Who we are
Ford Early Learning Collaborative was created with one simple goal: to support the people who care for and teach young children every day.
Early childhood educators do incredibly important work. They nurture curiosity, build relationships, support families, and help lay the foundation for lifelong learning. Ford ELC exists to walk alongside those educators by providing practical tools, meaningful coaching, and engaging professional learning experiences that strengthen everyday practice.
We believe that when educators feel supported, confident, and inspired, children thrive.
The Ford ELC Approach
Practical
Strategies educators can immediately use during routines, play, and interactions.
Relationship-Based
Supporting strong adult-child interactions that build language, connection, and confidence.
Collaborative
Working alongside educators and leaders to strengthen programs together.
Encouraging
Celebrating what educators are already doing well while building new skills.
The Mission
To empower early childhood educators with practical tools, coaching, and professional learning that strengthens everyday interactions and supports high-quality experiences for young children.
Ford Early Learning Collaborative is led by Michelle Ford, an early childhood professional with over 20 years of experience in the field.
Michelle holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary and Special Education and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Services. Her experience includes working as an early childhood teacher across age groups, as well as serving in leadership roles that supported educators and programs across the state.
Throughout her career, Michelle has worked with thousands of early childhood educators and program leaders. She has designed and delivered hundreds of hours of professional development, provided extensive in-class coaching and technical assistance, and completed over 600 classroom quality observations using the Environment Rating Scales and CLASS tools.
Michelle’s work holds a deep respect for educators and a belief that meaningful professional learning should be practical, encouraging, fun, research-based, and directly connected to everyday classroom experiences.
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!