Our mission is to provide early intervention, professional development, and foster leadership to ensure every child has equitable access to high quality early education by supporting the individual needs of children, families, and early learning and care settings which result in sustainable changes.

The Early Education Programs and Services Unit provides:

• Early intervention services to infants/toddlers with special needs birth to three years of age and their families through HOPE Infant Family Support Program
  
• Professional development to support quality early education programs for children birth to five through our San Diego Quality Preschool Initiative (SDQPI).
  
• Leadership in developing preschool experiences that are developmentally appropriate and designed to promote school readiness for all children
  
• Oversight to Local Child Care and Development Planning Council
  

Early Intervention is provided through:

• HOPE Infant Family Support Program, which has a transdisciplinary staff that serves families of infants and toddlers who are eligible for California Early Start and reside in a Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) served by HOPE
  
• Family Support services provided in collaboration with the Exceptional Family Resource Center
  

Support for Early Education programs includes:

• Organizing the annual Early Years conference
  
• Professional Development
  
• Coordinating the State Preschool Directors’ meetings
  
• Offering professional development through several grant-funded programs including California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN)
  
• Offering professional development through our Early Childhood Inclusive Practices Certificate Course
  
• Working with the First 5 Commission of San Diego and community/district preschool providers to implement San Diego Quality Preschool Initiative (SDQPI) in San Diego County 
  

A Parents Guide to Early Education

What services do you need? Do you qualify for vouchers? Do you know what “quality” looks like? Check out "A Parents Guide to Early Education."