Early Childhood Center

1100 High Street
Dedham, MA 02026

www.dedham.k12.ma.us/

285 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - K

School Overview

The Dedham Early Childhood Center (ECC), located at 322 Sprague Street in Dedham, Massachusetts, serves as the foundational level of the Dedham Public Schools system. The facility is specifically designed to meet the unique developmental needs of the community’s youngest learners, providing an environment that fosters curiosity, social-emotional growth, and foundational academic skills. By focusing on developmentally appropriate practices, the center aims to prepare children for a successful transition into elementary school.

As part of the broader Dedham Public Schools district, the Early Childhood Center emphasizes inclusive education and collaborative learning. The program is structured to support diverse learning styles, offering specialized services and a curriculum that encourages exploration through play and structured instruction. Parents and community members can learn more about the center’s specific programming, enrollment procedures, and district-wide initiatives by visiting their official website at [www.dedham.k12.ma.us](http://www.dedham.k12.ma.us).

285

Total Students

24.3

Full-Time Teachers

11.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Early Childhood Center
Demographic	Student Count
White	174
Hispanic	50
Black	33
Asian	12
Two or More	16

White
174 (61.1%)
Hispanic
50 (17.5%)
Black
33 (11.6%)
Two or More
16 (5.6%)
Asian
12 (4.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Dedham
Phone:	(781)310-8000
Website:	http://www.dedham.k12.ma.us/
Grade Range:	Pre-K - K
Total Students:	285
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	24.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 78

Kindergarten 207