EXPLORE: REMOTE'S IMPACT ON THE YOUNGESTQuick Guides
Topic

Early Learning

Quality early care and education are critical to prepare California children for school and their lives in general. But a large percentage of children do not have access to high quality early childhood education programs. The coronavirus pandemic has caused financial strife for early learning programs trying to meet health and safety guidelines and keep staff and children safe. But the public health crisis has also illuminated the essential nature of the early learning and care field and reinvigorated hopes to expand preschool access to more children.

Commentary
January 13, 2022

The right priorities? Reactions to Gov. Newsom's 2022-23 early ed budget

Leaders representing all segments of California’s education system share their reactions to the governor’s May revision of the 2021-22 budget.

EdSource staff
School Finance
December 29, 2021

Several options, big decisions loom for funding school construction

A 40-year-old initiative putting a ceiling on state spending may restrict how a budget surplus can be used; one option is capital spending on schools.

John Fensterwald
Q&A
December 22, 2021

One early educator explains the importance of transitional kindergarten

Today's kindergarten is not the same kindergarten parents and guardians experienced when they went to school, some teachers say. Today's kindergarten is really more like first grade.

Karen D'Souza
English Learners
December 20, 2021

How TK can help students learning English as a second language

Advocates say the expansion of transitional kindergarten is an opportunity to offer high-quality preschool to more children who speak a language other than English at home.

Zaidee Stavely
Early Learning
December 8, 2021

Why child’s play is serious business in early education

Play is such a powerful force, some research suggests, that it can be used as a tool to close achievement gaps and improve mental health.

Karen D'Souza
Early Learning
November 23, 2021

Benefits of early math experiences add up

In kindergarten, some children already have a sense of what math means and how it functions while others lack a basic understanding of numbers.

Karen D'Souza
Early Learning
November 19, 2021

Universal preschool and affordable child care: What survives in Biden’s spending bill

The $2 trillion House-passed social policy bill includes about $400 billion earmarked for universal preschool and affordable child care and an extension of the child tax credit.

Karen D'Souza
Learning Well: Beyond the Pandemic
October 26, 2021

Can you teach reading on Zoom?

High-tech literacy projects emerged out of the pandemic as a way to ensure young students stay on track as they learn to read.

Karen D'Souza
Transitional Kindergarten
October 13, 2021

Universal Transitional Kindergarten | Quick Guide

Universal transitional kindergarten will essentially become California’s version of a universal preschool program, available to all 4-year-olds regardless of income.

Karen D'Souza
Commentary
October 1, 2021

Want quality child care? Pay and train workers like the pros they are

The key to increasing access to quality child care is professionalizing the field by providing child care staff a livable wage and professional development grounded in emotional competence.

Donna Housman
Transitional Kindergarten
September 30, 2021

Hope, caution among experts as California rolls out transitional kindergarten for all 4-year-olds

The EdSource roundtable included policymakers, researchers, advocates and a transitional kindergarten teacher, who discussed the expansion of TK.

Carolyn Jones
Early Learning
September 30, 2021

Will Biden's reconciliation bill transform early childhood education?

If these sweeping proposals are enacted, they would overhaul the nation’s child care system to make it more accessible and affordable.

Karen D'Souza
English Learners
September 24, 2021

Why phonics instruction is not enough for English learners

While other students already know the words they are sounding out, English learners may be learning to sound out words they don’t understand.

Zaidee Stavely
California's Reading Dilemma
September 22, 2021

State superintendent sets goal to get all California third graders reading by 2026

State officials eye legislation aimed at addressing the longstanding issue of struggling early readers.

Ali Tadayon
Learning Well: Beyond the Pandemic
September 17, 2021

Pandemic effects may have lowered baby IQs, study says

New research says less stimulation, stress on parents during Covid pandemic may factor into average 22-point IQ drop among babies.

Karen D'Souza