Infant and Toddler Care at Gateway

New Haven, CT (February 7, 2024) The Early Learning Center at CT State Community College Gateway in downtown New Haven met the requirements and earned a license to care for infants and toddlers, and to provide aftercare for school-aged children.

Gateway’s Early Learning Center has long-served children aged two years 8 months to five-years-old. The new license will help meet the workforce’s need for affordable, quality childcare.

Gateway’s Infant/Toddler program opens February 12, 2024. Operating hours are 7:30AM to 5PM, Monday through Friday. Space is available for six infants/toddlers. Thirty-five students are enrolled in preschool. Gateway is working to find and fit out space to serve children aged five to 12. Slots will be available soon.

“Our objective is to establish connections among the community, education, and readily available resources spanning from Gateway to New Haven and beyond, " said Jisel Cordero, Director of the Gateway Early Learning Center.

Care is available to the children of students, campus employees, and community members on a sliding fee scale. Gateway received a total of $54,000 in School Readiness dollars to serve four families whose income falls below the poverty line. The CT School Readiness Preschool Program provides affordable, high-quality early care and education services in high-need communities that help young children prepare for kindergarten. The funds offset the parents' tuition by paying providers a stipend.

The Early Learning Center is a lab school that offers a training site for preschool teachers and quality childcare to the community. Gateway students enrolled in Early Childhood Education, Human Services, Psychology, Nursing, and other programs use the Center as a learning resource in child development.

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About CT State Community College Gateway: Gateway offers more than 90 degree and certificate programs. It is the largest of Connecticut’s community college campuses, with the most racially and ethnically diverse student population, and high education cost burdens. In 2024, Gateway students live in 153 towns and cities, including: New Haven, Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Bridgeport, Cheshire, Clinton, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Seymour, Shelton, Stratford, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge