Our History

The Early Learning Coalition of Alachua County was created, along with 31 other Early Learning Coalitions across the state, by Florida State Statute 1002.83. (http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2016/1002.83)

In addition to providing financial assistance for child care and school readiness, the ELC of Alachua is statutorily required to build a coalition of partners and advocates to coordinate local services for children from birth through kindergarten. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Providing Child Care Resource & Referral services
• Providing Inclusion Warm-Line services
• Determining child care financial assistance eligibility procedures
• Implementing child performance standards
• Providing child developmental health and/or academic development screening and assessment
• Determining use of developmentally appropriate curricula
• Ensuring health and safety requirements
• Coordinating with statewide data system requirements
• Participating in state initiatives to build and implement an optional quality rating and improvement system

Our Values

Children – Children are at the heart of all we do. We believe that all children, regardless of circumstance, are capable of educational excellence and personal growth, and we are committed to ensuring school readiness and lifelong success for each one.

Community – We believe children are the future, and our community is an essential part of their road to success. By working together, we can promote education and support children as they become thriving, productive members of society.

Partnership – We value partnerships and are collaborative in all we do. We work closely with fellow service providers, families, corporations, elected officials, individuals, and the community at large to promote the importance of early learning and to secure educational opportunities for all children.

Advocacy – We are champions for children, promoting positive social and community change. Our staff and community partners are committed to advancing early care and education throughout Alachua County and share a passion and dedication to children.

Excellence – When it comes to early learning, quality matters. We are committed to providing support to our child care providers so that they can maintain high-quality programming that will further the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs of all children in our community.

Our Funding

Most of the Coalition’s investments are made possible through Federal grants, State funding, and local contributions. With this funding, ELCAC provides child care to eligible children and promotes best practices among early learning providers.

State revenues make up the balance of the Coalition’s budget and make it possible to offer every 4-year-old Alachua County child the opportunity to participate in the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program.

The Coalition takes very seriously its role as the steward of State, Federal and local funds targeted for the delivery of the Early Learning Programs (School Readiness and Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) in Alachua County. As such, the Coalition works to ensure that suspicions of possible fraud, misfeasance, misapplication of funds, gross mismanagement and employee/participant misconduct are handled in a swift manner. Click here (http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2016/1002.91) for more details on the Florida Statute as it relates to suspected fraud.