Listening to Families: Insights from the Westside Pilot

(Read the full report here)

The Westside Pilot is a reflection of San Antonio family views and experiences around early childhood. Conducted by Early Matters San Antonio with community partners including AVANCE, Good Samaritan Center, Madonna Neighborhood Center, andYWCA San Antonio, the project set out to listen deeply to families in ZIP code 78237, one of the city’s most historically under-resourced communities.

Rather than relying on traditional surveys, Early Matters collaborated with promotoras from the Family Service Association to go door-to-door, gathering 130 family stories through home visits and community events. The goal was to understand what families value in early learning, how they find information, and what barriers still stand in their way.

The findings affirm what many already know intuitively: families want strong, trusting relationships with teachers and caregivers, clear guidance on their child’s development, and affordable, high-quality options they can access confidently. The project also underscores the importance of language inclusion, digital access, and wraparound supports that meet families where they are.

Why It Matters

The Westside Pilot reinforces a key truth—family engagement is not just a strategy but a foundation for equity and quality. As highlighted in Early Matters San Antonio’s Family Engagement Workgroup, authentic, community-rooted approaches help bridge the gap between systems and the families they serve.

The project offers a model for how to listen first and build lasting partnerships that center family voice in every decision about early learning.

Looking Ahead

Early Matters plans to use this pilot to inform our ongoing work, particularly through the Family Engagement Workgroup. Next steps will be guided by the same values that made the pilot successful: trust, accessibility, cultural relevance, and community leadership.

See how families are shaping the future of early learning in San Antonio.