More than 100 years after its founding, the CBI had grown into a thriving community. The Child Development Center was established in 1989 by a group of dedicated community members determined to meet the growing need for full-time, high-quality, student-oriented early childhood education. 

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The founders of the Child Development Center recognized the need for providing exceptional early childhood education to engage families with young children to foster their connection to Judaism. To achieve this goal, we created an educational model that draws inspiration from two sources: the world-renowned early childhood schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and Jewish ideas and values.

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Over the years, the school grew to meet the needs of the congregation and local community, now hosting twelve classrooms. cdc@cbi has operated for more than three decades under the stewardship of Congregation Beth Israel, and continues to welcome children, toddlers, and infants of the congregation and the wider Austin community.