What We Do

Promote the equitable distribution of high-quality resources across the birth to eight continuums, which includes leadership and professional development, to encourage a well-qualified, culturally and racially diverse workforce.

Expand ECE

BCDI-Atlanta’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Project

BCDI-Atlanta's Expand ECE (Early Care & Education) initiative seeks to increase the diversity of early childhood education leaders and provide ongoing leadership support for childcare program owners, center directors, and family/group childcare providers.

Expand ECE is a multi-tiered approach that is designed to systematically address the programmatic needs of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This initiative consists of 3 tiers.

Anchor 1

3 Program Tiers

Tier 1 includes professional development for adults who live and work with Black children through BCDI-Atlanta's Annual Culturally Responsive Early Education & Care Summit. This tier uses a strengths-based approach to train early educators and supporters on how to be more culturally responsive by learning about each child's strengths, abilities, experiences, and interests as developed within the child's family and culture.

Tier 2 is the Community level providing professional development on cultural responsiveness and inclusion. The Community Tier includes self-paced online training on strategies to improve personal goals (assist staff in self-awareness of culture, beliefs and personal values); workplace goals (foster a workplace of inclusion); and child/family goals (uplifting family voices and a commitment to equitable child outcomes), through professional development and networking opportunities such as our Leadership & Equity Advancement Network (LEAN).

Tier 3 includes our annual fellowship program offerings - intensive training, coaching and mentoring programs with the goal of advancing and diversifying the early education workforce through inclusive and equitable leadership.