El Primer Paso, Ltd. is a non-profit, multi-service agency in its 41st year serving Morris County's Hispanic community. El Primer Paso was established in Dover in 1969 by a group of volunteers, and has continued to answer the changing needs of the growing Latino population. The heart of the program is our state-licensed preschool, which serves approximately 50 children and their families from Dover and surrounding towns. The program is unique in the county, with its dual language (English/Spanish) curriculum and multicultural staff. In 2004, and again in 2009—under rigorous new accreditation standards—we achieved accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a benchmark for excellence achieved by only 5% of preschools statewide. The school has developmentally appropriate programs for four-year-olds and three-year-olds, and provides opportunities for social and developmental growth, focusing on English language acquisition in a caring, multicultural environment.

There is a growing body of research to support the importance of preschool education, especially for Hispanic youngsters. Long-term benefits are greatest for disadvantaged students and English language learners. When these children attend high-quality preschools, they graduate from high school and college at higher rates, have less need for special education services, as well as lower rates of involvement with the juvenile justice system and publicly-funded social services programs. However, Latino children and families face many obstacles affecting access to preschool. At El Primer Paso, we have found ways to overcome many of the barriers to preschool education for Hispanics. Of the families served by our agency, 94% are below the county median income, and more than half of this group earns below 50% of median income, which is why our sliding fee scale and policy of serving all families regardless of ability to pay is so important. Another impediment to preschool attendance for Hispanic families is the language barrier. Our program has been successful for many years because our staff welcomes the language and culture of the people we serve--oral and written communication takes place in English and Spanish, according to the needs of the child and the family.

El Primer Paso's programs are culturally and linguistically responsive to the needs of parents and families, providing services which extend beyond the preschool program. Back in the 1970s, we began offering adult English classes in response to parent requests. We now have a thriving English-as-a-Second-Language program, with Beginner, Advanced Beginner, and Intermediate level classes, which run three days a week. Another way in which the agency serves the community is by providing childcare referral and support services. El Primer Paso supports a network of registered family childcare providers, who care for infants and children in homes throughout the county, with training and program services for the Department of Agriculture's Child Care Food Program.

Our funding sources are diverse. We receive aid from County of Morris (Grant-in-Aid), New Jersey Department of State Center for Hispanic Policy, Research and Development (CHPRD) and United Way of Northern New Jersey. Preschool Advantage provides preschool scholarships to help many of our needy families. We also receive grants from the Turrell Fund, PNC Foundation, ALCOA Foundation, and Provident Bank Foundation.

Program support also provided by Morris Country Organization for Hispanic Affairs, FedEx Office of Morris Plains, Jumpstart LLC, Saint Clare's Health System, Randolph Middle School, Resurrection Parish, Colgate-Palmolive and Family Service of Morris County.