Wilmington, DE – The Latin American Community Center’s Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP) has been awarded a Delaware STARS for Early Success Quality Rating of 5, the highest quality level possible. This is the second LACC program to receive a Delaware STARS Level 5 quality rating this year. The first was the Early Development Center (EDC), which received the designation in January 2014.
Recently Delaware Secretary of Education Mark Murphy stated, “Congratulations to the LACC for achieving the top Stars rating. We know how critical quality early education is to our children’s success. We are proud to have such a strong community resource and partner in Wilmington.”
“At the LACC, the most treasured members of our community are our children. We believe it is our role to do all we can to see that they succeed from the very onset of their lives,” says Maria Matos, President and CEO. “When the Governor and the state of Delaware received Early Learning challenge money, the LACC was already moving toward receiving a Star 5 rating for our Early Development Center. We have an excellent team in place implementing high quality early education programs, a team led by Melissa Browne, our Vice President for Lifelong Learning,“ says Matos.
“This is a real accomplishment to have two programs rated a level 5,” says Melissa Browne. “Our programs have grown from a STARS level 2 quality rating to a Level 5 in less than two years. We are thrilled about this and excited about how our programs are being received by the greater community and at the state level,” says Browne.
The Delaware STARS for Early Success is a Quality Rating and Improvement System for early care and education programs. To reach a STARS 5 rating, an early care program must achieve high Environmental Rating Scale assessments in addition to high quality standard verifications. Quality standard measurement is based on four categories including: Family and Community Partnerships, Qualifications and Professional Development, Management and Administration, and Learning Environment. The Early Development Center is an Expeditionary Learning (EL) and dual language program (Spanish/English).
About the Latin American Community Center
The LACC is a multiservice, multicultural non-profit organization headquartered in Wilmington’s Hilltop neighborhood. The LACC provides an array of programs and services for all ages to the New Castle County Latino community and beyond, reaching over 25,000 individuals a year. The Center’s mission is “to advocate for and assist the Latino Community by offering services in a continuum of care that promotes empowerment and an enhanced quality of life while celebrating our diverse cultures.”
