Welcome

The Early Head Start Program is a high-standard early childhood program for children ages 0 to 3 years and pregnant women.  The Early Head Start Program enhances the School Readiness program by offering additional comprehensive services for your child and family members.  Below are some of the benefits that you and your child can receive as participants of the Early Head Start program:

• High-quality early childhood care and education at no cost;
• Parents have an option to place their child in a center or family childcare home;
• As a participant, your School Readiness parent fee may be waived if your income falls below the 100% poverty guideline;
• Comprehensive services are offered by experts in the areas of education, family services, health, mental health, nutrition, and disabilities;
• Services and accommodations are available for children with special needs;
• Smaller teacher to child ratio than Florida State standards;
• Nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack paid by USDA and at no cost to parents;
• Nutritional assessments are completed on all children to promote their well-being;
• Developmental screenings are conducted to individualize children’s education and to provide intervention strategies if needed;
• Formula and diapers are provided for your infant and toddlers while at school;
• Quality individualized education services provided to children by high-quality teachers;
• Family support services available for emergency situations (food, shelter, transportation, etc.);
• Long-term planning with families to improve quality of life;
• Programmatic decision-making opportunities for parents who wish to become involved in program governance;
• Frequent monitoring of the program to maintain quality;

If you are not currently enrolled in an Early Head Start Program,  this would be a great time for you to consider applying.   To apply for the program, go to the section below, Apply for Early Head Start.

Click on the link to see a map of the Early Head Start Child Care Sites

https://maps.app.goo.gl/X2mNUEEQweHsS7Cy7

To be eligible for Early Head Start services:

• Your child must be younger than three (3) years of age and/or be a pregnant woman
• Your family must meet federal income guidelines based on the number of household members
• You must live in Miami-Dade County

Enrollment is based on a point system in which families with the highest number of points are given priority in the program.

Links

School Readiness

Income Guideline

Early Head Start Online Application

EHS Main Office Phone Number: 305-646-7220 ext. 2457

Email Address: neighborhoodplaceehs@elcmdm.org

• The program year runs from August 1 to July 31.
• Early Head Start offers services Monday through Friday.
• The hours for Early Head Start are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you are a part of School Readiness, your child will receive services until 6:00 p.m.
• Please check with your center for holidays.
• Teachers will be conducting at least two parent-teacher conferences and home visits during the school year. Home visits days are January 17, 2025, and July 31, 2025.  Early Head Start will be closed on the two (2) home visit days.
• Professional development days for 24-25 are October 25, 2024 and April 25, 2025. Early Head Start will be closed for professional development days.
• Our program uses Creative Curriculum to guide learning.
• Within the first 45-days of your child entering school a developmental and behavioral screening will be conducted on your children. The developmental screening is the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Third Edition and for behavioral will be the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Social Emotional, Second Edition.
• Our program is inclusive to children with disabilities and/or developmental delays.
• The centers will use the Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment to track your child’s development and to plan developmentally appropriate activities.
• The program does not require that parents purchase a uniform. Wearing a uniform is at the discretion of each family.
• During hours and while in the care of the Early Head Start center, diapers and wipes will be provided by the program. Parents are not allowed to bring their own diapers and wipes to the center.
• Food will be provided by the center. Parents will not be allowed to bring food from home.
• Parents are responsible for ensuring all of their child’s medical information is up to date at the center.

We encourage parents and other family members to become fully involved in the Early Head Start program. Here are some ways you can become involved or support the program:

• Volunteer in the classroom and school activities
• Attend parent meetings
• Be a part of the Policy Council
• Participate in trainings offered by the program
• Be a part of the hiring committee
• Participate in the program’s self-assessment
• Share resources with other parents
• Recruit for the program by telling your friends, family, and others in the community about Early Head Start
• Participate in parent-teacher conference and home visits.

The Policy Council is a group of parents and community representatives that are responsible for the direction of the program. The group meets to hear about the progress of the program and make decisions that will improve the services offered to families.

Bylaws

EHS Policy Council Bylaws

Estatutos del Consejo de Políticas de EHS

Meeting Dates:

The Policy Council meets on the third Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the months of February, April, June, September, and November.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 936 8702 7177
Passcode: 473146

Policy Council Meetings

2024-2025 Policy Council Members

Executive Committee

• Chair: Randy Grice - Community Representative
• Vice-Chair: Kerenza Scheepers - Lincoln Marti - 905
• Secretary: Falan Owens - 7 Heaven Learning Center
• Assistant Secretary: Anielka Coke - Springview Academy Of Hialeah
• Treasurer: Polo Coronado - Community Representative

Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe Board Representation

• Iris Strachan Board Member

Members

• Alondra Blanco - Lincoln Marti - 905
• Ana Maria Pena -  Montesino B&G Preschool
• Ana Rodriguez - K.K.L.B. Learning Center, Inc
• Angelina Leyva - Sunshine Preschool
• Anielka Coke - Springview Academy Of Hialeah
• Antanecia Stanley - It's A Small World VII
• Ashley DeFrank Nunez - My Little Angels Day Care Center
• Ashley Herring - Lincoln Marti - 102
• Dayana Cruz Kids - Small World Learning Center
• Desmond Randolph - Step Above Academy
• Jacquelyn Villegas - Kinderland 4 Kids
• Jennifer Lynn Ortega - Rainbow Intergenerational
• Karyna Kelly - Little Red School House
• Madelyn Noda - New Aladdin Learning Center
• Marques Stokes - Children Of The New Sun Academy
• Nathalie Diaz - Tiny Tykes
• Perla Castro - Lincoln Marti - 450
• Raquel Cheatham - Lincoln Marti - 940
• Sacory Butts - It's A Small World II (L.C.)
• Shakira Lambert -  It's A Small World Academy II
• Shaquana Strozier - Kinderkids Academy III
• Sherelle Stephens - Lord's Learning Center, Inc.
• Tuquandra Simmons - Miami Gardens Learning Center
• Virginia Alegra-Ponce - Naranja Prep Academy Annex

Early Head Start Annual Reports

2015-2016

2016-2017

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020 (English)

2019-2020 (Spanish)

2020-2021 (English)

2020-2021 (Spanish)

2021-2022 (English)

2021-2022 (Spanish)

2022-2023 (English)

2022-2023 (Spanish)

Early Head Start Menus

• Catered Menu
• Self-Prep Menu

The Mindful eating in Preschool Setting tool

https://snapedtoolkit.org/interventions/programs/mindful-eating-in-preschool-setting/

The Early Head Start Program works closely with the Local Early Intervention Agency (Early Steps) to ensure that the individual needs of children eligible for services are met. Services are provided in an inclusive setting in all Early Head Start classrooms. When necessary, accommodations are provided for children with disabilities to ensure they meet their developmental goals.

Download our Roadmap to Early Intervention (English, Spanish, Haitian Creole)

For more inclusion resources visit our Early Intervention Resources.