Yolanda Shamlin-Shields
Little Coyotes & Little Dragons Learning Center Site Supervisor
Phone: 972-522-2978
Email: Yolanda.Shamlin-Shields@gpisd.org