Programs for Your Child’s Success
At ECS4Kids, we provide a wide range of programs designed to promote early childhood education, development, and well-being throughout Florida. Our comprehensive services give children the foundation they need for long-term success in school and life.
Head Start and Early Head Start
Head Start and Early Head Start is a free program that provides comprehensive early learning services to children from low-income families. Episcopal Children’s Services operates 30 Head Start and Early Head Start centers in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Lake, Levy, Marion, and Nassau Counties, serving pregnant women and children from birth through age 5. A home-based Early Head Start program option is also available in those counties.
Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK)
When the state-mandated VPK program began in 2005, Episcopal Children’s Services organized the start-up and registration of children and providers in five counties. Our efforts resulted in enrollment of 83 providers and over 1,800 children for the 2005 – 2006 school year. ECS has continued to be a leader in VPK and now serves over 5,000 VPK students every year.
Nutrition Program Information
ECS4kids ensures that children at its 33 child care centers and Head Start/Early Head Start sites in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Lake, Levy, Marion, and Nassau Counties receive two nutritionally balanced meals and one snack each day in their child care environment.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
CoachJax!
CoachJAX is a specialized team of 16, including 12 Early Learning Specialists, who work with private providers in Duval County. The goal of CoachJAX is to improve the quality of teacher/child interactions, learning environments, and school readiness for children in the community. CoachJAX works within the Workforce Development Grant in partnership with the Early Learning Coalition of Duval and the Kids Hope Alliance.
