Arkansas River

Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative (ARESC) began serving families through the HIPPY Program in 1989. Through twenty-eight years of service to families in the ARESC district, the program has served an average of seven hundred fifty (750) children per year. Currently the HIPPY Program services 1,035 children in Jefferson, Arkansas, Grant, Saline, Pulaski, Lincoln, Cleveland, Dallas, Monroe, Lee, Cross, and St. Francis Counties. The staff consists of one program coordinator, eight coordinators, three support staff and 47 Homebased Educators.

HIPPY is a free 30 week home visiting program sponsored by school districts, Arkansas Better Chance Grant (ABC), and Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant (MIECHV) to support families in preparing their children for kindergarten. Working with parents of 3, 4, and 5 year old children, Home-based Educators provide weekly visits to role play HIPPY lessons. The lessons and books are structured for approximately 15 to 20 minutes of daily time between parent and child. The curriculum is quality approved to provide a learning experience through skills that correspond with the Arkansas Pre-K Curriculum Frameworks to enhance the child's readiness for kindergarten. Parent group meetings are held monthly in each school district to encourage parents with speakers, crafts, and role play, focusing on interaction among the parents with the same age children. 

HIPPY-ARESC is in the process of recruiting families for the current program year. Families can qualify for the program with one of nine eligibility criteria, including dual services for children in ABC classrooms, head-starts, and other learning centers.