Child Development Overview

ABC Unified School District’s Child Development Department provides programs for students two months of age through middle school. A variety of teachers, para-educators (aides), and support staff serve students in almost every school in the district.

Tracy Infant Center houses classes for students as young as 2 months old. This day care center runs for the entire school day and has three classrooms. All classrooms have a teacher and para-educators to maintain a low adult to student ratio. Infants 2 - 17 months have a ratio of one adult to every 3 children. Toddlers age 18 months - 3 years have a ratio of one adult to 4 children. All classes are small with a maximum of 12 students at any one time. Families must qualify for Tracy Infant Center.

Students 3-years and older can choose from 3 other Child Development Programs. The district offers State Preschool and Head Start programs as well as an Extended Day Program for school-age children.

Children who qualify for a  preschool program receive either breakfast or lunch at the beginning of the class. They are taught many skills to be ready for life and school. Life skills practice includes washing hands, brushing teeth, and getting along with a small group of other children. School readiness includes learning skills needed to be prepared for school such as writing, recognizing numbers and letters and the sounds letters make. All of this is provided in a fun environment where children learn best. They also have outdoor play time in well-supervised and maintained facilities.

State Preschool offers both morning and afternoon sessions at three sites: Artesia High School Children’s Center, Palms Elementary School in City of Lakewood, and Furgeson Elementary School located in the City of Hawaiian Gardens.

Head Start offers a full day session of 6 hours at seven elementary schools serving the cities of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood and Norwalk: Aloha, Carver, Hawaiian, Kennedy, Melbourne, Niemes, and Willow Elementary Schools. In addition to everything offered to our state preschool programs, parent involvement and education are included in Head Start.

Extended Day Program provides extended learning time for children at many of our elementary schools and middle schools. The Extended Day Program provides time for students to complete homework, but it is so much more than that. Students are provided snack and outdoor exercise, and they have special content and curriculum delivered by a Child Development teacher and para-educator.

To find out more about any of these programs, please call or visit us near Gahr High School at:

ABC Unified School District, Child Development Programs

District Office West

11011 Artesia Boulevard  

(562) 229-7985