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A robust literacy intervention for families with young children who are at risk of school failure because there is a low level of educational attainment in the home.

We deliver our LEAF program to A Stepping Stone families in collaboration with Isaac School District and Synergy Public Schools.

We currently have openings at both sites. Children attend daily preschool in-person with their amazing teachers while their parents study English, GED preparation or high school diploma and parenting classes.

The LEAF Program

If a parent has not finished high school or is learning English, young children in the home are at greater risk of not graduating high school than their peers with more educated parents. LEAF provides a quality preschool education for the child as well as learning opportunities for the parents. Parents take English, GED prep, and parenting classes as well as participate in home visits and intergenerational learning activities. While parents fulfill these commitments, younger siblings attend childcare. This and all other aspects of the program are free of charge.

This 30-year-old, award-winning program works with public school districts that provide space on local school campuses. The host district also provides direct site management through preschool directors or principals, some of the adult education, and access to free and reduced breakfast and lunch for the enrolled preschooler through school-funded programs.

A Stepping Stone Foundation provides funding for all aspects of the program other than meals and some adult education. All teachers’ salaries, benefits, supplies, and most professional development is provided through the Foundation and paid to the school districts three times over the course of the school year. We provide technical support on a weekly basis and regular assessments to ensure adherence to our model.

LEAF is a true community partnership. Teachers are full-time employees of the local school district and may receive benefits such as group insurance. A Stepping Stone Foundation covers all costs associated with these benefits.

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More about the LEAF program

There is a formal application process which includes an application, an interview with the parent(s) of the child who will attend preschool and an orientation before the program begins stressing the importance of full participation all school-year long. If a family falls below 80% in any of their obligations (a rolling monthly average), they are placed on a six week probation. During this time, there is counseling and an attempt to remove any barriers preventing full participation. While rare, if there is no improvement in attendance, the family is asked to leave the program. Often we can place that family with another less rigorous program such as Head Start.

The program lasts one full public school year and over the course of each month while in LEAF, each child attends 16 or more hours of preschool a week. Each enrolled parent attends a minimum of 12 hours of English or GED preparation instruction, 8 hours of working in the classroom with the children, 8 hours of parenting classes, and at least one home visit. As mentioned above, there is childcare provided on the campus for younger siblings should it be needed.

Child assessment is fulfilled through Teaching Strategies Gold online system and adult assessment is provided through one of our Adult Education partners such as Literacy Volunteers of America. The lead teachers provide constant monitoring of day-to-day progress and attendance.

At the end of the year, there is a wonderful celebration with the families to recognize all the hard work the families have done to make their lives better.

Eligibility

For our LEAF program, A Stepping Stone Foundation seeks families with a preschool aged child who is potty-trained where one (or both) parent(s) never completed high school or are learning English and can attend all the obligations listed below. It is beneficial if the family lives in the public school district where our program is delivered. Currently that is the Isaac Elementary School District or near Synergy Public School.

If this sounds like a match for you, you can email us at [email protected] for more information.

In order to participate, each family must fill out an application (we can help you do that!), have an interview with the lead teacher and then sign a contract to fully participate in our program. The family obligations are below.

  • Get your child to preschool every day during the regular school year.
  • The qualified parent must attend adult education classes at least four hours each week.
  • The qualified parent must work in their child’s classroom at least twice a month.
  • The qualified parent must attend parenting classes at least twice a month.
  • Families must open their home to our teachers once a month for home visits to discuss their child’s and their progress and to practice what was learned in parenting class.

In return for this investment of the family’s time, we will provide:

  • FREE preschool for the child four days a week,
  • FREE adult education and parenting classes for the qualified parent,
  • FREE breakfast and lunch for their preschool child and
  • FREE limited childcare for any younger siblings

A qualified parent is one who has gone through the application process described above. No proof of citizenship nor proof of income is required.

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Eligibility Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifies a family to participate in this program?

Because this is a literacy-based program, parents must be in need of a high school diploma and/or help with English. They must agree to be actively involved at all levels of their child’s education and their own. The teachers interview families to determine those with the most potential for growth.

What happens if they do not fulfill their commitment?

On rare occasions, a family has been dropped because of its inability to fulfill the requirements. Although this is a difficult decision, it honors the families who are busy fulfilling their commitment. The dropped family is free to have their child enroll in other programs such as HeadStart. A new family is always quickly recruited and integrated.

Can’t these children attend a Head Start preschool or other similar program?

Although an excellent program, Head Start is income-based and does not require the same level of parent involvement. Therefore, our program meets a different need. The Stepping Stone-partnered school districts report each year that for all preschool programs they have hundreds of children and their families that could be served if more classrooms were available.

Creating lasting change through two-generation education.

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(602) 843-8281

[email protected]

A Stepping Stone Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. EIN: 86-0670065. We’ve earned the 2023 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.

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