On Family Education in Minnesota

I grew up in Minnesota schools, and my parents are both teachers in local districts. We were steeped in the Minnesota school systems from the start, and now I have the opportunity to raise my son in the same! Even now at 2 years old, my son and I are able to take advantage of two education programs in Minnesota – Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) and Ready for Kindergarten. These programs set the stage for learning together as a family, and I want to make sure you know about them! So here are descriptions and details (from my experiences) of both.

Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)
ECFE is a Minnesota organization provided via the school districts community education department. ECFE is exclusive to the state of Minnesota, but there are programs like it in other states. There are many different ways to be involved with ECFE, but the gist of it is an organized time to spend with your child(ren) and other parents. In some classes the kids are together with the parents the whole time, and in some classes the kids and parents separate part-way thru. Children up to five years old are eligible to attend.
How did I find it?
I knew of it because we went as a family when I was tiny =) In 2012, I googled to find the classes nearest me, joined one, and ADORE it. I credit ECFE with teaching my Boy how to wash his hands, sing songs, and for hugely helping his separation anxiety. As for me, I’ve made great friends and get a whole hour with other mamas =) To find an ECFE program, contact your districts community education program.
What do we do?

• My class meets weekly. There are four sessions/year, though sometimes you register for the entire year.
• We go to a separating class, so we spend the first hour playing with all the neat toys. There’s a theme to the class each week, and they also theme the books featured, special games and activities on the floor, and there’s a sensory table full of themed goodness too.
• We play, wash hands, then gather for ‘circle time’. Kids sit on parents’ laps, and we sing action songs. This is my Sam’s favorite part! He pats his legs along with the beat, has learned lots of songs, and I’ve learned that singing may help calm him down when he’s ramping up for a two-year old fit. =)
• After circle time, we wash hands and the kids get a snack (parents rotate bringing this), and the parents escape for an hour with an ECFE teacher. That’s right – we have our own education hour, complete with snacks! AND there’s a one-way window, so we can peek in on our kids.
• The kids play some more, than go to the kid gym or to the playground. They make art projects and learn how to play together. It rocks.

Childcare?
There is childcare in the separating classes, as I described above. In the non-separating classes, parents and children stay together, doing the education hour together in the kids room.
Cost?
ECFE will not turn down a family due to finances, and our district has a sliding fee scale in place. I’ve paid between $90  and $40 (fees vary due to the different length of the session).

Ready for Kindergarten (RFK)
This program was a surprise to me. I heard about it last year via our ECFE teacher but tuned it out, as my son was under two at the time and all I heard was ‘kindergarten‘. But then looking into the program, I was bummed to have missed a year of it! Ready for Kindergarten started as an initiative in Washington state in ’99, and since has opened in many other states. We’re lucky to have two here in MN! Basically, research found that in order to help long-lasting scholastic success, kids had to begin much earlier than kindergarten (at ages 0-5yrs). RFK meets three times a year and only in Mankato and Burnsville (but you don’t have to be a resident to attend).

What do we do?

• First, register based on the age your kids will be when entering kindergarten. For instance, my Sam turned two in December, but we’re still attending the 1-2yr old class. Next fall we’ll attend the 2-3 year class for the year, and so on. Parents of children age 0-5yrs are eligible to attend.
• Next, attend a 90-minute class with a district educator and other parents, learning research-based, age-specific ways to help your child be successful later on in school. At each class, you’ll also receive age-specific educational toys for your kids – think Melissa & Doug, Taggies, and more. For FREE.

Childcare?
…is available for babies 0-1 and toddlers 2-5. Free.
Cost?
FREE for Burnsville and Mankato residents. Seriously, it’s free. And if you’re not a resident, it’s $50/session (in Burnsville – other districts may have different pricing), which is still a super deal (considering all the information and toys/gear you get)!

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I hope this is helpful! What – if any – family education programs are you a part of?