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Early Learning
Topic

Preschool

Preschool is any program designed to help 3- and 4-year-old children develop social, emotional and academic skills. Research shows that high-quality preschool programs can have a long-lasting positive effect. There’s an ongoing debate about whether large public programs can achieve the quality necessary to have a similar impact.
June 12, 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
May 29, 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 10, 2019

Teacher shortage, early education targeted in Gov. Newsom’s California budget revision

Newsom proposes funding for subsidized childcare, disabled students and a loan program for special education, math and science teachers.

John Fensterwald
April 29, 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 27, 2019

Statewide survey: most Californians support teacher strikes for higher pay

Public Policy Institute asked about some of the most hotly debated issues in its annual Californians and Education statewide survey.

Diana Lambert
April 25, 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 17, 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
March 19, 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 14, 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 8, 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 5, 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.

Zaidee Stavely
February 7, 2019

Only a fraction of California children eligible receive subsidized child care

Only 1 out of 9 children eligible for subsidized childcare programs in California were enrolled in a program that provided full-day, year-round care in 2017, according to an analysis by the California Budget and Policy Center.

Zaidee Stavely
January 7, 2019

Gov. Newsom wants universal preschool for low-income children in California to be phased in over three years

A transition team document says Newsom's proposed budget for the next fiscal year will call for $1.8 billion for kindergarten, child care and child development programs, although more details are expected when he releases his proposed budget later this week.

Louis Freedberg
December 13, 2018

What California can learn from universal preschool in other states

Some states have successfully expanded both access and the quality of their preschool programs. Here’s what some early learning advocates and researchers say California could learn from them.

Zaidee Stavely
December 11, 2018

In push for universal preschool, lessons to heed from California's class size reduction program

The $1 billion program was implemented in less than two months.

Louis Freedberg