El Rancho Unified School District

School Readiness Initiative/Early Education Collaborative
The purpose of this grant is to promote the idea of school readiness by creating centers and programs that offer an array of services, including early care and education, health and social services, parenting education and support. Programs will be responsive to local needs and will contain elements to improve schools' readiness for children.  The target population of this program is children 0-5 and their families in the zip code 90660 of Los Angeles County. Eight percent of the population of Pico Rivera (5,215) is children under five years old. Pico Rivera is an area of high poverty with families who need additional medical services, literacy education, and social services. One in seven families (15 percent) with children under 5 fall below the federal poverty level and 28 percent of households headed by a single female are below poverty. Eleven percent of births are by teenage mothers and there are no teen parenting childcare services that allow teen parents to attend high school and graduate. Sixty-eight percent of children from the district receive free/reduced price meals, much higher than Los Angeles County totals, and 44 percent of incoming students entering kindergarten are English Language Learners. This program is located in SPA 3.  The primary program sites are taking place at Selby Grove, Maizeland School, Meller Elementary, North Ranchito, and South Ranchito.  Major program activities include: a year-round School Readiness Preschool for children ages 3-5, a four-week Summer Preschool Bridge Program for children ages 4-5, a year-round Teen Parent Infant/Toddler Program for children ages 0-3, and case managed home visits to children (ages 0-5) on the waiting list for preschool/childcare and to children (ages 0-3) of parenting teens, parent education classes for preschool parents and parenting teens (with their children, ages 0-5) On-site physical/mental and social services for children, ages 0-5, coordinated planning, curriculum, and joint professional development activities for preschool and kindergarten teachers, and a Parent Advisory Committee.