The Children's Services Council of Martin County (CSCMC) and the Florida HIPPY Training & Technical Assistance Center at the University of South Florida are working together to bring a parent involvement and school readiness program to Martin County. For more than 30 years, the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program has partnered with parents to prepare their children for early school success using a home visiting model.
With a worldwide pandemic, childcare closings, and unemployment, several of Martin County's lowest resourced areas – already struggling with low school readiness rates – saw rates plummet to as low as 17% in more than one elementary school. To help increase young children's chances for success in school in Martin County, the CSCMC sought services that could reach families and provide them with books, curriculum, materials, support, and parent training. Read more here.