Clayton Early Learning has changed names over the years, but it has never changed its mission of providing needed services to underserved children. What began 100 years ago as the George W. Clayton College, a refuge for young boys who had lost their fathers, is now a leading institution for the advancement of early childhood education. Clayton has gained a national reputation through direct services to children and professionals, research and advocacy so that all children - and especially those with limited opportunities - are prepared for success in school and society.

We annually provide exemplary Head Start and Early Head Start comprehensive services in the Clayton Educare Center to more than 300 low-income children and their families. The Clayton Institute offers professional development to early childhood educators, including training sessions, leadership programs and coaching services, and conducts action research designed to identify effective practices in early childhood education. Through innovative partnerships with higher education, public service media, other researchers, public schools, advocacy organizations, and federal/state and private funders we seek to better understand the linkages among program quality, teacher preparation, and child/family outcomes.

In 2005, Clayton Early Learning was invited to join the Bounce Learning Network - an expanding partnership across America creating state-of-the-art Educare Centers to better prepare young children for success in school. The Network seeks to shape new ways of delivering early care and education to our nation's most at-risk children and families. As a Network member, Clayton engages with other organizations and alliances to impact early childhood policies and funding streams nationwide.

Our work is based on the 20 acre historic "Clayton College" campus established by the George W. Clayton Trust in 1907, located in northeast Denver at the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd and Colorado Blvd.

The Clayton Foundation and Clayton Family Futures, dba Clayton Early Learning, are 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations.