RAND releases new recommendations on improving the state's preschool system.
New fact sheets on how preschool is a proven investment in school success.
Making the business case for preschool.
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Early Learning Advocacy Day, June 9, Sacramento [more]
New RAND research on preschool [more]
Childcare and early learning groups comment on budget [more]
Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Council holds second meeting [more]
Resource center on ARRA stimulus package [more]
Pre-K Now's Leadership Matters Report [more]
U.S. Secretary of Education visits San Francisco [more]
Business preschool forum held on preschool [more]
President's budget proposal includes new investments in early education [more]
McKinsey report: Achievement gaps have economic impact [more]
Head Start grant announcements released [more]
Early learning state legislation introduced [more]
New fact sheets available [more]
For the latest news on preschool, visit our Media Coverage page.
See past "what's new" items |
More than 300 early learning supporters visit Capitol during successful Early Learning Advocacy Day. On June 9, advocates from across California met with more than 100 state legislators and staff and shared their stories about how high-quality early learning programs benefit California's children, families and communities. See photos and download event materials.
New early learning recommendations released in RAND's California Preschool Study. New research and policy recommendations from the RAND Corporation show how California can invest in a high-quality early learning system that will help close the state's achievement gap. In the midst of the state's budget crisis, the study also provides valuable guidance on how California can most effectively and efficiently spend its early childhood education dollars to better serve the state's children. View the full study, executive summary and research brief and access more resources for your education and outreach efforts.
Child care and early learning groups comment on the Budget Conference Committee Package. The Child Care Law Center (CCLC) memo outlines the budget compromise reached by the Conference Committee, including recent actions on early care and education. Read CCLC's budget memo. The Child Development Policy Institute also provides updates on the budget in their information bulletin.
Early Learning Quality Improvement System advisory committee holds second meeting. The Early Learning Quality Improvement System (ELQIS) advisory committee held its second meeting on June 10 in Woodland to address the quality of early education programs. The meeting was broadcast live in a teleconference held in four satellite locations throughout California. The group began to lay the groundwork for an early learning quality rating scale for birth to five programs. Visit the Advisory Committee webpage for more information.
Resource center on the ARRA stimulus package available. Pre-K Now has put together a wealth of resources on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the opportunities ARRA presents for expanding and improving early learning programs, and made the resource center available on their website.
New report reveals that many governors are continuing to prioritize early education, in spite of economic difficulties. Pre-K Now's Leadership Matters report looks at governors' budget proposals for next year and their remarks in recent state of the state addresses to determine which governors value high-quality pre-k. Read Leadership Matters.
U.S. Secretary of Education visits San Francisco and emphasizes the need for "cradle to career" education. As part of a multi-state listening tour, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan visited San Francisco to encourage the state to rebuild its public school system, from "cradle to career." He toured Paul Revere, a pre-k through Grade 8 school, and the University of California-San Francisco.
Business forum held on preschool. On June 2, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group hosted a business forum - Preschool: The Future of Our Workforce - around the issue of an integrated, quality preschool system and what it means to workforce in the Silicon Valley. Find more information.
President Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget proposal includes new investments and initiatives in early education. President Obama's budget proposes:
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$300 million for a new Early Learning Challenge Fund to help states create, expand or enhance high-quality early care and education programs for children from birth to age five;
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$500 million for new Title I Early Childhood Grants to provide federal matching funds to encourage states and school districts to devote a larger share of their Title I education money to early childhood programs;
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$124 million for a new home visitation initiative;
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a $122 million cost of living increase in Head Start and Early Head Start funding; and
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a $50 million increase in Early Reading First to support local efforts to enhance the school readiness of young children.
McKinsey report concludes achievement gaps have a severe economic impact. Achievement gaps in the United States impose “the economic equivalent of a permanent national recession,” according to the report. If the United States had closed the achievement gap between low-income students and others a decade ago, gross domestic product in 2008 would have been $400 billion to $670 billion higher. Read the McKinsey & Company report, " The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America's Schools."
Head Start and Early Head Start grant announcements released. Recovery Act funding opportunities for Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start Expansion are now available on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website. The application due dates were June 23, 2009 for Head Start and July 9, 2009 for Early Head Start.
Early care and education state legislation introduced. The deadline for the introduction of new legislation for this year was last month. For more information on ECE legislation, see CDPI's bulletin and Children Now's list of legislation.
New preschool fact sheets and resources available. Please download and distribute four fact sheets: 1) Federal Landscape fact sheet, which explores early learning opportunities for California created by new federal policy developments; 2) Research Shows, which outlines the best research on the benefits on preschool; 3) Business Case for Preschool, which illustrates why preschool helps cultivate a skilled workforce; and 4) California Begins Comprehensive Early Learning System Reform, which looks at California's quality rating and improvement system process. We also have a new business webpage full of resources, research and quotes that make the business case for preschool; a new research webpage; and an updated preschool momentum webpage.
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