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A young girl smiles with paint on her face, next to text that says, Early Childhood Education: Play-based learning, individualized attention, age-appropriate curriculum, and much more

 

Early Childhood Education

 

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Early childhood education (ECE) provides structured and purposeful learning activities to young children, typically from infancy to age five. These activities are designed to nurture children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Quality ECE is vital for Longmont. It sets the stage for future success for both the children and the city. It equips young community members with crucial skills, reducing achievement gaps and building a more capable workforce. Quality ECE correlates with lower crime rates, better health outcomes, and increased community engagement.

Investments in early childhood not only yield a financial return, they also promise a brighter future for both Longmont’s children and the entire community.

 

 

ECE Content Menu

Why Early Childhood Education Matters

In the video below, Longmont City Manager Harold Dominguez explains the pivotal role ECE plays in the development of our children and its lasting impact on our community.

A Proven Path to Lifelong Success and Well-being

A study published by the Society for Research in Child Development strongly suggests that quality early education can have long-lasting impacts. For example, children from low-income backgrounds who experienced at least 24 months of high-quality early childhood education before turning five were more likely to graduate from college and earn higher salaries by the time they were 26.

 

Additionally, participation in quality early childhood education significantly reduces placement in special education, improves grade retention, and increases high school graduation rates by 11.4 percentage points according to this Educational Researcher review.

 

Early Education Mission Statement

Engaging and Connecting Longmont Area Families with Early Learning Resources and Opportunities.

 

What does quality ECE look like?

Qualified educators; safe, inclusive, stimulating environment; play-based learning; individualized attention; and structured curriculum.

 

Quality ECE programs provide:

 

  • Qualified educators with specialized training in early childhood education, who offer open channels of communication with parents.
  • A safe, inclusive and stimulating environment. A clean, secure and well-maintained space encourages exploration, learning and support for children of all backgrounds.
  • Play-based learning that incorporates play as a primary mode of learning and recognizes its importance in child development.
  • Individualized attention that caters to the unique needs, interests and learning styles of each child.
  • A structured curriculum, designed to align with the developmental stages of every child.

 

One Longmont Family’s Experience

 

a young child plays a game

“Before signing my son up with our ECE provider, he struggled with basic social skills and lacked confidence. Since he joined, the transformation has been incredible. He has become more independent; he is learning so much and I’ve noticed that he has greatly improved his communication and creative abilities. He is filled with curiosity and is eager to explore.”

 

“What I appreciate most is their amazing staff members. They truly care about our children and they take such good care of them. It makes me feel at peace knowing that my son is being cared for by such caring people.” -The Reyes Family

 

 

 

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