EdSource/Ashley Hopkinson 
EdSource/Ashley Hopkinson Within days of being sworn in as California’s chief executive, Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to put forward a three-year plan to achieve universal preschool in California for all low-income 4-year-olds, in an attempt to implement a campaign promise pledging a major expansion of early education programs.
What’s more, the ambitious plan will call for full-day preschool, according to a document provided by a source close to the Newsom transition team. In 2014, the Legislature declared that “it is the intent of the state to provide all low-income 4-year-old children from working families with full-day, full-year early education and care.” Each year since then, it has provided funds for additional subsidized full day preschool slots, but most slots are still part-day ones.
According to the Newsom transition team document outlining the plan, the push for universal preschool would be part of “the largest, most comprehensive investment in early learning and child development in California history.” Expanding a range of early education programs would be the central pillar of Newsom’s “California for All” budget for the coming fiscal year, which he is required to submit to the Legislature by Jan. 10.
The document outlines $1.8 billion in spending for a range of early education programs. But it does not specify how the universal preschool program would be funded. Newsom’s preschool plan would be introduced over a three-year period, to ensure that the system can plan for the increase in capacity and facilities that will be needed.
It also calls for investing in long-term planning to address what it calls “workforce and capacity barriers” as well as to “identify funding” to pay for universal preschool, which is generally viewed to mean subsidized slots for low-income 4-year-olds.
The document also calls for implementing universal kindergarten in California — which includes expanding the number of full-day kindergarten programs in the state. Currently 1 in 5 school districts only offer half-day kindergarten, according to the document.
Perhaps significantly, the transition team document does not use the term “universal preschool” but rather calls for “universal pre-kindergarten.” This suggests that the plan would encompass transitional kindergarten, the extra kindergarten grade run by public school districts for children who turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2. Children must turn 5 by the Sept. 1 cutoff to enroll in regular kindergarten.
State funding for full-day preschool slots has gone up substantially, from $453 million in 2014-15 to $738 million in 2017-18. That compares with a much more modest increase — from $409 million to $503 million — during the same period for part-day slots.
But as of 2016-17, the last year for which figures are available, by far the largest number of slots were still for part-day preschool. Nearly 62,000 4-years-olds were in half-day programs underwritten by funds through the California State Preschool program, while just over 22,000 were in full-day programs.
Full-day preschool is not exactly what a working parent would regard as a full day. Providers have to offer at least 6.5 hours a day for 250 days a year — at a cost to the state of $11,433 per child. A part-day program must be at least 3 hours a day for 175 days a year, at a cost of $4,956 per child.
According to the document, Newsom will propose this week investing $750 million in funds in next year’s budget for universal kindergarten, with an additional $500 million for child care facilities and what the transition team describes as “workforce development and capacity building among subsidized child care providers.” It also calls for up to $247 million to expand childcare facilities specifically for parents who are students at California’s colleges and universities.
Newsom has also pledged to expand services for children under 3 years old, as well as expanding prenatal services for expectant mothers. In addition to universal preschool and kindergarten, Newsom is also expected to propose spending $100 million for developmental and health screenings and another $100 million for home visiting programs.
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Constance 4 years ago4 years ago
I am a mother from China and I feel surprised about how expensive early childhood education is in California. How can parents afford that especially when people usually have more than one child?
Sophie 4 years ago4 years ago
I am considering opening a Preschool program in my house, as a retired teacher who wants to continue doing what I enjoy most. I would like to offer an active learning environment for children just as if they were in a center base program. I hope family childcare providers are offered an opportunity to receive grants and be able to accept children low/high income.
Kimberly E Harris 4 years ago4 years ago
I am a home family childcare provider and advocate. I am partnered with Early Head-Start, and Quality -Start. We provide a program in a family style environment. Our ratio is low and we accept all subsidies. In our county, the problem is funding. We have families that have been on a waitlist for over 3 years. They had funding for those who didn't qualify for subsidies but now it's running out. When the children turn … Read More
I am a home family childcare provider and advocate. I am partnered with Early Head-Start, and Quality -Start. We provide a program in a family style environment. Our ratio is low and we accept all subsidies. In our county, the problem is funding. We have families that have been on a waitlist for over 3 years. They had funding for those who didn’t qualify for subsidies but now it’s running out. When the children turn 4 they will be cut off. The parents were not made aware of this, nor were the told the waitlist would expire. I have had these children since infants. I’m not going to turn my babies away, but I also have bills to pay. Something has to be done and soon….
Rebecca 4 years ago4 years ago
Is it best for our children to be in an institutional setting for 6.5 hours a day? I'm a preschool teacher and I think not. They need to be home for part of the day bonding with family. Maybe we should focus these funds on making it feasible for one parent to be home for part of the day. Parents are exhausted, they have very little energy to give to their children … Read More
Is it best for our children to be in an institutional setting for 6.5 hours a day? I’m a preschool teacher and I think not. They need to be home for part of the day bonding with family. Maybe we should focus these funds on making it feasible for one parent to be home for part of the day.
Parents are exhausted, they have very little energy to give to their children after an 8-12 hour work day, especially when both parents have to do so. I think we should asses what is best for our children, families and our communities as a whole and I don’t think it’s creating a scenario where parents can work longer, harder days and their children are in a school setting. It’s also another avenue for schools to be able to push academics on children when children are not developmentally ready. Our children are screaming for help in a variety of ways and the solution is not more academics and institutional settings. What they want is more connections and time with the people they love and that care most about them.
Irina Efremova 4 years ago4 years ago
I'm very supportive of the changes in early children education system and hope it becomes a universal one. Universal educational facilities for children between 2 years and school age is what our society needs. Majority of families rely on two parents income to survive. As the proposed family leave is only for 6 months, what is going to happen after this period? By providing a stable family support in children's education/ health & nutrition/ … Read More
I’m very supportive of the changes in early children education system and hope it becomes a universal one. Universal educational facilities for children between 2 years and school age is what our society needs. Majority of families rely on two parents income to survive. As the proposed family leave is only for 6 months, what is going to happen after this period? By providing a stable family support in children’s education/ health & nutrition/ socialization, we would create a new generation of California citizens that are healthier, smarter, and socially adaptive.
Moreover, families with having less financial stress, will have better productivity on their workplaces & give more taxes to the budget (or indirect-through spending/ housing).
Aydee Zielke 4 years ago4 years ago
How do we find Universal Preschool? Make it accessible to all 3-5 year olds, regardless of income level and centers (that meet reasonable criteria). Have parents with higher incomes pay more and those with lower incomes pay less to free if appropriate. Mix income classes and cultures together. Although my husband and I can afford $1800 a month for our 2 kids to go to preschool, we are financially strapped and can’t save for college … Read More
How do we find Universal Preschool? Make it accessible to all 3-5 year olds, regardless of income level and centers (that meet reasonable criteria). Have parents with higher incomes pay more and those with lower incomes pay less to free if appropriate. Mix income classes and cultures together. Although my husband and I can afford $1800 a month for our 2 kids to go to preschool, we are financially strapped and can’t save for college or put much away into retirement or savings. We are counting the years until they can go to public school and we can finally start putting a dent in our retirement and college funds.
We would gladly pay more because we are a higher income. Private preschool tuition has sky rocketed and even at our income level, we are struggling to pay.
Mindy Yip 4 years ago4 years ago
Does this mean, if you are low income, you only go to public preschool? Are there vouchers for them to attend private preschool?
ELLEN WHEELER 4 years ago4 years ago
At last!