EELEF is a comprehensive educational/family development program designed in conjunction with the East Ramapo Central School District. While this program was originally conceived on the west coast, its first successful implementation was at Spring Valley Commons, a 65-unit affordable housing complex located in Spring Valley, New York. EELEF provides a secure 1,100 to 5,000 square foot tutorial/study center within the apartment complex. The tutorial center is equipped with up to date computers and computer software, text and reference books, and supplies. After school in the tutorial center, EELEF begins by providing tutors two hours per day, five days per week to the resident students in grades 1 through 12. To be effective, Eelef tutors track classroom assignments and students on a weekly basis to determine classroom preparedness, attendance, and test scores. This enables the tutors to focus early on areas of poor achievement, rather than on remedial work. EELEF also provides study halls each evening so that students can get additional help with homework or simply avoid the distractions of TV or radio in their apartments. The tutors selected for EELEF must have the ability to create a positive and enjoyable learning environment that motivates children to not only learn, but to understand the meaning and usefulness of the material being learned. Students who achieve above average grades in their schoolwork are rewarded and recognized for their achievement with incentives such as tickets to family entertainment events, cash prizes, or other items. Children who have a chronic difficulty in a particular subject will be challenged to improve through special challenge prizes for improvement.

Home/School Relationships
Among the problems that sometimes arise is a lack of clear communication between the school and the parent. Differences in expectations and the role of the parent in meeting these expectations often result in conflicts and disappointments. These and other problems common to child development and growth may be unrecognized and misunderstood by the parents. They have the potential for creating both immediate and long-term harm to the child and need to be addressed.

EELEF's unique placement close to the home environment helps in its construction and implementation of a carefully constructed parent/school communication system that is designed to prevent and solve conflicts, which may develop between parents and children and the school. Respect and acceptance must be learned so that a continuing support system is available to motivate a child who has gone well beyond the education of his or her parent.