Each year, the EARLY STEPS program begins anew, where we work with candidate families, guiding them through the process of choosing an independent school education for their child.  In our first year, 1986, EARLY STEPS assisted 35 families and enrolled 18 children of color in independent schools. For the 2010/2011 school year, EARLY STEPS advised over 600 candidate families about an independent school education for their child, 286 acceptances were offered and 144 children of color were enrolled in 46 New York City independent schools, creating a more diverse community. Since we began, EARLY STEPS has enrolled more than 2,444 children of color in independent schools.