| Title: | Early Childhood Development Initiative (ECDI) |
|---|---|
| Description: | The Early Childhood Development Initiative was formed fifteen years ago to maintain and improve the quality of preschool education in Rochester and Monroe County, New York. The collaboration, representing about 20 organizations, supports professional development, accreditation, longitudinal evaluation, and integration of pre-kindergarten with child care. Pre-k in Rochester serves two-thirds of all four year olds, offered equally in school and child care settings, with consistent high-quality evaluations (6.0 on the 7 point ECERS scale). Current efforts are focusing on supports and services for infants and toddlers. A $2 million federal grant enabled ECDI to train 12 early childhood professionals who now mentor 100 caregivers, half of whom work in infant and toddler classrooms. Smaller local grants fund quality support systems for in-home providers. Local funding has underwritten a two year public media campaign of TV ads and brochures on the critical importance of early brain development. The group is actively seeking increased funding for child care subsidies and pre-k from all government entities. |
| Sponsoring Organization: | MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE City of Rochester Monroe County Department of Human Services Rochester Area Community Foundation Rochester City School District United Way of Greater Rochester |
| Name of principle contact: | Jacqueline Cady |
| Title of principle contact: | Chair |
| Organization: | Early Childhood Development Initiative |
| Address: |
56 Berkeley Street Rochester, New York 14607 |
| Telephone: | (585) 271-8475 |
| Fax: | |
| E-mail: | jpcady@rochester.rr.com |
| Website: | (opens in a new window) |