Our vision is that all children have the skills they need to be ready for success in school and life. Making this vision a reality is one of the greatest and most important challenges any community faces. Research shows that low income preschoolers are up to two years behind their upper income peers in early language and math development. It’s a primary reason why over half of California’s 3rd graders are not proficient in either language or math.
Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission
Ensuring every child is on a path to thrive in kindergarten and life
Vision
Empower human potential to create a loving, compassionate, and equitable world.
Values
Children Are Always #1
We prioritize the best interests and needs of children in every decision and action we take, ensuring they remain our primary focus at all times.
Collaboration
We co-create with families, staff and our community to foster a culture of mutual respect, shared ownership, and collective innovation.
Commitment to Excellence
We continually enhance our practices, set high standards with accountability, and embrace a growth mindset to achieve our goals.
Compassion
We approach each interaction with kindness and empathy, prioritizing the growth, dignity, and well-being of our staff and those we serve.
Creative Courage
We challenge the familiar, take risks, and explore new possibilities to achieve better outcomes.
Equity
We include diverse perspectives, work to end disparities, and ensure all families can help their children get a strong start in life.
Integrity
We act with honesty, transparency, and strong moral principles. Our actions align with our words, building trust and reliability.
Respect
We engage in open and honest communication, treating others as they wish to be treated.
The Challenge
How do we help our children close the gap before starting school?
That is why we are working with experts from some of the best research universities in the world, including the University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, and Stanford. Our goal is to understand what the most critical skills are that children need to learn, how teachers and parents can impart these skills, and then measure our success by looking at the growth each child makes throughout their preschool experience. This is our continuous quality improvement system, which is outlined in the circle below. Ultimately we want to know how our children do in 3rd grade, which is the first year California tests student proficiency in language and math. We want Kidango kids to show how it can be done!
Continuous QUALITY Improvement
