Zaidee Stavely
Zaidee Stavely covers bilingual education, early education and immigration as it relates to schools and hosts EdSource’s Education Beat podcast. She is a bilingual print and radio reporter who has worked in Mexico and the U.S. She has covered education, immigration, environmental justice and traditional arts for KQED, Radio Bilingüe, and Public Radio International’s “The World,” among other outlets. Zaidee has won numerous awards for her journalism, including an Emmy, a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, an Excellence in Journalism Award from SPJ Northern California, and the Rubén Salazar Award from CCCNMA: Latino Journalists of California. She grew up in rural Mendocino County, where both her parents taught in public one-room schoolhouses. She has a Master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in Latin American and Latino Studies and Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz. She lives in Oakland with her husband and two children.
All articles by Zaidee Stavely
Building blocks: California's proposed early education legislation
California is on the brink of making huge investments in young children, and EdSource is tracking 27 early childhood bills introduced in the Legislature this session.
Zaidee Stavely
June 24, 2019
California’s budget deal takes a step toward universal preschool
Under the agreement, all 4-year-olds living in low-income neighborhoods would be eligible for state-subsidized preschool, with priority for low-income children first.
Zaidee Stavely
June 12, 2019
Obstacles deter many California child care providers from building, expanding facilities
Proposals by Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislators would provide financial aid and ease the permitting process.
Zaidee Stavely
May 29, 2019
Saving Stege: What will it take to redesign this struggling California school?
The West Contra Costa Unified School District has embarked on an 18-month plan to redesign a struggling East Bay school. Will it succeed?
Zaidee Stavely
May 13, 2019
California governor expands commitments to young children, low-income families
Gov. Newsom adds funds for childcare vouchers, expanded preschool for low-income children, though not as quickly as planned.
Zaidee Stavely
May 10, 2019
Infants and toddlers the most undercounted in census; California wants to change that
If small children aren’t accurately counted, California could potentially get less federal funding than needed for programs such as Head Start.
Zaidee Stavely
May 2, 2019
Bolstering California’s increased focus on early childhood, statewide commission releases final recommendations
The report sets a long-term goal of preschool for all children, regardless of income, but focuses on expanding access first to children in low-income families.
Zaidee Stavely
April 29, 2019
More funding for full-day kindergarten questioned as many low-income California schools already offer it
Researchers say the greatest need in low-income communities is for programs serving children under 5 years old, such as preschool and transitional kindergarten.
Zaidee Stavely
April 25, 2019
California governor proposing more time for parents to bond with newborns
Newsom has expanded paid family leave from six to eight weeks as of July 1, 2020, and he plans to extend it to six months per child by 2021-22.
Zaidee Stavely
April 19, 2019
California lags behind other states in quality and access to state-funded preschool
California was ranked 14th in access to preschool for 4-year-olds, behind Oklahoma, Vermont, Florida, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Georgia and South Carolina, among other states.
Zaidee Stavely
April 17, 2019
In this California classroom, students teach each other their home languages — and learn acceptance
In a district with an increasing number of students from various countries, this Oakland teacher wants to foster communication.
Zaidee Stavely
March 27, 2019
New training for California preschool teachers to help bilingual children prepare for kindergarten
The trainings teach preschool teachers how to help children learn English and keep their home languages, so they can be more successful in kindergarten and beyond.
Zaidee Stavely
March 19, 2019
Gov. Newsom's early childhood advisor describes 'whole-child, whole-family, whole-community' strategy
Giannina Pérez previously worked for Early Edge California and Children Now, both well-known children’s advocacy organizations. As an advocate, she worked to expand training for early childhood educators to better support children who speak languages other than English at home.
Zaidee Stavely
March 14, 2019
Increasing subsidized child care and pay for providers crucial for California, report says
The California Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education released its long-anticipated draft report for how to improve child care and preschool throughout the state.
Zaidee Stavely
March 8, 2019
California gets boost from federal government to expand early learning
The state will use a $10.6 million grant to identify gaps in early learning services for children from birth to age 5 and decide on steps to meet those needs.