A Recipe for Successful Early Childhood Learning

ELPM’s mission is to support and promote early childhood learning and development by providing safe and adequate facilities where early learning programs and activities can be conducted. Since its inception in 1999, ELPM has become a leader in addressing the lack of high-quality early learning facilities, ages birth to 5 years old, in Metro Atlanta. For the past 20 years, ELPM has purchased, renovated or constructed 15 high-quality early education centers located in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Barrow, Paulding, and Greene counties. ELPM centers have accumulatively served 39,000+ young children and their families in licensed, NAEYC accredited or equivalent, Quality Rated, facilities offering high-quality, nurturing educational programs, as well as community outreach programs. Studies have shown that a strong focus on quality education for children under five produce long term benefits, especially for at-risk children. Providing access to affordable, high-quality facilities is a key ingredient for delivering successful, nurturing early childhood care for children to be ready to learn and ready to succeed in the K-12 educational system. ELPM collaborates and works closely with funders, grantmakers, and philanthropists who share a common goal and commitment to address the issues facing early childhood learning.

Under the ELPM model, ELPM raises the capital funds for each project and offers proven, non-profit early care providers affordable long-term leases at below-market rates. ELPM utilizes the rent proceeds to re-invest back into the facilities by providing the on-going maintenance services and capital projections/repairs, which allow the providers to concentrate its efforts on the development of the children rather than dealing with facility issues or raising additional funds, which would be very challenging. Through these facilities, ELPM has directly improved the quality, efficiency, and accessibility for early learning by providing young children the opportunity to attend quality early learning centers, giving them the same opportunity as their more advantaged peers.

Goals

  • To make sure there are adequate, accessible, high-quality early learning facilities available for eligible children in underserved areas, ages birth to 5 years old, in Metro Atlanta and surrounding areas.
  • To ensure facilities are available at “below” market rates to non-profit early childhood education providers with proven track records so the providers can utilize their limited resources to provide high-quality programs.
  • To handle and provide facility maintenance and capital repairs at the early learning centers, which allows the providers to concentrate efforts on quality childhood program delivery.
  • To estimate and forecast future maintenance and capital expenditures to ensure the early learning facilities remain safe, nurturing centers, and that the facilities continue to serve its intended purpose of providing quality early learning programs.
  • To make sure the early learning centers are licensed by the State of Georgia, enrolled in the Quality Rated system through Bright from the Start, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, and meet all of the Head Start and NAEYC, or equivalent, standards and requirements.

ELPM Fast Facts

  • Incorporated in 1999 as a 501c(3) functioning primarily with volunteers and in-kind services
  • Took the lead in 1999 to re-align the Fulton County Head Start program
  • Partnered with UW/Smart Start Georgia (GELI in1999) to develop a master plan to address the need for quality early learning centers
  • Raised millions in dollars to own, construct or renovate 15 high-quality early learning centers in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Paulding, Barrow and Greene Counties, totaling approximately 350,000 square feet
  • In 20 years, ELPM centers accumulatively served approximately 39,000 young children, their families and local communities
  • Performs on-going maintenance and capital expenditures of centers, forecasting for future maintenance and capital expenditures
  • Explores avenues to help the Head Start grantees, and other non-profit providers to strengthen programs and strategize avenues for future program expansion, and to help with the quality of facilities in Georgia
  • Helped create the READY School initiative, a free, half-day satellite classroom tied to a local, licensed early learning centers to enroll children who are not attending a quality early learning center due to slot availability, language barriers and cost
  • Helps link colleges with local high-quality early learning centers to incorporate teaching labs into their early learning degree programs to address the need for additional high-quality early learning teachers
  • Spearheads round table meetings with potential funders, philanthropists, local early learning commissions, or stakeholders to address the lack of facilities in their communities, develop strategic partnerships, and leverage fundraising opportunities to tap into available resources
  • Continues to raise awareness and strong advocacy for the importance of early learning

Provider Fast Facts

  • NAEYC and/or Quality Rated developmentally appropriate learning programs
  • Head Start and Early Head Start Family & Childhood Education Services, and infant/toddler scholarships at no cost to eligible families
  • Georgia Pre-K Early Childhood Education available at no cost to 4 year olds
  • Extended day services to assist families with childcare so they are able to work
  • Served approximately 20,000,000+ meals to children who would not ordinarily receive throughout the day
  • Fully equipped media centers and family resource rooms available to parents to encourage “at home” educational nurturing
    STEM Programs, family nutrition and parenting classes
  • Works with public schools to ensure smooth transition for children and families
  • Community partnerships and links for medical and social services
  • Positive economic impact on the community by providing full time employment