Educational First Steps

efs was founded in 1990 as a grant-making entity, but concluded by 1996 that it could have greater impact by directly working in communities and classrooms to improve child care as preparation for educational success. efs developed a staff of expert specialists and trainers that worked to develop nationally accredited excellence among these providers, using an earlier generation of the four steps to excellence program. by 2007, efs had demonstrated the unique ability to achieve this goal in impoverished communities and began a significant expansion of service to reach its current size. in 2010, the organization embarked on its first true geographic expansion, recruiting seven centers in tarrant county that have proved the successful portability of efs’ model. the efs four steps to excellence program consistently fosters cooperative relationships with early learning teachers and directors through on-site, in-classroom mentoring, formal training and enrichment, with the ultimate goal of