AVANCE-San Antonio employs a two generational approach for parents and children. The AVANCE philosophy is based on the premise that education must begin in the home when the child’s life begins and that the parent is the child’s first and most important teacher. The AVANCE-San Antonio’s goal is: Low income families with children ages birth to three years will increase their parenting knowledge to become their child’s first teacher, and to promote school readiness in their children.

The AVANCE program attempts to foster parenting knowledge and skills through a nine-month intensive parenting curriculum having a direct impact on a young child’s physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. Along with the strong parenting education component, parents work on improving their own educational status. Classes offered to parents consist of literacy and financial education, college preparation and technical support.

While parents attend classes, children under the age of three are provided with a quality early childhood education to build the academic, social, and physical foundation they need in order to achieve school readiness and succeed in life. AVANCE’s basic tenet is that education is the key to the future and that education must begin in the critical first three years of children.

Parent-Child Education Program

This program site primarily serves the Alazan-Apache Housing Project Residents and secondly, residents of other Public Housing Developments within a one mile radius.

Services are designed to enhance the child-rearing skills of parents with children birth to three years of age in order to foster the healthy development of their children and ensure school readiness in their children.through the integration of early childhood education, parent education and adult literacy. Monthly home visits assess the family home environment and reinforce lessons learned in the classroom.  Secondly, parents are supported in meeting their educational and personal growth and development goals in ensuring economic stability.  

This program provides services to families with children birth to 3 years of age who meet Federal Income Poverty Guidelines and who primarily reside in the Westside community.

Services are provided through two program options: 1) a Home Based Option whereby families are visited once a week in their home and group socializations are held twice a month, and 2) a Center Based Option whereby infants and toddlers of working or enrolled parents receive full-time quality early childhood education and care at a licensed childcare facility.  Additional services provided include health, nutrition and prenatal care through a case management system.