Early Learning Centers of Lubbock

What Early Learning Centers of Lubbock does

Early Learning Centers of Lubbock (legal entity: Day Care Associate of Lubbock, Inc.) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) early childhood education organization founded in 1943 and headquartered in Lubbock, Texas. It operates five Texas Rising Star-certified centers across North and East Lubbock - Carver, Guadalupe, Talkington, Ruby Phenix, and New Directions - serving more than 1,000 children daily from age 6 weeks through school age. Its service portfolio includes age-tiered programs (Infant Care, Toddler, Preschool, and Pre-Kindergarten) using the Frog Street curriculum, federally funded Head Start and Early Head Start programs delivered through a partnership with South Plains Community Action Association (SPCAA), a CACFP-funded nutritional program meeting approximately 100% of daily nutritional needs, and enrichment activities such as Music & Movement, Nature Exploration, and Water Play. Core staff are 100% background-checked, with 25+ qualified educators completing 200+ hours of annual training, and age-based child-to-staff ratios ranging from 1:4 (infants) to 1:9 (pre-K).

The business model blends earned tuition revenue with public and philanthropic funding. Weekly tuition ranges from $135 to $180 for full-time care with multi-child and part-time discounts; ELC uniquely operates an income-based sliding fee scale, the only facility in Lubbock with this model. Wrap-around care for Head Start and Early Head Start families is priced at $84-$126/week. Major funding streams also include federal Head Start/Early Head Start pass-through via SPCAA, USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program reimbursements, Lubbock Area United Way community partner support, Lubbock ISD cooperative funding at the New Directions center, and grants/donations from 20+ regional foundations and corporate sponsors. Pricing is subscription-recurring on a weekly billing cadence across approximately 428 explicitly named enrollment slots.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and community-anchored: parents initiate enrollment through phone, web forms, or in-person visits, with first-come/first-served processing and required orientation. Marketing relies on the website (elclubbock.org), email newsletter, the annual Derby Day fundraiser, United Way partnership visibility, and word-of-mouth (95% family recommendation rate). The customer base spans three segments: working families (primary), Head Start-eligible families served via SPCAA, and Lubbock ISD families (staff and teen parents) served at the New Directions center. The board of directors includes President Dean Lackey, Vice President Makenna Rockafellow, Treasurer Amanda Lehman, and Secretary Bailey Estes, with no venture capital or private equity involvement.

Name

Early Learning Centers of Lubbock

Legal name

Early Learning Centers of Lubbock (Day Care Associate of Lubbock, Inc.)

Website

https://elclubbock.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Early Learning Centers of Lubbock is a non-profit operating five Texas Rising Star-certified early childhood education centers in Lubbock, Texas, serving 1,000+ children aged 6 weeks through school age through tuition, sliding-fee subsidies, and Head Start funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Childcare services
• Preschool programs
• Infant daycare
• After-school care

Headquarters

HQ city

Lubbock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Parent Tuition Fees: Weekly fees ranging $135-$180 for full-time care with multi-child discounts and reduced part-time costs. Income-based sliding fee scale available.
2. State and Federal Funding: Government funding including Head Start and Early Head Start programs through SPCAA partnership. Funds state agencies and federal programs.
3. United Way Support: Community partner funding from Lubbock Area United Way
4. Lubbock ISD Partnership: Cooperative venture funding for New Directions center serving Lubbock ISD students and staff
5. USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program: Federal nutrition program funding for daily meals
6. Donations and Grants: Community donations and grants from various foundations and organizations
7. Employee Benefits Administration: Discounted childcare for team members' children as part of employee benefits package

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Early Learning Centers of Lubbock operates five early childhood education centers in Lubbock, Texas providing childcare and developmentally appropriate learning programs for children from 6 weeks through school age. The non-profit organization delivers infant, toddler, preschool, pre-kindergarten, and before/after-school-age programming to local families.

