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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.
Teacher Voices
November 23, 2022

Why I teach despite profession's modest compensation

Today, teaching is more than just a job; it’s my passion.

Margi Bhansali
Child Care
November 7, 2022

Inflation Reduction Act left children and families behind 

Rising costs, the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and demand that exceeds supply have frayed an already fragile child care sector.

Ruth Fernández and Savitha Moorthy
Commentary
September 30, 2022

Let's nurture multilingualism in our youngest learners

Early childhood educators should support and celebrate the cultures, languages and circumstances of the children in their care.

Jonathan Nomachi
Early Learning
July 27, 2022

Can infants learn math? State-backed pilot project in Fresno aims to find out

A statewide pilot project in California is aimed at boosting the confidence of early childhood educators, child care providers and elementary school teachers to teach math.

Ashleigh Panoo
Commentary
July 11, 2022

More teachers, outreach needed to support California's youngest English learners

California can create a national model for expanding educational opportunities for students and crafting groundbreaking policies that serve to properly identify and serve dual language students.

Patricia Lozano and Feliza Ortiz-Licon
Commentary
June 29, 2022

Child care access is key to pandemic recovery for California's children, working families

California must expand and support access to child care options even as transitional kindergarten rolls out.

Connie Leyva
Credentialing
June 17, 2022

California to create teaching credential covering pre-K through 3rd grade that requires literacy training

State commission hopes new credential will help attract thousands of teachers for transitional kindergarten; literacy advocates press for strong literacy standards.

John Fensterwald
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
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
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
Transitional Kindergarten
July 12, 2021

How California’s new universal transitional kindergarten program will be rolled out

Experts say making a year of pre-kindergarten available to all 4-year-olds is a watershed achievement in the early education space.

Karen D'Souza
Commentary
July 8, 2021

The ‘stars aligned’ in budget deal, but hurdles remain for early education

This is much work still to be done to ensure the pre-K entitlement will narrow, rather than reinforce, gaps in children’s early learning.

Bruce Fuller
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
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
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