Waterford.org, a national leader in early childhood education, is deepening its commitment to North Dakota families through continued expansion of the Waterford Upstart program.

According to Waterford.org, this initiative ensures that every child in the state can enter kindergarten ready to learn by providing high-quality, at-home early learning experiences at no cost to families.

Waterford Upstart supports caregivers in preparing their children for school success with personalized, research-based instruction in reading, math, and science. The program’s lessons require just 15 minutes a day, five days a week. The program also includes one-on-one coaching and support to help families confidently guide their children’s learning journey.

“Waterford Upstart is designed to meet families where they are, providing flexible, engaging learning experiences that help every child build a strong foundation for lifelong success,” said Becky Eberhardt, director of School Relations at Waterford.org. “We’re proud to continue working alongside North Dakota educators and state leaders to ensure children across the state start kindergarten confident and prepared.”

The program is a partnership between Waterford.org and the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Health and Human Services. It will also help expand access to the state’s Be Legendary early literacy initiative which puts early learning resources into the hands of families statewide, fostering a love of reading and learning.