Funding Available for Childcare at Colorado State University’s Early Childhood Center

To help reduce the costs of child care for low income student-parents, Colorado State University’s Early Childhood Center is offering funding through the United States Department of Education Helping Hands program.

The grant program, Child Care Access Means Parents in School, assists in reducing child care costs for Pell Grant recipients and low-income students. In order for students to be eligible for the monies, a Free Application for Student Aid must be completed at Colorado State’s Student Financial Services office or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Parents must have children enrolled in the center to be eligible.

The Early Childhood Center serves children ages two-and-a-half to six years of age and follows the academic school year. Enrollment is open to the public. A summer literacy program also is offered using the popular "Zoo Phonics" curriculum.

The ECC provides enriched curriculum to enhance children’s learning process in specific areas of development. Areas of development include art, science, pre-math, reading, music, language arts, dramatic play, outdoor play and large and small motor activities.

The ECC is the lab school for Colorado State’s Human Development and Family Studies program. The staff includes experienced, highly qualified teachers who are university employees. The average adult-to-child ratio at the ECC is 1-to-6. The unusually high ratio enables the center to provide more one-on-one interaction, ensuring high quality education. Observation booths provide parents the opportunity to observe their children during all hours of operation.

The center received national recognition in 2001 when it was profiled in the National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers’ summer newsletter, "The Voice for Children on Campus." Ruth McBride, Colorado State’s ECC director was named Director of the Year by the National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers also in 2001. Recently, the center was nominated to submit materials for a compact disk the NCCCC is compiling that will feature select campus programs. The CD will be distributed in 2004 featuring high quality campus programs.

For more information about enrollment in the Early Childhood Center or the child care grants, contact Lynn Stutheit at (970) 491-7082 or visit the Web site at www.cahs.colostate.edu/hdfs/ECC/centerearlychild.htm.