ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Established in 1973, the Early Childhood Education Center is celebrating 50 years in the Capital Region. The not-for-profit agency provides services to preschool children with developmental disabilities.

The ECEC was first started by a group of parents who, together with a special education teacher, were approved for a Federal Bureau for the Education of the Handicapped First-Chance three-year grant. They established the first ECEC classroom in September 1975. The ECEC became an independent private school in 1978.

Now, the ECEC has three school sites that serve approximately 150 students from 5 counties and 26 school districts. To celebrate the anniversary, the ECEC is holding a picnic for current and past families and staff on Thursday, June 8. The picnic will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cook Park Pavilion at Cook Park.