Manchester, NH, -‐ Early Care and Education Projects (ECEP), a service unit of the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, and CCA for Social Good, a division of CCA Global Partners, are excited to announce their partnership to customize an online early childhood knowledge hub designed to support quality initiatives and positively impact early childhood education throughout the state. This platform serves as a centralized knowledge repository for the tools, resources, and guidance that early educators need to meet the needs of children and families.

The Arkansas Early Childhood Education Resources site is a customized version of ECE Shared Resources, an online early childhood clearinghouse developed in 2009 to support child care quality. This digital solution offers early educators, child care program owners and directors, family child care providers, and early childhood education support staff access to over 2,000 innovative, practical tools, handbooks, policies and guidance on important topics such as budgeting, best practices, human resources, indoor and outdoor safety, emergency preparedness, and more. The resources were developed with one goal in mind‐ to save valuable time and money so professionals can focus on providing high‐quality child care and education.

“We are thrilled to see the platform coming to the early childhood education community in Arkansas,” noted Denise Sayer, Vice President of CCA For Social Good and innovator of the ECE Shared Resources platform. “Over the past year, more than ever, we have seen how the platform can adapt and respond to the particular and ever‐changing needs of child care communities, supporting the success and longevity of child care businesses and their mission to provide high quality care to the children and families they serve.”

The website, AREarlyChildhoodEducationResources.org, is now available to early educators throughout the state. Arkansas joins 33 other states that have adopted the shared resources platform to support the success of early childhood education across the country.

"I hope that the site marks the foundation for the types of shared services we offer in the years to come," said Deniece Honeycutt, Director of Early Care and Education Projects. "As we continue to focus on expanding and customizing the website to meet the specific, local needs of providers and professionals we look forward to seeing the platform be first of mind to all individuals in the early education field when they are looking for tools, support and guidance."