The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) are pleased to announce the opening of the Center for Early Learning Professionals. The Center is part of Exceed–Rhode Island’s Early Childhood Commitment, the initiative implementing the Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge Grant.

The Center’s services are designed to help early childhood providers, teachers, and administrators improve the care and education of the state’s youngest children, from birth through age 5.

The Center’s services will help you and your staff learn about the latest research in early childhood learning and development. You also will learn about best practices and how to apply them to improve what you do in your program and with children. Specifically, the Center provides three core services: (1) professional development, (2) technical assistance, and (3) quality improvement grants.

The Center is particularly dedicated to helping programs and providers that serve children with the greatest educational needs, including children with disabilities, children growing up in poverty, and children whose first language is not English. We will provide many of our training sessions, support, and materials in both English and Spanish. Our services are free to the state’s early learning programs and providers.

For more information, visit the Center’s website at center-elp.org.