“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.” John W. Whitehead

Thank you for your interest in the Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland!  The ELCFH has a deep appreciation for the first five years of a young child’s life.

We recognize that an incredible amount of learning and development occurs during this time, and we as a community have an obligation to support families with young children. 

Our goal is to ensure young children have access to high quality early care and education programs in Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands Counties.  A high quality early care and education program is filled with rich experiences, a developmentally appropriate environment and nurturing teachers who know how to connect with children.  Through these programs, we are confident that our children will be ready for school and later life success.

So, what’s the big deal about high quality programs?  Over the past five years, the ELCFH has taken a hearty look at the early care and education services available to children and families and compared them to the quality standard indicators supported through important research studies. The High Scope Perry Preschool Project, for example, showed us that low income children who had access to a high quality preschool program were more likely as adults to have graduated from high school, have significant job earnings, a savings account , and own a home.  Also- they were less likely to have needed remedial education or have been incarcerated! In total, for every dollar invested in the preschool experience, at least $7.16 was saved by preventing later problems. Definitely, a big deal!

The ELCFH website provides a wealth of information to help parents make a child care choice for their children that best works for them. In addition, we are adding exciting information on our “Get Involved” tab- we encourage you to explore and let us know of any feedback, comments or questions!

Ed Osborne
ELCFH Chairman of the Board

Reference:  Shore, Rima. Rethinking the Brain: New Insights into Early Development. Families and Work Institute. New York, NY. (rev. 2003).