skip to main content

Solano County Office of Education

Solano County Office of Education

Early Learning

 
Solano County Office of Education’s (SCOE) Early Learning system is a collaboration of stakeholders including educators, community agencies, parents, and other professionals working with children from the age of infancy to 5 years old. Early Learning is focused on supporting the educational community, connecting parents and providers with resources, and increasing the quality of early learning throughout Solano County. The overall goal of SCOE’s Early Learning programs and services is to ensure that each child has access to high-quality educational experiences and the resources they need to succeed in school and thrive throughout their lives.
 
SCOE provides support for early learning professionals in all settings, including Transitional Kindergarten, state-funded preschool programs, center-based childcare, and home-based family childcare. Through Quality Counts, Solano’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), early childhood education professionals may participate in on-site coaching and training, as well as professional development and program rating.

COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care Providers

Solano County has a need for emergency pop-up child care during the COVID-19 pandemic. View current information and resources for Solano County
 

Early Education Teacher Development Pathways

The Solano Early Education Teacher Development Pathways Program is a stipend program open to those teaching young children, including:  TK-3rd teachers, preschool teachers and assistants, para-educators, family child care, and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers in Solano County.  Applicants may be eligible for a stipend in one of the following areas: professional development, college coursework, attainment of Associate or Bachelor’s degree, Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential or Child Development Permit.  Click HERE to learn more.
 

Early Learning Inclusion

The SCOE Early Learning Inclusion program enhances how Early Learning and Special Education teams work together to build high-quality classrooms and expands opportunities for children of all abilities to have equal access to and participate meaningfully in childcare programs. When children are together as part of the group, their development is enhanced and positive social attitudes are fostered. Click HERE to learn more.
 

Early Learning Professional Development

In collaboration with Solano County school districts, First 5 Solano, Solano Family & Children’s Services and other partners, Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) offers specialized training for early learning professionals. Workshops offered by SCOE are open to Transitional Kindergarten and state-funded preschool teachers, as well as family child care and center-based preschool and child care staff. Trainings focus on a wide range of programs that support teaching and learning for our youngest learners, including infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children.
 
Early Learning workshops cover a broad variety of topics, including preschool and Transitional Kindergarten modules of the California Preschool Learning Foundations and Curriculum Framework, special needs and inclusion practices, trauma-informed care, social-emotional development, language and literacy, STEAM-inspired sessions, etc. Specialized training is also provided by the Region 4 California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN), the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL), and the Program for Infant and Toddler Care (PITC). Click HERE for the Early Learning Professional Development calendar. 

Early Learning Professional Resources

Solano County Office of Education maintains a list of early learning professional resources. Explore and learn what supports are available in Solano County.
 

Early Learning Special Education Programs

Transition from Early Childhood Special Education Programs
 
Early intervention programs and specialized preschool services are extraordinarily effective in helping young children with special needs acquire the skills and support necessary to be successful in school and in later life. California has long recognized its responsibilities and the importance of providing programs and services designed for children with disabilities and other special needs as part of its comprehensive educational system for all students.
 
The Handbook on Transition from Early Childhood Special Education Programs provides specific information and resources to assist families, early intervention professionals, and school district personnel to navigate the move from services for infants and toddlers to special education services and programs for preschool-aged children in a seamless and efficient manner. The handbook offers timely information to those supporting children in a range of environments, including the regular preschool classroom.  Click HERE to visit the Early Learning Special Education Programs page.

Quality Counts Solano

Solano County Office of Education is a partner in the Quality Counts in Solano Early Care and Education program. Quality Counts helps to enhance the quality of early learning and care environments for young children. Early learning programs that participate in Quality Counts can get assistance in improving outcomes for children through system-wide approaches to enhancing programs. Click  to learn more.
 

Solano Child Care Planning Council (LPC)

The primary mission of the Solano County Child Care Planning Council (Solano LPC) is to plan for child care and child development services based on the needs of families in the local community and to ensure that all families and children in Solano County have access to quality and affordable child care and child development services. Click HERE to learn more.
 

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) & Kindergarten

Transitional Kindergarten, often referred to as TK, is a free public school program for 4-year-olds who turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2. It is essentially designed to be a bridge between preschool and kindergarten. Transitional Kindergarten is intended to help build a strong learning foundation and prepare children for kindergarten with literacy skills, such as identifying letters and sounds, and more advanced math skills, such as counting objects and completing word problems. TK also helps develop skills like remembering the rules and controlling impulses. 
 

Triple P : Positive Parenting Program

Triple P stands for "Positive Parenting Program." It is a research-based parenting program that has benefited tens of thousands of parents worldwide, for more than 30 years. Triple P is a parenting program, but it does not tell you how to be a parent. It is more like a toolbox of ideas. You choose the strategies you need. You choose the way you want to use them. It is all about making Triple P work for you. In Solano County, Triple P is delivered by a group of partners who are committed to providing you with the resources you need to become a more confident, effective parent. Click HERE for information.
CONTACT INFORMATION

CONTACT INFORMATION

Lisa Eckhoff
Senior Director, Early Learning
leckhoff@solanocoe.net; (707) 399-4407
 
Michelle Burhorn
Early Learning Liaison, Quality and Innovation
mburhorn@solanocoe.net; (707) 399-4470
 
Breana Marino
Early Learning Liaison, Inclusion
bmarino@solanocoe.net; (707) 399-4471
 
Shannon Feins
Program Manager, Preschool-3rd Grade
sfeins@solanocoe.net; (707) 399-4473
 
Juanita Morales
Early Learning Liaison, Child Care Policy and Planning
 
Taylor Benson
Program Support Specialist
 
Grace Jenschke
Early Learning Quality Improvement Coach
gjenschke@solanocoe.net; (707) 399-4476
 
Kristin McCaffrey
Early Learning Quality Improvement Coach
kmccaffrey@solanocoe.net; (707) 399-4477
 
Kimberlee Patzner
Early Learning Quality Improvement Coach
kpatzner@solanocoe.net (707) 399-4472
 
Nelina Foster
Project Support Analyst 
 nfoster@solanocoe.net; (707) 399-4435
 
Brenda Hernandez
Secretary - Program Analyst 
bhernandez@solanocoe.net; (707) 399-4432