Product overview

Early Learning Centers of Lubbock operates as a non-profit early childhood education organization offering a unified suite of childcare and educational programs across five Texas Rising Star certified centers. The core portfolio consists of age-based programs (Infant Care, Toddler Program, Preschool, and Pre-Kindergarten) serving children from 6 weeks through 5 years. Federally funded Head Start and Early Head Start programs are offered through SPCAA partnerships at select centers. Support services include a CACFP-funded nutritional program providing meals, and enrichment activities including Music & Movement, Nature Exploration, and Water Play. The organization operates on a sliding fee scale based on household income, with standard weekly fees of $135-180 for full-time care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carver Early Learning Center: 4 Star Texas Rising Star Center serving 82 children ages birth through school age. Located off I-27 and Idalou Highway. An Early Head Start/Head Start center in partnership with SPCAA. Founded in early 1940s by Mrs. Permilla Woods.
• Guadalupe Early Learning Center
• Talkington Early Learning Center
• Ruby Phenix Early Learning Center
• New Directions Early Learning Center

Products and services

• Infant Care

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of parents report reduced worry/anxiety about their child after enrolling
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Plains Community Action Association (SPCAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Head Start and Early Head Start programs at Carver and Ruby Phenix centers. SPCAA provides federal funding for eligible families at no cost. ELC provides wrap-around care services at reduced rates. Parents must complete both ELC and SPCAA applications.
• Lubbock Independent School District (LISD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative venture at New Directions center serving LISD teen parents and staff. Operates on LISD calendar. Location in Dupree building. Children of LISD staff eligible for enrollment.
• Lubbock Area United WaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner providing funding support and community visibility. ELC is recognized as a United Way Community Partner on their website.
• AmerigroupminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Betenbough HomesminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• C and A McDonald Family FoundationminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• CH FoundationminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• City BankminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Community Foundation of West TexasminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• D. & K. Hunt ElectricminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Fox Pest ControlminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Happy State BankminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Helen Jones FoundationminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Junior League of LubbockminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Lone Star State BankminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Marsh McLennan AgencyminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• M.S. Doss FoundationminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• ParkhillminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• SonicminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• United SupermarketsminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page
• Wellborn-Payne EndowmentminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on About page

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KinderCare Learning Companies: Largest private US childcare center operator with similar age-based programs (infant through Pre-K) and weekly tuition model. Comparable in serving working families with full-day, full-year care, though as a for-profit with national scale rather than a regional non-profit.
• Learning Care Group: Operates multiple childcare brands (Childtime, Tutor Time, La Petite Academy, etc.) with infant-through-school-age programming. Directly comparable age-based curriculum and tuition structure, though multi-brand national operator versus ELC's single-market non-profit model.
• Primrose Schools: Franchise-based early education provider offering infant through Pre-K programs with proprietary Balanced Learning curriculum. Comparable in curriculum-driven school readiness focus but operates as a franchise system rather than a non-profit community provider.
• The Learning Experience: National childcare franchise serving infants through Pre-K with structured curriculum. Comparable tuition-based model and age-based program structure, though positioned as a premium for-profit franchise rather than income-based non-profit.
• Goddard School: Franchise system of accredited private early childhood education schools for infants through Pre-K. Comparable program offerings and tuition model, though again operating as a for-profit franchise rather than a community-based non-profit.
• South Plains Community Action Association (SPCAA) Head Start: Federally funded Head Start and Early Head Start administrator in the Lubbock region and ELC's strategic partner. Operates the federal early childhood program that ELC wraps around at Carver and Ruby Phenix—comparable mission, target population, and federal funding model.
• YMCA Childcare Programs: Non-profit childcare provider operating nationally with age-based programs similar to ELC's. Comparable non-profit funding model mixing tuition, donations, and grants, though typically operating as part of broader Y facilities rather than standalone childcare centers.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: National early education and childcare provider with a much larger footprint and employer-sponsored care partnerships. Overlaps with ELC's mission of preparing children for school success but operates at corporate scale with different funding economics.

Regional players

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Non-profit youth development organization with early childhood and afterschool programming in Lubbock. Comparable non-profit mission and donor-supported model, though focused more broadly on school-age youth than dedicated early childhood centers.

Others

• Childcare Services Association (Texas): Texas-based non-profit supporting the early childhood workforce through T.E.A.C.H. scholarships and child care resource/referral. Adjacent enabling organization serving the same Lubbock/West Texas market as ELC though not a direct childcare operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elclubbock
• Facebookfacebook.com/ELCLubbock
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/early-learning-centers-of-lubbock-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Early Learning Centers of Lubbock