With many young families in Frisco and more moving to the area every day, the number of early childhood centers in the area continues to increase. For those families without the financial means to send their child to an independent center, however, Frisco ISD offers its Early Childhood School, which includes a prekindergarten, a Head Start program and a preschool program for children with disabilities. "The Early Childhood School supports three early intervention programs for children ages 3 and 4," said Laurie Tinsley, area director for elementary instruction. "The goal of the district is to support high-quality early learning that promotes Kindergarten school readiness for children." The school, which opened in 2009, currently enrolls about 640 students. Before the ECS campus opened, services were offered to students on the individual campuses, Tinsley said.

Prekindergarten

The prekindergarten program is a half-day program offered in either the morning or afternoon for 4-year-olds who meet specific criteria. That criteria includes having a language barrier, being educationally disadvantaged, defined as homeless, a child of a military member or a child who has ever been under conservatorship by the Department of Family and Protective Services. The program is funded by federal, state and local money. Families apply for the program each year in July.

Head Start

Head Start is a full-day program funded jointly by federal, state and local agencies. "Head Start is a federal program that promotes the school readiness of children ages 3 and 4 from low income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development," Tinsley said. The program supports growth in language and literacy, cognition and general knowledge, physical development and health and social and emotional development. Services offered to participants and their parents include health, nutrition, social and other services, as well as education and cognitive development services. "Head Start emphasizes the role of parents as their child's first and most important teacher," Tinsley said.

Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities

Children in the PPCD program—ages 3-5—are provided with special education and related services for children with disabilities. The PPCD services do not necessarily take place at the Early Childhood School, Tinsley said. Students may receive support in settings including prekindergarten, classrooms or in programs such as the Head Start and preschool programs. "Students may receive half-day or full-day services, which is based on individual student needs," Tinsley said. Recruitment for the program is ongoing and does not follow the regular school calendar. The PPCD program also is funded by federal, state and local funds.

• Early Childhood School
• 10330 Red Cedar Drive
• 469-633-3825
• www.friscoisd.org/ecs