Special Projects Division > Early Childhood Education Program

Early Childhood Education Program

• Overview
• Programs
• Related Resources
• Contact Information

Overview
Early Childhood Education provides children with the critical foundational skills, strategies, and experiences that promote success in school and beyond.

Research shows that students who participate in high-quality early childhood education programs:

• Engage in more complex activities with peers and materials
• Enter kindergarten with necessary skills for school tasks
• Show greater knowledge of numerical concepts
• Are less often retained or placed in special education classes

Mission
Our programs are based on the belief that in an effective Early Childhood Program:

1. Children learn best in an atmosphere that fosters self-esteem and confidence.
2. Teacher planned and child centered activities designed around language ability, skills and interest levels that integrate social-emotional, cognitive, physical abilities, healthy well being, and home and school.
3. A partnership should be established between our programs, home and community to link the child’s early educational experiences.
4. Each child’s cultural heritage and language is respected and fostered to enhance the child’s self-esteem.

Programs

Map of Child Development Centers, Preschool and School Readiness programs 

• Child Development Centers (25 sites )
  
  • Assist parents by providing a 12-month educational enrichment program for preschool and school-age children
  • Centers hours of operation vary, with most centers operating from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Parents of participating children must meet income eligibility requirements and must also be employed, in a training program or attending college. Children at risk of abuse or neglect are also eligible
  
  
  
• Cal-SAFE Program (serving all Middle, and High Schools within San Diego Unified)
  
  • Provides expecting and parenting teens with support services while completing their High School education
  • Provides an Expectant Teen Classroom and Infant/Toddler Children Center at Garfield and Twain High School
  
  
  
• Even Start Programs (1 site)
  
  • Designed to help children and their families reach their full potential as life long learners and active participants in their communities by integrating early childhood education, adult education, and parenting education into a unified literacy program
  • A collaborative between San Diego Unified School District and San Diego Community College Auxiliary Organization, Multi-Cultural Community Organization, Community Based English Tutoring Program, Cal-Safe and Neighborhood House Association
  
  
  
• Head Start Collaboration
  
  • A collaborative between San Diego Unified School District and Neighborhood House Association
  • Federally funded child development program for low-income children and their families
  • Provides a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program to foster development as well as health and social services
  • Each class is staffed by a teacher, an associate teacher, and parent volunteers
  
  
  
• School Readiness Preschool Program (28 sites)
  
  • Provides a preschool program for children ages 3-5 for families living in a targeted area who are not income-eligible for subsidized programs
  • Provides comprehensive support services to children and families such as health, mental health, developmental screenings, behavioral specialist, and speech and language resource teachers
  • Promotes a high quality instructional program with intensive professional development and classroom support through early childhood education resource teachers and kindergarten transition resource teachers
  
  
  
• State Preschool Program (48 sites )
  
  • Registration Information
    • Registration Times and Locations:
      August 
    • Required Documents for Registration:
      • PK-12 Enrollment Form
      • Certification of Parent Application 
      • Child’s Health Record 
      • Health Screenings Form 
      • CAIR form 
      • Immunization Record
      • Proof of income (pay stubs must be current within 30 days of registration. At least two consecutive pay stubs for the most recent one month's pay, Leave Service Earnings, Notice of Action or statement from caseworker must be provided).
      • Proof of residence (Acceptable documents: utility bills such as telephone, gas and electric, water, cable, correspondence from the Department of Social Services, or rental agreement.)
      • Enrolling Child's Birth Certificate
      • Sibling(s) birth certificate
  • Provides a free part-day/full day (full day offered at limited sites) comprehensive developmental program for 3 to 5 year-olds
  • Families must meet income eligibility requirements and are encouraged to take an active part in their child’s classroom
  • Provides meals to children, referrals to health and social services and staff development opportunities for employees
  
  
  

Related Resources

Health Services

• Healthy Families Insurance
• First 5 Developmental Services - (619) 515-0727
• San Diego County Health Services
• Mental Health Resource Center

Parent Resources

• Special Education Early Childhood Infant Program (SEEC)
• California Department of Education, Child Development Division
• Legal Aid Society
• Regional Center
• San Diego Center for Children
• S.A.Y. San Diego
• Start Smart Parent Information - (858) 573-2227
• Home Start
• Neighborhood House
• Mid-City Resource Center
• Centralized Eligibility List (CEL)

Contact Information

Early Childhood Education Programs
2441 Cardinal Lane
IMC, Building L
San Diego, CA 92123

(858) 496-8126 - Phone

Key Contacts

Sylvia Gonzalez
Director
sgonzalez@sandi.net

Teresa Avila
Supervising Admin Assistant II
tavila@sandi.net