White Center Early Learning Initiative

Educare is a nationally recognized, research-based birth-to-five program that incorporates critical quality elements of effective early learning. Educare centers are state-of-the art early childhood centers open full-day and full-year, with a BA-degreed teacher in every classroom, working together in a growing network to advance quality in their own states and across the country.

The core features of the Educare Model are:

Use of Research-Based Models and Strategies
Research from a variety ofrelevant disciplines guide program design and improvements. Programs also work with a local evaluation partner to design and implement an on-going evaluation system. The information from this evaluation is then used to make continuous program improvements.

Teacher and Students Highly trained staff
Teachers have a BA degree and assistant teachers have an AA degree. (Highline Head Start staff will be working toward these standards during the next several years.)

Smaller class sizes and higher staff/child ratios
Preschool classes have a maximum of 17 children and infant/toddler classes have a maximum of 8 children. Staffing allows three adults in the classroom at various times of the day.

Emphasis on social-emotional development and language & literacy
Parents, teachers, and family support staff receive training in these areas. Teachers use assessment data to develop classroom and individual plans to promote positive interaction and language and literacy development.

Continuity of care
Infants and toddlers entering the program remain with the same teaching team until they transition to preschool; preschool children then remain with the same teaching team.

Preschool Classroom Intensive professional development
The program closes one day each month to allow for on-going staff training.

The Educare Early Learning Center is one of 12-15 centers across the United States in the Bounce Learning Network. This network seeks to provide the highest quality learning environments for children at risk of school failure. Each center is designed and built around a research-based program model that reflects the developmental needs of children from prenatal to five, their families, and the communities in which they live. Educare centers showcase the results of high quality robust services delivered to the most at-risk families.