Infant-Toddler (6 weeks – 3 years)

Educare DC’s infant-toddler program welcomes children from six weeks to three years old. Far more than just a daycare or childcare program, our youngest students benefit from nurturing teachers, personal care and attention, and a strong focus on their social-emotional development.

High-quality and Accredited
As an Early Head Start program, Educare DC promotes high-quality learning for low-income families by ensuring our teachers have the education credentials (including bachelor’s degrees for lead teachers), time, and bandwidth to engage and support their students.

We are licensed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education for the District of Columbia (OSSE) and are a Gold rated program.

Inclusive
At Educare DC, children with special needs receive personalized care in their classroom, as part of their regular school day. We support children with special needs and their families through dedicated in-house inclusion specialists, who:

• Help with identifying special needs
• Help parents navigate services and resources
• Work with parents and teachers to bridge the home and the school so that they work as a team to support the child

Educare DC also partners with Strong Start and other District programs to provide onsite therapy and early intervention services. 

Curriculum
Educare DC uses Creative Curriculum, which focuses on language and literacy, social-emotional development, problem-solving, and early math concepts to promote school readiness. The philosophy behind this curriculum is that young children learn best by doing; positive interactions and relationships with adults are critical foundations for successful learning; social-emotional skills are significant factors in school success; the physical environment affects the quality of learning interactions; and teacher-family partnerships support development and learning. To accomplish these objectives, the curriculum addresses four areas of development: social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language. In each area, there is an emphasis on age-appropriate assessments, weekly lesson planning, program planning, teacher supervision, and family engagement.

Educare DC’s curriculum and teaching practices align with the District of Columbia Common Core Early Learning Standards and the Head Start Program Performance Standards.

Continuity of Care
Educare DC maintains continuity of care so that each child and family has the opportunity to build relationships with their teachers. Children stay with the same classroom teachers from birth to age three, then move to another classroom with new teachers from ages three to five.

Enrichment and Wellness
Educare DC offers a number of vital health and wellness services to our children. We partner with other organizations to provide supplemental programming, such as art, literacy, movement, and music programs.

Family Support
Educare DC supports the whole family. With a team of five family engagement staff, we collaborate with parents as partners in the education of their children. This support includes increasing parents’ knowledge of child development and expectations for school readiness.

Educare DC frequently shares child progress with parents to support further learning both at school and at home. To further support parents as they nurture their children’s potential and strive toward their own personal goals, the school offers access to computers, resources for families facing challenges and support for parents’ personal goals. These programs and resources are vital to ensuring that parents have the help they need to create a thriving environment for their children and themselves.

Learn more about how to enroll your child.