About
About CEE
Welcome and thank you for your interest in The Center for Early Education!
The Center for Early Education (CEE) is an independent, co‑ed, day school located in West Hollywood, California.
CEE began in 1939 when a group of professional psychoanalysts started a playgroup for their young children at a home in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, known as The School for Nursery Years. At a time when preschool education was in its infancy, the school’s founders were passionate about respecting the inner world of the child and developing an early childhood education based on nurturing each child's natural developmental pace. By the 1970s, The Center added elementary grades from kindergarten through sixth grade.
List of 9 items.
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1939
Year of Our Founding -
540
Students, Toddler through Grade Six -
65+
Zip Codes Students Come From -
56%
Students of Color -
59%
Faculty/Staff of Color -
8 years
Average Faculty Tenure -
15:1
Elementary Student/Teacher Ratio -
10:1
Kindergarten Student/Teacher Ratio -
7:1
Early Childhood Student/Teacher Ratio
In 1946, the playgroup moved to our current location on Alfred Street and in 1968 the school was renamed The Center for Early Education. During the 1970s, The Center added elementary grades from kindergarten through sixth grade. The values of our founders remain in the foundation of our philosophy and mission. Learn more about The Center’s unique history.
Today, 540 students from Toddler through grade six attend CEE. Over 100 faculty and staff members comprise a highly qualified professional team committed to serving the school community.
Located in vibrant West Hollywood, California, The Center enjoys an urban campus, adjacent to the cities of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. A four-year Campus Enhancement Project concluded in 2020, with three interconnected, state-of-the-art instructional buildings, including rooftop play areas and a full-size soccer field.
Students typically come from within a twenty-five mile radius of the school.
The Center for Early Education is a nationally recognized leader in early childhood and elementary education. Teachers and administrators frequently present at regional and national conferences, and several serve on the boards of trustees of other educational and community organizations.
Our Mission and Core Values
The Center for Early Education, a socio-economically and culturally diverse independent school for children, toddlers through grade six, strives to graduate students who are joyful, resilient, lifelong learners. The Center embraces a philosophy of education that combines a nurturing, inclusive learning environment with an increasingly challenging academic program that addresses the developmental needs of each child.
List of 4 items.
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Responsibility
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Honesty
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Inclusion
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Caring
Educational Philosophy
Founded in 1939, The Center for Early Education maintains a child-centered approach to curriculum and instruction, which is purposefully focused on the growth and developmental stages of the whole child. Our students and teachers engage in an evidence-based curriculum, which evolves from a play-based model into an inquiry-based academic program that is responsive and relevant to children’s lived experiences.
At The Center, we nurture children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth in a manner attuned to their needs. Teaching at The Center is informed by our shared commitment to provide students access to a welcoming, collaborative, experiential learning environment that stimulates their imagination, exploration, and curiosity. We recognize the importance of play for children of all ages and its role in creating opportunities for them to engage in joyful, creative discovery and problem-solving.
We value the diverse and unique perspectives of the children in our care and help them recognize and appreciate the voices of others. We honor and emphasize what children understand about themselves and what they come to know about others so that they may become more independent, confident, and community-minded learners. We are committed to helping students navigate our evolving world with compassion by teaching them to think deeply, speak truthfully, take responsibility for their actions, and advocate for themselves and others.
At The Center, we nurture children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth in a manner attuned to their needs. Teaching at The Center is informed by our shared commitment to provide students access to a welcoming, collaborative, experiential learning environment that stimulates their imagination, exploration, and curiosity. We recognize the importance of play for children of all ages and its role in creating opportunities for them to engage in joyful, creative discovery and problem-solving.
We value the diverse and unique perspectives of the children in our care and help them recognize and appreciate the voices of others. We honor and emphasize what children understand about themselves and what they come to know about others so that they may become more independent, confident, and community-minded learners. We are committed to helping students navigate our evolving world with compassion by teaching them to think deeply, speak truthfully, take responsibility for their actions, and advocate for themselves and others.
Accreditations and Memberships
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The Center for Early Education, a socio-economically and culturally diverse independent school for children, toddlers through grade six, strives to graduate students who are joyful, resilient, lifelong learners. The Center embraces a philosophy of education that combines a nurturing, inclusive learning environment with an increasingly challenging academic program that addresses the developmental needs of each child.