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Center & Homebase Hub

Educational First Steps helps early childcare centers in historically underinvested communities achieve prestigious national accreditation — at no cost to the educators, families, and communities served.

We are one week away from the EFS ECE Conference, happening on April 12th  at the Gaylord.

Registration and Breakfast starts at 7:00 AM

Teachers, check with your director if you are signed up and registered 

What is the Four Steps to Excellence Program?

Through the Four Steps to Excellence, Educational First Steps partners with local small business owners to close the educational opportunity gap and transform communities across North Texas. The childcare centers we partner with have a passion for children and strong community support, however, they often lack the time, training, or financial resources to pursue national accreditation.

 

That’s where EFS steps in to fill the resource gap — thanks to the support of our many donors and corporate partners. Over a period of roughly 36 months, we provide the financial support, business development services, and early learning mentorship required to help our partner centers achieve accreditation from two of the most rigorous accrediting bodies: 

 

In support of our vision of equitable educational opportunities, the Four Steps to Excellence program is offered completely free of charge to the centers we work with.

Step 1

Home Base Care Provider Partners

Goal:

Sustain high-quality care, enroll in Texas Rising Stars (TRS) (if not already enrolled), and are members of a partner HBC association  

 

Participants Receive: ​

  • Access to learning system, live trainings, and all of our Academy training sessions such as First Aid, CPR, pre-service training 

  • Access to our pilot programming 

  • Access to Professional Learning Communities (PLCS) for TRS enrollment and support  

  • Access to our annual conference  

Step 2

Pathways to Quality Partners 

Goal:

Participants achieve high-quality standards in core early childhood education milestones. These milestones lead to the ultimate goal of national accreditation. 

Participants Receive

  • Access to learning system, live trainings, and all of our Academy training sessions such as First Aid, CPR, pre-service training 

  • Access to our pilot programming 

  • Access and support to coaching from our educational specialists for classrooms to national accreditation 

  • Access and support to coaching from a quality manager with administration support to national accreditation  

  • Access to Professional Learning Communities (PLCS) for TRS enrollment and support  

  • Access to our annual conference  

Step 3

Quality Partners

Goal:

Sustain high-quality care, maintain accreditation, and achieve reaccreditation. This step helps ensure center leadership to sustain high-quality care to get students school-ready.

 

Participants Receive

  • Access to learning system, live trainings, and all of our Academy training sessions such as First Aid, CPR, pre-service training 

  • Access to our pilot programming 

  • Access and support to coaching from our educational specialists for classrooms to maintain accreditation 

  • Access and support to coaching from a quality manager with administration support for maintaining accreditation  

  • Access to our annual conference  

Step 4

Legacy Partners

Goal:

To support directors and owners of high quality child care centers in sustaining their quality and getting students school ready with tailored support 

 

Participants Receive

  • Access to learning system, live trainings, and all of our Academy training sessions such as First Aid, CPR, pre-service training 

  • Access to our pilot programming 

  • Access and support to coaching from a quality manager with administration support for maintaining accreditation  

  • Access to our annual conference  

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Interested in partnering with Educational First Steps?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost to become a partner?

Educational First Steps provides the Four Steps to Excellence program to centers at no cost.

What is the cost to register for an Academy training session?

All Academy training sessions are complimentary for educators and childcare providers within the EFS network (Current EFS Partners) and offered to the general public at $15.00 per person per session.

Does Educational First Steps offer Child Development Associate (CDA) courses?

Yes! Please visit our CDA Page for more information.

Does Educational First Steps offer field trips?

Yes, we offer field trips to the four-and five-year-olds in our assisted centers. We have partnerships with The Perot Museum, Frontiers of Flight Museum, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and the Dallas Zoo.

Do you partner with home-based child care providers?

Yes! Through the Home Based Care (HBC) Pilot Program, EFS supports existing and new HBC providers so that they are of the highest quality and use business practices that make them financially successful.

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Partner Provider Volunteer Opportunity Application

Current EFS Program Step:
What are your center's current needs?
Are you available for school enrichment projects involving volunteers?
Yes, evenings
Yes, weekends
Both evenings & weekends
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EFS Academy Training Schedule

May 2025
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
27
28
29
12:30 PM
🌡️Transportation & Field Trip Safety LIVE ZOOM
+1 more
30
1
12:00 AM
👩‍🏫Visualizing Progress, Let’s Graph It! (PR)
+1 more
2
3
4
5
6
12:30 PM
❤️From Discipline to Guidance LIVE ZOOM
+1 more
7
12:00 AM
👩‍🏫Exploring Science Across Developmental Domains (PR)
+1 more
8
9
12:00 AM
👣Education 101 (PR)
+1 more
10
11
12
12:00 AM
👩‍🏫Captivating Circle Time & Storytelling (PR)
+1 more
13
14
12:00 AM
🚸Effective Parent Teacher Conferences (PR)
+1 more
15
12:00 AM
🌐New Hire Orientation (ADMIN) (PR)
+1 more
16
12:00 AM
👩‍🏫Musical Art (PR)
+1 more
17
18
19
20
21
12:00 PM
👤Director Leaders Call (Live Zoom)
+1 more
22
12:00 AM
👩‍🏫Creating Curriculum (PR)
+1 more
23
24
25
26
27
12:00 AM
👣Ages & Stages of Child Development (Live Zoom)
+1 more
28
12:00 AM
👣Edades y Etapas del Desarrollo Infantil - (PR) (SP)
+1 more
29
12:00 AM
👣Understanding Brain Development - (PR)
+1 more
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Interested in partnering with Educational First Steps?

Educational First Steps

2815 Gaston Ave.

Dallas, TX 75226

5049 Edwards Ranch Rd.

Suite 400

Fort Worth, TX 76109

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