Early Learning
High-quality early learning experiences have an extraordinarily positive impact on a child’s cognitive, social, and physical development. When children have access to quality care, they are more likely to be ready for kindergarten—and both future school and career success.
Forty percent of children in the United States enter kindergarten without having experienced that quality care, and nearly three-quarters of them never catch up academically to their classmates (The First Five Years Impact Success in School and Life).
Early educators have a significant influence on young children’s academic trajectory and must be equipped to support them. However, in 2014 our team learned from educators that they had little access to high-quality, affordable training and education to help build their practice.
In direct response to this problem, the Lastinger Center built a comprehensive system of accessible, affordable and accredited professional development opportunities, known as Flamingo Early Learning, that provide early childhood educators the learning opportunities and support they need for success. Since the system’s launch in 2015, we’ve delivered more than 600,000 hours of online content to over 33,000 early childhood professionals.
Early Learning by the Numbers
hours of professional development content
early childhood professionals participating
Our Programs
Online Instruction
1,000+ hours of professional learning content in English and Spanish that covers a wide range of early childhood education topics.
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Coaching Certification
Eight-month online program leads participants through a job-embedded coaching certification that prepares them to support early childhood educators in the classroom. Learn more.
Instructional Leadership Development
Tailored professional learning experience designed to deepen the expertise of instructional leaders in early childhood education settings.
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Community of Practice Facilitator Training
Online or in-person collaborative program that prepares participants to effectively lead and facilitate productive, goal-oriented meetings.
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Improvement in Teacher and Program Quality
- Of early learning providers that engaged in one year of Flamingo early learning professional development, 79% observed improved CLASS and CQI quality levels
- Early learning providers that continuously engaged in Lastinger professional development for more than three years had an average of 27% improvement in program quality
Overall Improvement in Direct Child Outcomes
Children of practitioners engaging in two or more years of Lastinger professional development had a 23% higher average developmental growth rate, and higher overall growth scores in five domains as compared to children in non-Lastinger classrooms.
Early Learning Research
Discover how our early learning programs have impacted teaching and learning.
Programs in Action
Discover how our early learning programs are being implemented in local contexts.