CSUSB Early Childhood Education Programs support students and families within the university and community at large by providing high quality child care and hands on learning experiences through developmentally appropriate practices, building relationships, and recognizing individual strengths and values.
The childcare mission at CSUSB is threefold: to provide model programming for young children and their families, undergraduate and graduate teaching, and research.
Undergraduate and graduate students have the opportunity to observe best practices with young children and participate with children between the ages of 6 months through 5 years of age in various ways. Observation and participation allows students to put into practice information learned in lecture style classes. In addition, students currently fill the majority of the staff positions at the Children's Center and the Infant/Toddler Lab School.
Both the Children's Center and the Lab School are actively involved in generating empirical evidence related to the fields of early childhood education, family studies, and child development. Laboratory programs provide an opportunity to observe children and families in context and provide a testing ground for evaluating best practices in the field of early childhood.