Topic

Early Learning

In 2012, California introduced transitional kindergarten, a new grade for older 4-year-olds. The state has begun restoring preschool and child care slots eliminated during the recession, and investing more in full-day programs. California has not adopted universal preschool for 4-year-olds as urged by President Barack Obama and implemented in some states, but is making progress to reaching that goal promoted by many advocates. There is a growing emphasis on the 0-3 years, as well as on developing systems on how to measure the quality of early education programs.

December 4, 2018

New push underway to expand preschool for low-income children in California

Assemblyman Kevin McCarty introduced three bills this week, one to expand spaces for public preschool for low-income 4-year-olds, one to improve preschool facilities and one to increase reimbursement for preschool programs.

Zaidee Stavely

November 19, 2018

Preschoolers take on math with the help of college students

Preschool Counts, a program piloted by Stanford University in 2013, is boosting early math skills by pairing undergraduate students with preschoolers to practice math through games and other activities.

Ashley Hopkinson

November 7, 2018

Newsom's cradle-to-career plan for education is ambitious — and expensive

An EdSource estimate finds that the governor-elect's education promises could add up to billions of dollars.

Karin Fischer

October 30, 2018

Building relationships with preschool parents, one conversation at a time

To help preschoolers who are learning to speak in more than one language, one California school district is focusing on parent engagement through in-person interviews that are boosting parent participation in class activities.

Ashley Hopkinson

October 18, 2018

Four communities in California turn to voters to help fund children's programs

Oakland, Richmond, Capitola and San Joaquin County all have measures on the November ballot to fund early childhood education.

Zaidee Stavely

October 4, 2018

New California law requires day care centers to test for lead in water

Child care centers will be required to test their drinking water for lead under a new law that builds on a similar requirement for K-12 schools.

Nico Savidge

September 18, 2018

New findings from Getting Down to Facts II

Watch John Fensterwald in conversation with Sean Reardon and Deborah Stipek on early childhood education.

John Fensterwald

September 17, 2018

Multifaceted reforms needed to reach California’s education goals, research project finds

Getting Down to Facts II finds strong support for education reforms but also obstacles to student achievement and a need for more funding.

John Fensterwald

September 17, 2018

Essential Guide to Getting Down to Facts II

Here are the take-aways from the studies on special education, funding needs, a teacher shortage, a data deficit, student mental health local control's unmet potential – and more.

John Fensterwald, Daniel J. Willis, Yuxuan Xie, And Justin Allen

September 17, 2018

Ten years on, California is making progress but must do more for preK-12 education

Getting Down to Facts II research project scrutinized how California's schools are doing after a decade of policy changes.

Susanna Loeb

August 28, 2018

Parent involvement in early years grows with help from community groups

Unlike California’s K-12 public school system, not all programs that serve infants and toddlers have formal systems in place to engage parents

Ashley Hopkinson

August 15, 2018

California gets high grade in measuring teachers’ reading instruction skills

Linda Darling-Hammond, chair of teacher credentialing commission, calls the state assessment out of date and not a good predictor of classroom performance.

John Fensterwald

August 9, 2018

Baby and toddler storytime can create a lifetime love of reading

Local libraries help parents to learn early literacy skills through storytime. Children's librarians say storytime is one of the best ways to cultivate a young child's interest in books and encourage lifelong reading.

Ashley Hopkinson

August 1, 2018

California districts can renovate, build kindergarten classrooms with help from new funding

There is $100 million in new state funds to help districts build and renovate classrooms to expand full-day kindergarten. The funds are available to all districts but priority will be given to districts that are struggling financially.

Ashley Hopkinson

July 5, 2018

Low pay for child care workers puts more than half at poverty level, study finds

A national study on the early childhood education workforce found that many child care workers are struggling to support their families on low wages and that policies and resources fail to address the economic well-being of those who teach infants and toddlers.