THE FRIENDS OF CROWN HEIGHTS EDUCATIONAL CENTERS INC

IN 2021, NEW YORK CITY REORGANIZED ITS CONTRACTED EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS INTO A SINGLE, COMPREHENSIVE BIRTH-TO-FIVE SYSTEM MANAGED BY THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE). THE NEW SYSTEM COMBINED THE FORMERLY DOE-CONTRACTED 3-K FOR ALL AND PRE-K FOR ALL PROGRAMS SERVING UNIVERSALLY- ELIGIBLE CHILDREN, WITH THE FORMERLY CONTRACTED EARLY LEARN PROGRAMS SERVING CHILDREN WHOSE FAMILIES MEET INCOME AND OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ADMINISTERED BY THE NYC ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES (ACS). THESE PROGRAMS HAVE ALL BEEN CONSOLIDATED INTO A SINGLE, BIRTH-TO- FIVE SYSTEM, ADMINISTERED BY THE DOE, SERVING ALL CHILDREN. ACCORDING TO THE DOE, "THIS SYSTEM SHIFT INCREASES ACCESS FOR FAMILIES, STREAMLINES THE CITY'S PARTNERSHIP WITH PROVIDERS OF EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION SERVICES AND ALLOWS FOR FURTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING SERVICES FOR CHILDREN OF ALL BACKGROUNDS THROUGHOUT THE FIVE BOROUGHS." THE FRIENDS OF CROWN HEIGHTS EDUCATIONAL CENTERS, INC., IS CURRENTLY THE LARGEST NOT-FOR-PROFIT PROVIDER OF CONTRACTED CHILD CARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SERVICES UNDER THE NEW YORK CITY BIRTH-TO-FIVE PROGRAM. WE CURRENTLY OPERATE 21 FULLY FUNDED EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN BROOKLYN, MANHATTAN AND STATEN ISLAND, SERVING A COMBINED ENROLLMENT OF 1,489 CHILDREN IN OUR PRE-SCHOOL AND INFANT/TODDLER PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND, CENTER-BASED SERVICE OF UP TO 10 HOURS PER DAY FOR CHILDREN AGED THREE MONTHS TO FOUR YEARS OLD. ALL PROGRAMS ARE LICENSED BY THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE (DOHMH), AND STAFFED BY STATE-CERTIFIED, MULTI-LINGUAL TEACHERS AND PROVIDERS IMPLEMENTING A MULTICULTURAL CURRICULUM. ALL CHILDREN RECEIVE A HIGH- QUALITY AND DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, FREE DAILY NUTRITIOUS MEALS AND SNACKS PREPARED ON SITE, AND ACCESS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES SUCH AS FREE DENTAL AND MEDICAL SCREENINGS. OUR PROGRAMS ALSO INCLUDE A ROBUST FAMILY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT THROUGH WHICH FAMILIES ARE EMPOWERED TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. OUR PROGRAMS HAVE CONSISTENTLY SURPASSED THE PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES SET BY OUR FUNDING AGENCIES AND EARNED THE WIDESPREAD COMMENDATION OF BOTH OUR FUNDERS AND FELLOW PROVIDERS IN THE CHILD CARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SECTOR.

UNDER THE CONTRACT WITH THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE FRIENDS OF CROWN HEIGHTS EDUCATIONAL CENTERS, INC. OPERATES AN EXTENSIVE FAMILY CHILD CARE NETWORK (FCCN) SUPPORTING HIGH-QUALITY CARE AND EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AGED 6 WEEKS TO 3 YEARS OLD IN 139 LICENSED PROVIDER HOMES THROUGHOUT THE BOROUGHS OF BROOKLYN AND QUEENS. WITH A CURRENT ENROLLMENT OF MORE THAN 800 CHILDREN IN THESE AFFILIATED PROVIDER HOMES, OUR MIXED-AGE FAMILY CHILD CARE PROGRAMS ARE GROUNDED IN A HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT ENSURES THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND COGNITIVE NEEDS OF EVERY CHILD ARE MET. AFFILIATED PROVIDERS ARE SUPPORTED WITH INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES, COACHING AND HANDS-ON PROGRAM MONITORING BY OUR EXPERT PROFESSIONAL STAFF. ALL FAMILY CHILD CARE NETWORK (FCCN) PROVIDERS ARE LICENSED BY THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES (OCFS), AND REGULATED BY THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE (DOHMH).