In 2003, Mayor John Peyton convened a group of key child- and family-focused agencies and charged them with developing and implementing a coordinated strategy to improve the school readiness of Jacksonville’s children by shifting early child care from a custodial focus to quality early care and learning focus. The Jacksonville Early Literacy Partnership (JELP), chaired by the Special Assistant to the Mayor for Early Literacy, forged a shared vision, and works collaboratively to achieve it.
JELP Partner Agencies
• The Mayor’s Office and the City of Jacksonville
• The Early Learning Coalition of Duval
• The Community Foundation in Jacksonville
• The Don Brewer Early Learning, Research & Professional Development Center
• Duval County Public Schools
• Episcopal Children’s Services
• Florida Community College at Jacksonville
• Florida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida
• Nemours BrightStart! Dyslexia Initiative
• Jacksonville Children’s Commission
• Jacksonville Public Library
• Jacksonville Urban League Head Start Program
• United Way of Northeast Florida
