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Center for Early Learning

Advancing Early Education

Child at Bombeck Learning CenterThe University of Dayton Center for Early Learning advances early care and education through relationship building and shared resources.

Established in 2011, the Center also helps to advance UD's Marianist mission to respond to changing times and engage in important community outreach.

The Center for Early Learning is a part of UD's School of Education and Health Sciences.

By providing experiential learning and community engagement opportunities for students, the Center for Early Learning demonstrates its mission with the following goals:

  1. To support high quality care and education at the Bombeck Family Learning Center.
  2. To demonstrate current research supported practice by:
    • Using the ACCESS Curriculum at the Bombeck Center.
    • Implementing Growing Green: A Sustainability Curriculum for Early Learners developed in partnership with the University's Hanley Sustainability Institute. These efforts involve publishing the curriculum, creating materials and providing professional development.
  3. To empower families and strengthen communities by creating a network of support for those who work with families. The Family Engagement Collaborative of the Miami Valley provides a vehicle for this network of support and also provides experiential learning experiences for student interns.
  4. To provide best practice support for Catholic early childhood programs.

Featured Programs and Initiatives

Bombeck Family Learning Center

The Bombeck Family Learning Center provides care and educational experiences for infants, toddlers and preschoolers by working in partnership with their families as the children grow and develop. The Center also serves as the demonstration school for UD students studying early childhood education.

Explore the Bombeck Family Learning Center

Family Engagement Collaborative

The Family Engagement Collaborative is a joint effort between the UD Center for Catholic Education and Center for Early Learning, along with the Catholic Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and ReadySetSoar. Collaborative is designed to increase family engagement in the kindergarten readiness process of local children.

Explore the Family Engagement Collaborative

Early Childhood Leadership and Advocacy Academic Programs

Bachelor of Science in Education

The UD early childhood leadership and advocacy program is a part-time, online program designed for early childhood professionals who have earned an associate's degree (or equivalent) in early childhood education or a related field.

Undergraduate Certificate

UD's undergraduate early childhood leadership and advocacy professional certificate is designed for experienced early childhood education professionals who plan to or currently work with and advocate for young children and their families.