1. Region IV CCDF Conference – Atlanta, Georgia
Assisting Immigrant and Refugee Populations in Accessing Child Care Resources

2. About Scottdale What is Scottdale Early Learning, Inc?
Started in 1977 to provide day care for families in housing development
Moved to new location in 1996 and expanded care to all families, while keeping focus on low-to-moderate income families
Mission
The mission of Scottdale Early Learning is to provide early education that fosters the intellectual, creative, social, emotional, and physical development of our students. We mitigate socioeconomic disadvantages through high-quality education, family involvement, and community engagement, ensuring that all students we serve are ready for kindergarten.

3. What Does Scottdale Do? We’re more than a center!
Scottdale Early Learning has two programmatic reaches:
Center-Based care, which is traditional, full-time, year round early learning programs
Community-Based care, which are non-traditional early learning programs designed to support unique populations

4. More about the Scottdale School
Provides center-based care for up to 85 children daily and has served around 10,000 children since inception
Continuously NAEYC Accredited since 1996 and Quality Rated (two star) since 2016
Programs to support low-income students include Early Head Start, Head Start, CAPS, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Quality Rated Subsidy Grant
Georgia Lottery Pre-K funded program for 42 children
More about the Scottdale School

5. Our flagship, center-based location that launched the organization
Diversity has grown steadily over the past decade
In 2013 we recognized the need to take a proactive approach to how we serve our changing community
Efforts have been undertaken at each level to support the student experience
The Scottdale School

6. A Snapshot of our diversity!
The Scottdale School
A Snapshot of our diversity!

7. The levels to supporting refugee students
Families and Community
Teachers engage families in classroom: volunteering to label with native languages, reading to students (especially books from their culture), participating in cultural events with students
Teachers and Curriculum
Pointed effort to hire teachers from the communities served
Held trainings on dual language learners to support teachers
Support for teachers on how to enhance curriculum to support the students
Administration and Governance
We prioritized training and partnerships to support refugee families
Goals were included in our strategic plan for

8. Parents help us label in their home languages!
Slide 2
Arabic
Amharic
Somali
Nepali

9. More ways we are welcoming

10. Measuring Diversity
The barrier: Despite “knowing” we had a lot of diversity, we couldn’t quantify it!
Why? Standard demographic questions don’t request language or detail on immigrant/refugee status
We distributed a demographics survey that asks specifically about languages spoken at home
The survey also invites families to share information about their country of origin and cultural practices
This led to our knowing the languages spoken and cultures represented in the Scottdale School

11. Hiring Teachers from the Community
The barrier: Having teachers that speak the home language can enhance parent engagement and student outcome, yet there were few teachers with the correct credentials
We partnered with and supported community programs that offer CDA classes for community members, serving as a training site
We advertise in local community centers and among our parents
We hire substitutes and support them through the CDA journey; accommodating class time, helping with paperwork and allowing the observation

12. Building Trust in the Community
Seek out community members that will champion your program
Build relationships with the families and ask how else you can support them
Attend community gatherings and events, make your presence known
Build partnerships with trusted community leaders and organizations

13. Parents as Teachers
First Steps Referrals
The READY Schools
Beyond the Center: How our Community Based Programs Support Refugees and Immigrants

14. The READY Schools Free program for refugee families
3 hours/day and twice per week
Fully funded partnership with United Way and CDF Action
Our role is to manage the school and teachers
Teachers speak the home language, the program is designed around language immersion and pre-k readiness
This program was started to fill the need seen and is community responsive
Currently serves up to 25 children a day, in two sites

15. Scottdale Parents as Teachers Program
Evidence-based home visiting program
Started as an extension of our center work
Works with immigrant and refugee families throughout county
Teaches families how to best prepare students for pre-k
Parent Educators screen children for developmental delays
Serves up to 75 families, around 200 people each year
Funded in conjunction with DeKalb County

16. Jamila – A Story of Success
Connected through a partnership: the READY Schools where her daughter attended
Worked as a substitute and parent aide while earning her CDA
Now a full-time teacher. Her daughter attended the Summer Transition Program and Pre-K and is thriving.
Jamila – A Story of Success

17. Resources and More Information
About Us:
About our communities:
About Welcoming:
About our Partner:

18. Thank you!
BYE! (English) NAMASTE! (Nepali) KWAHERI! (Swahili) NABDGELYO! (Somali) BHINE! (Burmese)