Santa Barbara Education Foundation

The Santa Barbara Education Foundation is committed to supporting programs in our community that enhance early childhood education. Currently, we support two programs, HOME INSTRUCTION FOR PARENTS OF PRESCHOOL YOUNGSTERS (HIPPY) and MOBILE WATERFORD. HIPPY is a developmentally appropriate, substantive early intervention school readiness program that helps parents teach their 3 to 5-year-old children at home, creating experiences for their children that lay the foundation for success in school and later life. MOBILE WATERFORD is an interactive curriculum bringing English language and reading readiness training to the several hundred Latino four-year-olds who would otherwise enter the Santa Barbara elementary schools without adequate English capacity. A van that has been up fitted with 8 computer stations containing the Waterford program makes 8 to 10 stops in neighborhood locations and the Storyteller preschools, serving 64 to 80 children on a daily basis for the entire year prior to entry to kindergarten. MOBILE WATERFORD has reduced the amount of children who have entered kindergarten unprepared by 80%.