High quality early childhood education programs provide services to young children and their families to promote healthy social, emotional, physical and cognitive development.

Research on early brain development supports the need for high quality early childhood education programs to ensure optimal development of brain architecture, success in school, in life and in society.

Schools participating in the Nonpublic Early Childhood Development Program must meet compliance with many national quality standards. These standards include having teachers certified in early childhood education, a developmentally appropriate curriculum, small class size (20 children maximum), an adult to child ratio of 1:10 (requiring a teacher assistant for more than 10 children in a class), and before - and after-school enrichment programs.

The following list contains qualities that you would expect to find in a high-quality high-quality childhood education program:

Children spend most of their playing and working with materials or other children.

Children have access to various activities throughout the day. Look for assorted building blocks and other construction materials, props for pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as matching games, pegboards, and puzzles.

Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day.

The classroom is decorated with children’s original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and stories dictated by children to teachers.

Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. The natural world of plants and animals and meaningful activities like cooking, taking attendance, or serving snack provide the basis for learning activities.

Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Worksheets are used little if at all.

Children have an opportunity to play outside every day , weather permitting. (Outdoor play is never sacrificed for more instructional time)

Teachers read books to children individually or in small groups throughout the day, not just at group story time.

Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Teachers recognize that children’s different background and experiences mean that they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.

Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel secure about sending their child to the program. Children are happy to attend; they do not cry regularly or complain of feeling upset.

** According to the National Association for Educators of Young Children

To participate in the NSECD Program, children must be residents of Louisiana and be four years of age by September 30, have proof of up to date immunizations and the child’s family must meet the income guidelines for the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program. This means that a family’s earned income may not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level. For example, a family of four earning less than $44,100, would be eligible (see NSECD eligibility guidelines chart below)

TANF-EZ GUIDELINE CHART
NSCED Worksheet on Family Income
Eligibility for TANF-Funded Services

(Current as of 5/04/09)

NSECD classrooms are fully integrated, having both children served through NSECD Program funds and children served through any other funding source, including private tuition payments, enrolled in the same classrooms.