Early Learning Shared Services

MARC’s early learning shared services provide leadership and coordination to build a robust early learning system with strong families, skilled teachers, quality programs, supportive communities, sustained and sufficient funding, and multi-sector collaboration.

Two teachers play with toddlers at a table with blocks

Coordination Services

Discover what's possible when early learning educators, providers and advocates work together.

children learning in class using laptops

Data Services

Get connected with data and resources for early learning in our region.

Training Services

MARC Early Learning Shared Services connects providers and educators with knowledge and skills through training opportunities and programs.

Looking for Head Start services?

Get started here

MARC created a dedicated Head Start website to help prospective Head Start families find a provider, determine eligibility, enroll and connect with resources.

Young students and a teacher in a circle

Early Learning Committees

Committees are critical to developing our programs and moving our work forward.

Head Start Advisory Committee Head Start Health Advisory Committee Head Start Policy Council Partners in Quality

Recent highlights

Here are some of the accomplishments from 2024. More information is available in the 2024 MARC Annual Review.

Quality environments

Working to improve the quality of early learning through the lens of teacher-child interactions, MARC staff in 2024 completed over 230 Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) assessments. The CLASS observational tool measures classroom quality in infant, toddler and pre-kindergarten classrooms. MARC also completed the Early Learning Program Profile quality assessments at 23 participating child care centers and the Family Child Care Profile on five family child care providers.

School readiness

Assessing over 1,500 children in 2024, MARC staff coordinated school readiness and classroom quality assessments and reporting for programs participating in the Kansas City and St. Louis PreK Cooperatives using the Pre-Kindergarten Observation Form. MARC also completed the Desired Results Developmental Profile assessing over 2,600 children enrolled in Mid-America Head Start and KC PreKCooperative.

Training and assistance

In 2024, MARC continued to partner with the Family Conservancy, Local Investment Commission and Youth Alliance of St. Joseph to administer and coordinate the Preschool, Infant Toddler and Home-Based Collaborative Networks serving 15 counties in Missouri. The initiative provides on-site coaching support, cohort training and technical assistance to improve care and education offered within 204 classrooms among 40 centers and nine
family child care programs. In addition, MARC developed quarterly reports on a variety of metrics, including on-site consultation visits.

Pediatric Health Care

A regional collaboration between Excelsior Springs School District, Swope Health Services, MARC Head Start and Diversity Telehealth provided nearly 800 pediatric and dental services for children of families seeking accessible and high-quality health care in 2024. Offering primary medical, dental and behavioral care, the KidsCare Clinic of Excelsior Springs also links families to services via telehealth technology, increasing real-time support, decreasing missed appointments and reducing barriers due to lack of transportation. Also in 2024, the clinic formed a partnership with the Platte County, Missouri, Health Department’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program to provide monthly access to food resources.

Michelle Kang speaks during the Forum on Early Learning

Forum explores ways to improve early learning systems

Nearly 100 parents, teachers and community organizations gathered in 2024 to identify
ways to improve the region’s early learning and child care system. The forum, Connecting
the P.I.E.C.E.S. (Plans to Improve the Early Childhood Education System) KC, sought public feedback on community needs and possible solutions.

A classroom inside Great Beginnings at Paradise Park

MARC Head Start Facility Celebrates First Year

MARC provides Head Start services to more than 2,400 children and families in Clay, Jackson and Platte counties. In June 2024, faculty, staff and community members from the Lee’s Summit School District celebrated one year of providing care and instruction at the Great Beginnings Early Education Center. A MARC Head Start and Early Head Start facility, the center offers a comfortable, storybook setting, allowing children to take safe risks and build confidence. The center also provides the Parents as Teachers program, early childhood special education and the federal Title I program.