Merced County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 255,793. The county seat is Merced.
Merced County comprises the Merced, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Modesto-Merced, CA Combined Statistical Area. It is located north of Fresno and southeast of San Jose.
Please see our Guide to County Resource Organizations page a brief description of the following organizations.
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827 West 20th Street
Merced, CA 95340
Phone: 209-385-5314 | 209-384-0119
Fax: 209-385-5317
Website: http://www.challengedfrc.org
Serving Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera/Mariposa County, Merced County, Stanislaus County, Tulare County
4440 North 1st Street
Fresno, CA 93726
Phone: (559) 229-2000 | (844) 445-0305
Email: info@epuchildren.org
Website: https://epuchildren.org/resources/advocacy-agencies/special-educaiton-by-county/
632 W. 13th Street
Merced, CA 95314
Phone: 209-381-6711
1850 Wardrobe Ave
Merced, CA 95341.
Referral: 209-381-6793
Fax: 209-381-6764
Website: http://www.mcoe.org
632 West 13th Street
Merced, CA 95341-5908
Phone: 209-381-6601
Fax: 209-381-6767
676 Loughborough Drive
Merced, CA 95348
Phone: 209-385-7337
Fax: 209-725-3778
Website: http://www.first5mercedcounty.org
632 West 13th St.
Merced, CA 95341-5908
Phone: 530-233-7101
Website: http://www.mcoe.org
632 West 13th Street
Merced, CA 95340
Phone: 209-381-5170
Website: http://www.mcoe.org
The Merced County Office of Education’s (MCOE) Early Education Department is home to multiple programs providing quality early care and education services to young children, their families and the greater community. The Head Start Program provides a comprehensive child development program to children 0-5 years old from income-eligible families and children with exceptional needs. More than 1,200 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers participate in the program each year.
MCOE’s Head Start program is notable for its early adoption of the Teaching Pyramid framework and for its longevity of implementation. They formed a Leadership Team and began training teachers as part of First 5 California’s Special Needs Project in 2007-8. They were one of the original Partner Sites, starting in 2010-11. Another exceptional feature of this Partner Site is its use of data-based decision making. They use the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT) and Teaching Pyramid Infant-Toddler Observation Scale (TPITOS) to assess fidelity of implementation in each classroom. From these tools, topics are identified and presented through regular “PBS Tool Times” staff training sessions throughout each program year.