in december 2019,

the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children (IDAEYC) was awarded a federal Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) to analyze and augment the state‘s early childhood systems and family resources. IDAEYC selected Garden City as one of 16 collaboratives to carry out the work within each region, building upon the infrastructure of the Giraffe Laugh Preschool in Garden City, established in August of 2020, located in one of the classrooms in the Boys and Girls Club of Ada County – Moseley Center.

The Garden City Early Learning Collaborative collected demographic data and conducted surveys of its families, businesses and early learning programs during July and August 2020. Findings from this assessment assisted in creating this local strategic plan and contributed to the state level strategic plan, prepared for the next phase of the grant to increase and expand high quality learning opportunities and resources for Idaho’s young children and families.