Early Childhood Family Education | ECFE

District 196 Information

Early Childhood Screening - Silver Bell Learning Center, 2120 Silver Bell Rd., Eagan, MN. Call 651-423-7899.

Early Childhood Special Education - For information on evaluations and early intervention. Call 952-388-1900.

ECFE Parent Handbook 2021-2022

Kindergarten and Magnet Schools - General information for incoming kindergarten families. Or go directly to kindergarten enrollment to start the pre-enrollment process.

New Baby - Do you have a new baby? Are you new to town? If so, please contact Student Information Services at 651-423-7640 with your family’s updated information so you receive important program information and updates.

School Attendance Locator

Activity Ideas

• Macaroni Kid Community Resources
• ECFE Sings Lyrics

Favorite Links

• Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
• Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning at Vanderbilt University
• Common Sense Media
• Conscious Discipline
• The Ellyn Satter Institute - Models for Feeding Dynamics and Eating Competence
• Head Start (CAP of Scott, Carver & Dakota Counties) - accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year
• Healthy Children - American Academy of Pediatrics
• Help Me Grow Minnesota
• Kids in the House
• Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, Ed.D.
• Mom Enough
• Pacer Center - Champions for Children with Disabilities
• ParentAware - Tools and information to find quality childcare and early education
• Parenting Counts
• PBS Parent Resources
• Positive Discipline
• Simplicity Parenting
• Zero to Three

The ECFS (Early Childhood Family Services) Advisory Council supports Early Childhood programming within District 196. This programming includes Early Childhood Family Education, Connections Preschool and Family School. The Advisory Council is a highly valued resource for District 196 ECFS and assists in the development, planning and monitoring of Early Childhood Family Education programs.

New members are always welcome!

To learn more and submit your application, visit their web page.

Parents learn with your child!

Family School, a literacy program for English language learners, has four important parts:

• a preschool program for children ages three or four
• time for parents and children to play and learn together
• parent education and adult education

Parents and their preschool children can attend school together Monday through Thursday mornings at District 196 learning centers in Apple Valley. Families must be District 196 residents, have preschool children, and a goal in Adult Basic Education as an English learner (EL) or GED student.

Find Out More

All Connections Preschool and ECFE teachers are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Education.

Meet Our Teachers

Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) recognizes that parents are their child’s first and most important teachers. ECFE offers parents hands-on learning experiences that will nourish a lifetime of teachable moments.

All ECFE classes are taught by licensed early childhood teachers and parent educators to provide the quality education parents are looking for. ECFE teachers use the Parent Education Core Curriculum Framework and Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota’s Early Learning Standards provided through the Minnesota Department of Education.

Click here to open a printable brochure about ECFE