Early Childhood Family Education celebrates 50 years

Raising children is an incredible challenge. How does potty training work? What is expected of a 6-month old? Early Childhood Family Education is a collection of programs designed to support children and their families from prenatal to kindergarten. This year is the 50th anniversary of Early Childhood Family Education in Minnesota.

Robbinsdale was one of the six pilot programs that first tested out Early Childhood Family Education in 1974. Since then, the program has expanded to cover the state. In 2024, Robbinsdale has more than 250 families enrolled in the programs.

The Early Childhood Family Education team is made up of licensed staff who teach group classes who also offer one-on-one visits.

Some classes might take the form of a single webinar. Others meet weekly throughout the school year. Classes cost money on a sliding fee. Some events, like drop-in family gym time is free.

Early Learning can also tell families about outside resources like Helping Us Grow, which connects with a free diaper bank.

Families come to Early Childhood Family Education to learn how to be better teachers of their young children. It’s also become a social experience offering the opportunity for parents of similar-aged children to connect.

“Some talk about going to one another’s children’s graduation ceremonies from high school,” said Michelle Berscheid, educator at Crystal Learning Center.

“I think because they’re in here and they’re really talking about the biggest part of their heart: their families and their children,” Berscheid added.

“Many of these families remain very very involved in their respective, smaller school communities,” Nicki Murphy, educator at New Hope Learning Center, said.

Murphy and Berscheid have been working with Early Childhood Family Education for decades.

Murphy said “they are parents who are interested in really being intentional about their practices and thinking and reflecting on their everyday intersections with their kids.”

Berscheid and Murphy also spoke about how parents have asked legislators to fund their programs. Early Childhood Family Education, with its licensed parent and family educators, is available through public schools.

This is unique to Minnesota.

“We’re working with families who continue to advocate in the most amazing ways on behalf of their children,” Murphy said.

“ECFE has had to really advocate through the years to continue with the funding,” Berscheid said. “So 50 years for us is really exciting.”

To commemorate the occasion, the Teddy Bear Band wrote a song. Go to mnafee.org, click on the 50th Anniversary tab and scroll down to the “50th Anniversary Song” to hear it.

Learn more about the programs at earlychildhood.rdale.org/ecfe.