As the new school year quickly approaches, Milwaukee Public Schools is announcing that the district will provide free transportation for stud

ents participating in MPS Head Start, which puts qualifying K3 and K4 students on the path to school success through individualized educational experiences, nutrition and family services.

The free transportation piece is a first for MPS, which offers free Head Start programming at 24 sites across Milwaukee. The federally- and state-funded program includes exceptional educational experiences along with a daily breakfast/snack and lunch; health services and screenings; parent involvement/volunteer participation opportunities; and family resources to help ensure students enter K5 ready to learn.

And MPS’ Head Start programming has a history of success: MPS Head Start students were stronger readers and performed better in math by the time they reached 3rd grade than students without Head Start experience, according to a review of test results.

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“MPS Head Start programs are an outstanding opportunity for Milwaukee families to put their children on the path to success,” MPS Superintendent Gregory Thornton said. “And MPS now offers the added benefit of free transportation to locations throughout Milwaukee.”

Families must meet federal income guidelines to quality for Head Start. Children who are receiving foster/kinship care are automatically accepted into the program and priority is given to children with special needs.

MPS’ 1,300 Head Start seats are expected to fill quickly, so interested families should apply at the Head Start office at 5225 W. Vliet St., Room 9, Milwaukee, WI 53208 — or call (414) 777-7850 for more information. The office is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

To register, families must provide proof of income, a certified copy of the child’s original birth certificate, proof of address and an immunization record.

MPS is offering Head Start for 2013-14 at the following sites: ALBA; Bethune Academy; Carson Academy; Congress Year-Round School; Forest Home Avenue School; Hampton Elementary School; Hawthorne School; Hayes Bilingual School; Hopkins Lloyd Community School; Gwen T. Jackson Early Childhood and Elementary School; Kagel School; Keefe Avenue School; Kilbourn School; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School; Kluge School; Lincoln Avenue School; Longfellow School; Maple Tree School; Mitchell Integrated Arts School; Sherman Multicultural Arts School; Siefert School; Silver Spring School; Thurston Woods Campus and Westside Academy.