Children whose family income is below the official poverty line determined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) are eligible for enrollment into Head Start. The official poverty line is currently $13,400 per year. In a 1990 report, the Head Start Silver Ribbon Panel noted that: (1) Head Start eligibility requirements are more stringent than those of other federal programs; (2) local cost of living or family circumstances may require at-risk families above poverty guidelines to be allowed entry into programs; and (3) there is a need for flexibility of income guidelines or the use of a sliding fee scale. The National Head Start Association recommends that the Head Start income eligibility guideline be increased to match the Medicaid guideline of $17,822 per year. This adjustment would make more than 500,000 low-income children eligible for Head Start services. The adjustment would also remove the barriers to coordination of services between Head Start and other services that result from differences in eligibility requirements. The method used by OMB for calculating the poverty line is explained. (BC)