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.

Early Learning

May 20, 2022

Should kindergarten change in California?

Children from low-income families often start school with fewer academic skills than their more affluent peers, experts say, an issue exacerbated by the pandemic.

Karen D'Souza

Commentary

May 19, 2022

A comprehensive reading plan is the only way to address our early literacy crisis

The failure to teach California’s three million low-income students to be effective readers is the ultimate existential threat.

Todd Collins

Literacy

April 29, 2022

An unmet promise: Early literacy for all in California

Educators and advocates at an EdSource roundtable urged state leaders to expand research-based teacher training on early literacy and "take responsibility" for California's literacy crisis.

Ali Tadayon

Commentary

April 27, 2022

How to restore California’s ailing child care system: Pay the teachers

Polls show that Californians have the will to invest in child care and teachers’ wages. Do the governor and lawmakers?

Lea Austin

Early Learning

April 13, 2022

Kindergarten may change in California if two new bills pass

Two bills in the California Legislature would fundamentally change the kindergarten experience to reflect the current heightened attention to the importance of early childhood education.

Karen D'Souza

Los Angeles Unified

April 1, 2022

LAUSD ahead of California timeline on expanded TK rollout

The 2022-23 school year will be the first year of several planned expansions to TK eligibility as Los Angeles Unified strives to make it accessible for all 4-year-olds.

Kate Sequeira

Legislation

March 31, 2022

State literacy task force echoes call for more reading coaches, specialists

State education leaders put their support behind Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal to pay for literacy coaches and specialists at schools with low reading scores.

Ali Tadayon

Early Learning

March 21, 2022

A child development expert talks about parenting through the pandemic

It will be important to continue to monitor the generation of children born during the pandemic, experts say, to provide any extra help they might need.

Karen D'Souza

Early Learning

March 11, 2022

Will the pandemic leave a lasting mark on baby brains?

Science shows that trauma interrupts brain development in young children, which is why some may have developmental delays due to the pandemic.

Karen D'Souza

English Learners

March 7, 2022

Will a universal screening test for dyslexia mislabel California’s English learners?

Some California teachers and researchers say tests must be carefully designed to avoid misdiagnosing dyslexia in students who are learning English.

Zaidee Stavely

Child Care

February 22, 2022

California child care workers struggle to survive

Hunger has emerged as a key issue. within the child care workforce. Of the roughly 1 million child care workers in the country, research shows, 1 in 3 experienced food insecurity.

Karen D'Souza

Early Learning

February 15, 2022

California’s subsidized preschool program may expand to toddlers

Growing California's supply of toddler care options, particularly subsidized preschool, helps the state’s working families, experts say.

Karen D'Souza

Student Well-Being

February 2, 2022

Children acted out more during distance learning, parents say, deepening learning loss

Children, who are creatures of habit, can be negatively influenced by any educational disruption, such as remote learning, experts say.

Karen D'Souza

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.