Introduction

Camp Fire First Texas’ commitment to youth development begins right from the start, with early childhood. By strengthening the systems, programs, and professionals that support infants and young children, Camp Fire invests in strong starts for children across Fort Worth and beyond.

Since 2005, the Camp Fire School Readiness Program (CFSRP) has helped children be ready to start school through improving quality of care at neighborhood childcare centers. CFSRP supports early education programs that feed into the Fort Worth Independent School District with professional development and individual coaching/mentoring focused on teaching practices that improve language and social-emotional skills among children age 0-5.

In 2020, Camp Fire began its Early Education Apprenticeship Program (EEAP), a 1-2 year program combining paid on-the-job learning, coaching, professional development, and professional certification to strengthen career and educational pathways for early childhood professionals. EEAP is an innovative approach to a critical need: stabilizing the workforce through improved wages and decreased turnover. The first U.S. Department of Labor-certified early childhood apprenticeship program in the state of Texas, EEAP is supported by the Texas Workforce Commission, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, Tarrant County College, Tarleton State University, and T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Texas.

Each year, Camp Fire prepares an evaluation report to share with partners and the community. The evaluation provides opportunities to reflect on challenges and successes in the preceding year, make adjustments to more effectively support children’s education, and have transparent, productive conversations across the community. The report separately addresses the activities and achievements of CFSRP and EEAP, enabling readers to consider each program independently as well as jointly.