USC School for Early Childhood Education USC School for Early Childhood Education
In this section:
"I have five children. They have all attended USC School for Early Childhood Education. My oldest son started in preschool and now he's at USC…so I'm very proud. The program is very helpful for the children and the community. They give education to the parents also."

Guadalupe López, parent, community volunteer and 20+-year University Park resident

A Success Story
The 590 children who enter one of USC School for Early Childhood Education (USC SECE) programs each year are proving that quality preschool education is the first step to later educational success.

"USC's Head Start program is proud to offer children a safe environment in which to develop life-long learning skills at an early age," says interim director, Jeanette Risher. "We engage families as well so that they become involved with their childrens' education. As a result, our children are excited about learning and are well prepared for their transition into kindergarten."

Over the past 35 years, more than 4,710 neighborhood children from 4,200 families have benefited from this high-quality, early childhood education.

Program Overview
USC Head Start operates five centers:

• University Park Head Start Center on 27th Street
• Villa Esperanza Child Development Center
• St. Vincent Child Development Center
• Home-Based Program Services
• University Gardens Child Development Center

These child development centers are some of the best in the country, especially in the area of early childhood education. and serve children and families through, home-based, part-day, full-day, evening and twilight services.

Financed by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and a grant from the State Department of Education, Child Development Division State Preschool funding, the USC Head Start/State Preschool program provides the following services to low-income families in South Los Angeles:

• Comprehensive child development
• Health
• Mental health
• Nutrition
• Social services

The June 2002 federal compliance review found that USC’s Head Start program “ensured that individualization was based on the results of ongoing child assessment linked to curriculum goals and reflected the program’s curriculum, planning, record-keeping and family partnerships.”

The May 2003 State of California Compliance Monitoring Review found that the “USC program offered exceptional programming for children. The program will be recommended as a model program for other State Preschool grantees.”