Established: 1981

Over time, Lorain County Community College has developed several programs that serve children. First came the Children’s Center, which was established to provide a child-care service for the children of college students and staff. It was started in the early 1980’s. Next came College for Kids, programming for children analogous to the college’s non-credit offerings. College for Kids began in the mid-1980’s. Third to arrive was the Early Childhood Lab School, which began in the mid 1990’s. This was meant to provide a model learning environment for pre-school children while at the same time serving as a laboratory setting where students in the college’s early childhood education program could gain first-hand experience about the art of teaching a pre-school population.

In 2002, LCCC moved these programs into a new facility and shortly after set in place a supervisor to coordinate the work of all three units. It was apparent at that time that the programs, with their different histories and different missions, would benefit if the opportunities brought by the new physical facility could be paired with a more streamlined and focused organizational structure and from this program effort, one unified program emerged now known as the Children’s Learning Center.

In 2021- 22 LCCC plans to open an Afterschool program. Deepening its strong commitment to student success, multi-generational approaches help move both individuals and families forward. Building on the success of its existing Children’s Learning Center (serving ages 18 months to 5 years), LCCC believes that the addition of after-school child care is a critical factor in driving parent-student degree attainment while also connecting a younger generation to the college environment. This program aims to strengthen access and support for parent-students while engaging the next generation of learners in a breadth of programming to develop a college-going mindset.