
July 16-18, 2018 San Diego, California Join the 2018 QRIS National Meeting from July 16-18 in San Diego, California. Meet peers from across the country, share what you are doing, hear the latest research, and learn about effective practices, innovations and big ideas in the development, implementation and revision of quality rating and improvement systems […]

Angeles Mesa YWCA staff was concerned with unhealthy practices at their center prior to enrolling in ECELC. New policies are now in effect, and staff has reported adopting healthy changes in their personal lives

Keshia Waddell has been a part of the 2016-17 National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) Family Child Care Home Collaborative in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her program serves 12 children including infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Throughout the ECELC program, Keshia was fully engaged in learning about healthy best practices and showed progress during her technical […]

Edith Gutierrez implemented several new changes at Gutierrez Family Child Care in Los Angeles, California. When her program started, her space was very crowded and not conducive for active play indoors. In 2016, Edith decided to participate in the Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) to learn innovative strategies for building healthy lifestyles for […]

Vasthi Calvachi, director of Glendora Children’s Center in California, started a weekly yoga program for all the teachers and their classrooms. Vasthi wanted to introduce yoga in her program long before participating in the National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) program in 2016. She read about the benefits of yoga for children and […]

Claudia Hernandez, owner of Hernandez Family Child Care in California, made many new healthy changes regarding nutrition and physical activity in her program. While participating in the National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) program in 2016, Claudia realized how easy it was to incorporate best practices into her program’s procedures. Claudia made notable […]

Children’s Council of San Francisco coordinates a large, free community health and wellness fair called Growing Healthy Kids, which also hosts the Healthy Apple Awards–a program honoring child care providers providing excellent nutrition and physical activity.

The San Diego County Farm to School Taskforce has taken off in three years. San Diego County school districts serve more than 300,000 meals each day—spending $65 million in food per year, including $11.6 million in produce. 31 San Diego County districts are engaged in at least one of 18 comprehensive farm to school activities.

All of the meals at My First School in California were being served pre-portioned. Some children were throwing food away. Once family style dining was implemented, less food was wasted, each child ate an appropriate amount of food, and manners were learned.

Sharon Lanier, Site Supervisor at Drew Rainbow Child Development Center, decided it was time to reinstate the school garden. The garden came to life with the help from parents and grandparents.