Education Programs

We support children and young adults with high-quality learning experiences that help them thrive from cradle to career. Martha’s Table is committed to ensuring that every child enrolled in our education program is strong by age eight – the age at which children transition from learning to read to reading to learn — and beyond. We offer nationally accredited early childhood education, after school enrichment programs, and college and career readiness training to promote lifelong success.

ProgramInformation

• Early Childhood Education
  6 weeks - 4 years old

  

  Martha’s Table offers a nationally accredited year-round, all-day early childhood education program for students 6 weeks to 4 years of age. The full-day program runs year-round at our two locations: The Commons (Southeast D.C.) and The Maycroft (Northwest D.C.). Our teachers focus on whole child development (physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development) to ensure children are on track and ready to learn in kindergarten and beyond.

  Pre-K at The Commons offers your child, small classroom sizes and individualized lesson plans. Our program runs all year for children ages 3-4. We focus on school readiness, using the DC Common Core Curriculum, ensuring your child will be ready for Kindergarten!

  All our enrolled families receive:

  • Quick and flexible services, such as weekly food, diapers, clothing at no cost, and referrals.
  • Connections to resources like legal support, healthcare, adult and youth education, children’s college savings accounts, and more!
  • Learning opportunities to strengthen parenting skills, find new mentors and socialize with other families.
  • Programming to improve physical and emotional wellness and address mental health needs.

  Additionally, all eligible families can enroll in the THRIVE Program:

  • Direct cash assistance for families
  • Weekly groceries and monthly household cleaning supplies
  • Assistance navigating public and private resources

  Our education program has an open, non-discriminatory enrollment policy. For information about enrollment in our early childhood education program, please contact educationprograms@marthastable.org.

   

   

   

• Family Visiting
  3 years old or younger

  All parents deserve a strong support network–we encourage family success through programming that centers on caregivers.

  Through our Family Visiting program, we offer Early Head Start services weekly to pregnant women and caregivers and their young children. During each visit, parents partner with family visitors to learn strategies for being their child’s first and best teacher. Our Visitors also provide family support services including connecting families with workforce development, health, mental health, and disability services.

  This program helps to strengthen parent and child interactions, ensuring children are ready for school and parents are equipped to achieve their personal and family goals.

  Benefits Include Access to :

  • $1,000 Children’s College Savings Account Investment
  • Support in achieving personal and family goals
  • Improved school readiness for children
  • Child Development Activities & Screenings

  No-cost field trips with other Family Visiting Families & MORE!

  Eligibility criteria:

  • Families must live in Ward 7 or Ward 8  (unless experiencing homelessness)
  • Children must be no older than 3 years old to participate

  For more information, please contact cwilner@marthastable.org.

• Urban Alliance Partnership
  High school students

  

  To support older youth, we have deeply co-invested in and partnered with Urban Alliance’s workforce readiness training program, which supports over 300 high school students in Wards 7 and 8. Students participate in regular job training workshops starting their freshman year. By senior year, they are placed in 9-month, paid professional internships.

  Learn more about Urban Alliance
• Global Passport Program
  High School Students

  Global Passport is a program offering no-cost regional and international experiential learning opportunities for high-school age youth (ages 14 to 19). If you are interested in learning more about the Global Passport Program or applying, visit: https://linktr.ee/globalpassport. 

  In the summer of 2020, Martha’s Table began planning for our next phase of impact. We convened a community panel of respected Southeast D.C. leaders to help design an intentional engagement strategy, resulting in over 1,000 meaningful connections with neighbors. One of the key themes to emerge from our engagement with community members was that, as a community, we must leverage every available resource to ensure that older youth transition to adulthood successfully.

  Parents and young people spoke of the importance of seeing the world beyond their neighborhoods, a message that is backed up by research. According to the Student And Youth Travel Association (STYA), Youth travel increased willingness to learn and explore in 60% of participants, increased independence, self-esteem, and confidence in 56% of participants, and increased tolerance and respectfulness in 48% of participants.

  Global Passport provides students with the opportunity to discover new interests and passions, lower stress, increase self-confidence, gain new skills and new perspectives. If you have any questions, please email globalpassport@marthastable.org.

• Advancing Early Education Collaborative
  Adults

  Advancing Early Education Collaborative is an initiative between American University, Trinity Washington University, and Martha’s Table.

  The three institutions are partnering to build a strong workforce of adults who care, teach, nurture and advance children’s development. The initiative includes a seamless articulation of academic pathways across institutions and “stackable credentials,” starting with the Child Development Associate, or CDA®, and ending with a full bachelor’s degree from either AU’s School of Education or Trinity Washington University.

  LEARN  MORE

• Accreditation

  

  Martha’s Table’s early childhood education program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and is licensed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) for the District of Columbia. Martha’s Table’s quality programming is ensured through regular inspections. Our standards for national accreditation far exceed state licensing qualifications, and OSSE recognizes our program as an exemplary “Gold Tier” program. More recently, OSSE has launched Capital Quality, DC’s enhanced Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) that measures and communicates program quality in licensed child care facilities. The Capital Quality designations are High Quality, Quality, Progressing or Developing, and Martha’s Table early childhood education is currently in the process of being rated for its Capital Quality designation.

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  Martha’s Table Scholars Enrichment Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA). This accreditation is recognition of meeting high measurable standards of quality in programs serving children and youth. Martha’s Table is one of only two after-school programs in Washington, DC to hold this distinction

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  Martha’s Table is a committed partner with the Learn24 network, working to enhance the lives of youth in the Nation’s Capital.

   

   

  Child Adult Food Care Program Public Notification

   

EnrollmentInformation

Applications for our early childhood education program are accepted on a rolling basis at both of our locations. Ready to begin the online enrollment application?

All admitted students must provide the following applicable documents prior to starting in the program.

EducationTeam

ProgramPartners

We are proud to partner with several community organizations that help strengthen and complement our education programs.

Testimonials