“We are not just a daycare”: Family Learning Center of Edwards earns high-quality rating for early childcare education providers
Family Learning Center
For the Family Learning Center in Edwards, four isn’t just a number in their lesson plans anymore. The early childhood education center earned a level four designation from statewide childcare quality rating system, Colorado Shines, according to a statement released by the center on June 5.
Through the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, Colorado Shines is a state quality rating and improvement system for early childcare and learning programs. A variety of indicators like environment and curricula, staff, children’s health and safety and leadership are evaluated and then rated on a scale from one to five — earning the Family Learning Center a spot on the high-quality list.
FLC has been around for 25 years, taking in the youngest Eagle County residents — 100 infants, toddlers and kindergarten children. Among those enrolled, 75% of the children receive need-based tuition assistance, and 65% are second-language learners. With a sliding scale tuition model, a bilingual curricula for Spanish speakers, extended hours and a three-meal food operation at no cost, the Family Learning Center is playing a role in navigating the state’s staggering childcare prices and overall cost of living.
“FLC actively removes the barriers that force too many parents to choose between work and their children’s care,” the statement read.
“We are not just a daycare. We are an educational institution, one that opens its doors to families regardless of income, faith, or background,” said the executive director of the Family Learning Center, Whitney Young. “This Colorado Shines Level 4 rating affirms the work our teachers and staff do every day to deliver truly high-quality early learning experiences.”
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This rating is not the only turning point for the Edwards center. According to the same statement, the childcare center will soon be permanently residing in the valley at Edwards River Park. This will allow FLC to strengthen and increase what programs it offers while also expanding its capacity to support more Eagle County families.
“Under Whitney’s leadership, FLC has become something Eagle County can be genuinely proud of — a program with a rigorous curriculum, deeply invested educators, and an unwavering commitment to the families who need it most,” said the board chair of the center, Sarah Robinson. “This Level 4 rating is wonderful news, but for those of us who’ve watched this team work, it’s also no surprise.”
