Early Education Center

Program Overview

KEEC’s Integrated Peers classrooms blend typically developing 3- to 5-year-olds with classmates who receive Early Childhood Special Education services. The setup is win-win: peer models sharpen their own Kindergarten-readiness skills while giving ECSE friends authentic language, play, and social examples, all at no cost to families.

Why it matters:

Research shows mixed-ability groups boost growth for all learners in vocabulary, empathy and self-regulation.

Our Learning Model

Inclusive, play-based classrooms. Our Integrated Peers students learn shoulder-to-shoulder with their ECSC peers, gaining authentic language, social, and problem-solving practice.

Whole-child supports. Speech-language, occupational and physical therapists push in or pull out according to each child's IEP.  Play Therapy and Music Therapy are also provided through the Clay County Children's Service Fund.

Certified expertise. All lead teachers hold early-childhood or special-education certification, and para-educators complete annual specialized training.

What We Teach

Each child follows an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that targets five developmental domains—communication, cognitive, adaptive, social-emotional, and motor. Instruction blends structured literacy, early-numeracy games, sensory-rich fine-motor centers, and explicit social-emotional lessons aligned with the Missouri Early Learning Standards, including the Emerging Language and Literacy Curriculum and Second Step curriculum. We also focus on developing fine and gross motor skills, which can include monthly in-class consultation by Physical and Occupational Therapists, as well as whole-class motor labs twice annually.

Family Partnership

Parents and guardians are equal members of the IEP team. KEEC offers:

• Quarterly progress reporting to review data and celebrate growth toward goals
• Take-home learning opportunities that mirror classroom themes for easy practice
• Wrap-around services through parents as teachers, with support for younger siblings as well
• Must complete a Brigance developmental screening prior to entering the program
• Priority placement for Integrated Peer positions is given to families actively participating in the Parents as Teachers program
• Quarterly progress reports, annual parent-teacher conferences, annual IEP meetings (when applicable), and regular posting of photos and updates on Parent Square

Measuring Success

• Regularly occurring data collection, monitoring goal progress and kindergarten readiness
• Annual Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) reports show growth rates that meet or exceed expectations