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EXPLORE: California's Community Colleges: At A CrossroadsQuick 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.

Transitional Kindergarten
June 17, 2021

Why some early childhood advocates want more transitional kindergarten choices

A California TK proposal would gradually open the program to all 4-year-olds amid evidence that early learning shapes the adult brain.

Karen D'Souza
K-3 Grades
June 11, 2021

LA Unified expands early literacy program

An early literacy program launched as a pilot with 2,500 students has proved successful enough to expand to 14,000 students in coming months.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Commentary
June 10, 2021

Transitional kindergarten for all would hurt early education providers

A "mixed delivery" system, in which state-funded early learning programs can be in any school, would better serve the needs of families.

Christopher Maricle & Teri Davies
Commentary
June 7, 2021

Districts should focus on finding California’s missing kindergarteners, especially English learners

English learners who did not connect, or connected minimally, during this year of distance learning need a renewed commitment that school will be a place full of rich language, wonderment and engagement in literacy and learning.

Martha Hernandez and Anya Hurwitz
Early Learning
June 2, 2021

More help for struggling California child care sector

In the wake of the pandemic, child care providers have emerged as the backbone of the state’s economic recovery.

Karen D'Souza
Bilingual Education
June 1, 2021

California bilingual programs ready to grow after slowing during pandemic

Some school districts were forced to pause their expansion plans for new dual language immersion programs due to the pandemic.

Zaidee Stavely And Betty Márquez Rosales
Early Learning
May 25, 2021

How parents can prepare kids for 1st grade post-pandemic

With distance learning struggles, it’s likely children might need to play catch-up this summer before heading into 1st grade in the fall.

Karen D'Souza
College & Careers
May 20, 2021

L.A. Unified to launch nation’s largest district college savings account program

L.A. Unified will launch a college savings account program, Opportunity L.A, on Friday for over 13,000 first grade students. All remaining first graders will have their own savings account by the end of 2021.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Commentary
May 19, 2021

What did he get right? Reactions to Gov. Newsom's early education budget

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

Andrew Reed And Alexander Montero
Commentary
May 19, 2021

What did he get right? Reactions to Gov. Newsom's higher education budget

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

Andrew Reed And Alexander Montero
Commentary
May 19, 2021

What did he get right? Reactions to Gov. Newsom's K-12 budget

Leaders representing all segments of California’s education system share their reactions to the governor’s revised 2021-22 budget for K-12 education.

Andrew Reed And Alexander Montero
Early Learning
May 13, 2021

Should California offer transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds?

Expanding TK captures the spirit of the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and aligns with Biden’s campaign for universal preschool.

Karen D'Souza
School Finance
May 12, 2021

Newsom proposes universal transitional kindergarten, new programs for low-income students

With a continuing surge in revenue, the governor would expand community schools and create a $500 college savings account for every low-income first grader.

John Fensterwald
Early Learning
April 28, 2021

Biden's plan for families could bolster California's push for early education, care

This roughly $1.8 trillion package sets aside big money for key early childhood initiatives as part of its vast cradle-to-college agenda.

Karen D'Souza
Early Learning
April 27, 2021

What President Biden's recovery plan for families means for California's children

The proposed legislation to champion childhood comes at a time when the pandemic has widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

Karen D'Souza