Early childhood is a program throughout Chandler high schools. It teaches life skills involving children and can help prepare students for the future. At the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year, the early childhood program will be discontinued across the district, citing lack of student enrollment. 

The program is valued by many and taught some how to properly take care of children and understand their minds. Freshman Olivia Butcher says, “Early childhood has taught me a lot about children and how to take care of them, which I will probably use in the future.”

Early Childhood teacher Arline Pryor elaborated, “The program can help for jobs that you might get in the future. If you are going to be a pediatrician or a nurse or teacher. Just knowing the background of development and what you can expect from each age group is definitely a value so that you don’t overestimate what a child is capable of.” Early Childhood can help teach students how to handle children, which can help if they enter professions that involve kids. 

Sophomore Zoe Stanford says “Early Childhood is a class if you want to learn about children or how teen pregnancy happens going through those hard times as a parent. You also get to see all the amazing kids who would love to play and have fun with you. This class is also a fun class where you get to do projects and also you get to go to daycare on block days to see the children. I think this class is a benefit for sure and I will miss it.”

At the end of the school year Early childhood and development will be discontinued. This is primarily because not enough students have been enrolling into the class to be able to keep it in both the school and the district. Early childhood allowed students the opportunity to work with children, and develop skills with adolescents which will help them build skills for an eventual career in the future and prepare for when they have to deal with young children throughout their lifetime.