The Latin American Community Center’s Early Development Center (EDC) has been awarded a Delaware STARS for Early Success Quality Rating of 5, the highest quality level possible. The Delaware STARS for Early Success is a Quality Rating and Improvement System for early care and education programs. This system is used to assess, improve, and communicate levels of quality to parents, staff, and community members.
The Early Development Center utilizes the Expeditionary Learning model where children participate in in-depth learning expeditions – interactive, hands-on projects that spark curiosity, promote active learning, encourage teamwork, build character, and capitalize on children’s innate spirit of adventure. The program’s instructional model also provides for language immersion, as infant and toddlers learn entirely in Spanish, regardless of the student’s home or native language, while Pre-K 3 and 4 children receive daily instruction in both Spanish and English, as part of the dual-language program.
To reach a STARS 5 rating, an early development program must achieve high Environmental Rating Scale assessments in addition to high quality standard verifications. Quality standard measurement is based off four categories, which include: 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).
