Providing an Opportunity to the Youngest in the Community to Become Future Scholars

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

The Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy (CECLA) is a pre-kindergarten site created within a retired elementary school building. Established to support families who meet certain household financial need levels or who have students with disabilities in need of assistance, it provides access and opportunities for their pre-k child to transition into a traditional K-5 elementary school setting upon program completion ready for academic rigor. This new format was developed to build efficiencies within the operational delivery of pre-K programs and facilities while helping foster a community outreach avenue that was in danger of being reduced due to enrollment capacity levels in existing elementary school buildings. Within the first year of opening (8/21), this school is successfully serving approximately 350 pre-k students within a Title I setting where the majority are from households at or below the poverty level or where they are students with disabilities. The programming is unique as it is entirely focused on meeting the needs of pre-k students and has drawn upon community partnerships (like local dentists with student dental visits), mental wellness resources (with the County Mental Health Department) and other charitable partners who assist families to help their children get a great start in school.