Early Childhood Resource Center celebrates launch of Unified Early Learning System Pilot in Akron

Friday, September 12, 2025

Tags: Early Childhood Resource Center , Outreach

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The Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC) is at the forefront of an innovative, collaborative effort to strengthen Akron’s early learning landscape. On September 4, the ECRC joined with more than a dozen community partners, as the City of Akron announced the launch of a Unified Early Learning System (UELS) for Summit County.

Phase I of this effort involves a 12-month pilot designed to stabilize child care businesses, support early childhood educators and expand family access to high-quality early learning opportunities. This work could not be more urgent. Last school year, only 47% of Summit County children entered kindergarten demonstrating readiness in language and literacy — far below the community’s 80% goal. At the same time, child care providers continue to face workforce shortages and other financial pressures that threaten their ability to stay open. These challenges are at the heart of the ECRC’s mission: ensuring that children are ready for school, families are supported and providers have the tools they need to thrive.

Read more in this Akron Beacon Journal article

As the region’s Child Care Resource and Referral agency, the ECRC will manage the UELS project, which will involve eight diverse providers, ranging from home-based care and child care centers to Akron Public Schools. Together with other project partners, the ECRC will test new ways of delivering consistent, coordinated support across the child care sector. This phase of the project aims to increase enrollment, reduce staff turnover, improve program quality and strengthen referrals to family resources. While UELS focuses primarily on children from birth to age five, the benefits of this work extend to the entire community — because when families have access to reliable, high-quality care, everyone succeeds.

For the ECRC, this initiative represents its mission in action: equipping providers with the resources and skills they need, connecting families to vital supports and giving young children the best possible start in life. By leading this collaborative pilot, ECRC is helping to lay the foundation for a stronger, more equitable early learning system in Akron and beyond.

The Early Childhood Resource Center is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.