Early Education and Development

The Los Angeles Urban League established the Early Education and Development Department to further accentuate efforts in K-12 education. The creation of this new department is also an effort to fully integrate early childhood education within the League’s neighborhood transformation model, Neighborhoods@Work™.

The League recognizes that systemic and sustainable change in student achievement requires a strong focus on early education. The achievement gap for many of the children in neighborhoods served by the League could be sharply mitigated if these children have a strong early education experience. As such, as the League continues to develop its Cradle to College to Career Continuum, it is essential that the beginning point of this pipeline or continuum starts with early education.

One of the main program areas of the Early Education and Development Department is our State Preschool Program. The State Preschool Program is committed to providing a quality educational program that focuses on the whole child and support services that address the diverse needs of all of our families.

We believe that each child is a unique individual and that all children can learn. Our preschool program provides inclusive settings that recognize children’s varied abilities, interests, needs, and learning styles. We also believe that all children should experience the diversity of the cultures and customs that surrounds their families, community, and the world.

In addition to the services provided to children enrolled in our program, we also put a strong emphasis on parent involvement and education. Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. In our State Preschool Program, parents are seen as partners and work with staff in developing a program that best meets their child’s needs. We take a holistic approach to student learning where parents are informed, involved, educated, and decision makers.

Early Education and Development Programs