Childcare for Adults Obtaining GED

Orchard View Community Education’s Innovative Learning Center provides free, on-site child care so parents can attend GED or high school completion classes without the cost or logistics of arranging care. While parents are in class, children learn in a safe, nurturing setting with play-based, age-appropriate activities that build early literacy, social-emotional skills, and school readiness. The child care schedule mirrors class and testing times, and staff use quality practices aligned with Great Start guidance—daily routines, developmental check-ins, and frequent parent communication—so families feel supported and informed.

This small, high-touch model (serving roughly a dozen children/families) directly stabilizes attendance and persistence for learning parents. Families report that reliable, no-cost care lets them focus on coursework, while their children experience consistent enrichment and measurable growth (e.g., language gains and stronger reading routines at home). Partners such as Orchard View Schools, MAISD, Great Start Collaborative, and community allies help with referrals, materials, and continuous improvement.

Alignment with United Way mission/priorities
The program advances United Way of the Lakeshore’s Childhood Success priorities—Childcare Support, early literacy supports, engaged families, and quality early learning access—by removing a top barrier for ALICE households: affordable, dependable child care. Providing free, on-site care enables parents to complete a diploma or GED (driving long-term economic mobility) while their children benefit from high-quality early learning. The result is a two-generation impact—stronger family stability today and improved school readiness tomorrow—fully aligned with United Way’s mission to inspire change and build thriving communities.