The first few years of a child's life are critical for their development. Research shows that 90% of a brain develops before age 5.

If not handled properly, the foundation for future learning, behavior, and growth may be negatively affected, and children may not develop the skills needed to become well-functioning adults. Recognizing this need in their community, Boulder (CO) Housing Partners established Bringing School Home to help children get off on the right foot for success.

Boulder Housing Partners' Bringing School Home program is featured in “PHA Pathways for Advancing Equity,” a report released by the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation (PAHRC), a member of HAI Group’s family of companies.

Challenge

Early childhood development is critical for children under age 5. Academic gaps are already well established by the time children reach kindergarten.

Solution

Recognizing the need for intentional enrichment, Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) established Bringing School Home, a program designed to provide additional support to children under age 6 in their communities.

However, supporting children is only one part of Bringing School Home. BHP also helps parents by offering resources to support their education and employment goals.

Implementation

The program has evolved through many iterations since its inception in the mid-1990s. What began as books stored in a laundry room and a partnership with Boulder County’s I Have a Dream Foundation has grown into a two-generation resident services program. Bringing School Home now utilizes targeted admissions to create learning-rich environments that address the needs of both children and their parents.

Bringing School Home is offered at BHP's Diagonal Court, Iris / Hawthorn, Kalmia, and Manhattan communities. Each community provides access to a variety of resources, including community centers equipped with libraries, computers, Wi-Fi, and educational programs.

Before finalizing Bringing School Home’s current focus on early learning and parent support, BHP piloted several ideas. BHP partnered with the University of Colorado Boulder to evaluate the program and provide recommendations for its implementation. Financial support is sourced through grants and donations from the Boulder Housing Partners Foundation.

Services begin when a family moves into one of the four Bringing School Home communities and continue until high school graduation. During the first three months of participation, the Emergency Family Assistance Association offers case management for housing stabilization, meeting basic needs, and identifying goals to support children. Educational opportunities persist through BHP’s Resident Services Department, partner organizations, and participant-driven programs.

With the backing of local partners, BHP provides educational enrichment for young children in the four Bringing School Home communities through:

• Summer literacy programs
• After-school enrichment
• Dental and developmental screenings
• Field trips to museums
• Parent/child art and recreation classes
• Playgroups

Parents receive support through:

• Case management
• Parenting classes
• Workshops
• Family-wide art and recreation classes

Additionally, parents are part of a leadership group that collaborates with the BHP resident services education coordinator to implement programs for children.

The program’s overarching goal is to increase preschool and kindergarten enrollment, enhance kindergarten readiness, and elevate educational attainment opportunities and outcomes for participants into adulthood.

To effectively offer Bringing School Home, BHP amended its admission policy to require families entering one of the four communities to have a child under 6. The authority established a public housing admissions preference for income-eligible families with children under 6, referred by their community partners.

BHP also leverages its property management software to enhance outreach initiatives. When a child turns 2, the Resident Services Department receives a notification through the property management platform. A resident services coordinator then schedules a meeting with the family to discuss the importance of preschool, assist in navigating the school system, and connect them with Bringing School Home programs.

Impact

In recent years, Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) reported that more than 90% of their young children enrolled in preschool, significantly higher than the state averages of 23% for 4-year-olds and 8% for 3-year-olds enrolled in preschool in 2022. BHP attributes this achievement to its partnerships with program participants, the school district, Head Start, and local organizations.

Conclusion

Bringing School Home exemplifies the transformative impact of community-driven initiatives on early childhood education and development. By prioritizing the needs of children and their parents, BHP is laying a solid foundation for lifelong success.

For more detailed insights and similar case studies, refer to “PHA Pathways for Advancing Equity,” a report by the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation (PAHRC), a member of HAI Group’s family of companies.

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