Bank Street Education Center

Early Childhood Education

Imagine what would happen if every child—regardless of race, income, or opportunity—experienced consistent, high-quality developmental interactions and experiences from birth.

Research shows brain development during early childhood sets the stage for all complex learning, including problem-solving and the ability to sustain meaningful relationships. Our early childhood team supports caregivers, educators, and policy leaders in understanding and implementing developmentally responsive curricula that fuel meaningful learning. By leveraging Bank Street’s long standing expertise in early childhood and our knowledge of research-based practices, we help create the transformative learning settings and system-wide policies that better meet the academic and social-emotional needs of children from infancy to 8 years old so they can be joyful, valued, and able to thrive.

Our Offerings Partner With Us

Children measure a tree with a tape measure

Partnering with Children's Aid

Our Work in Action
The Ed Center and Children’s Aid are co-designing and implementing a sustainable professional learning model for preschool educators across 9 early childhood centers in New York.  The key focus areas for this professional development are supporting children’s language development as well as their unique interests and needs in the context of their curriculum.
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Educators collaborate

Early Childhood Policy Fellowship

Our Work in Action
The Early Childhood Policy Fellowship is a professional learning opportunity that supports systems leaders as they advance key priorities in their agencies while strengthening their leadership. Through this 12-month, hybrid fellowship, fellows examine real-world challenges and problems of practice through a capstone project. Throughout the program, leaders build on their strengths and reflect on their practice while receiving job-embedded support from Bank Street staff and learning from experts in the field.
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Child works with clay at Bank Street Head Start

Bank Street Head Start

Our Work in Action
Bank Street Head Start, located in the East Village, is a free preschool program for children ages 3-5, offering inclusive, play-based learning experiences rooted in Bank Street’s educational philosophy. Our program provides personalized support to nurture each child’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth. Bank Street has a proud history of shaping the national Head Start initiative, with its classrooms serving as early models for the program in the 1960s. Today, we continue this legacy by serving 68 families annually, fostering strong foundations for lifelong learning.
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What Our Partners Are Saying
Our early childhood coach always creates such warm and nurturing sessions that make me feel comfortable and ready to tackle new strategies. I think it is valuable to share and brainstorm together to find new opportunities for learning in my classroom.
Early Childhood Educator
2024