Southern California
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County has a host of on-the-ground early learning activity, led by several different Los Angeles organizations and institutions. The Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative (LAPAI) was launched by the California Community Foundation (CCF) in 2007, and helps lead Los Angeles’ early education efforts. LAPAI is a coalition that strives to increase access to quality early care and preschool education programs in underserved communities. Member organizations of the Coalition support efforts to address the child care and developmental needs of children from birth to five years of age.
Recently, early learning partners in Los Angeles collaborated with the Los Angeles Unified School District to build early education facilities with existing bond dollars. In early 2011, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education passed a motion to approve $40 million in bonds for early childhood education facilities. The approval of these early childhood education bonds is the culmination of several partners’ persistent efforts, including the Advancement Project, Public Counsel and Preschool California. Furthermore, the Bond Oversight Committee, which manages these school bonds, was restructured to include a permanent seat for early education representation by Public Counsel.
Univision Communications, Inc. also plays an active role in early childhood education in Los Angeles. They have covered early childhood education in their national “A Su Lado” education campaign and including early learning in Univision’s yearly community education fair in Southern California. Los Angeles’ KMEX 34 Univision station also produces regular early learning segments on the morning news show and previously partnered with advocates to host an early learning town hall.
For information on transitional kindergarten in Los Angeles, please visit the Transitional Kindergarten Implementation web section.
San Diego
In 2005, San Diego County implemented a 5-year demonstration project, funded by First 5 San Diego through a contract with the San Diego County Office of Education, to make free and effective preschool programs available to every 4 year old in targeted communities in San Diego County. The program is one of First 5 California’s Power of Preschool programs and is focused on increasing access to high-quality preschool programs.
As of June 2010, a total of 10,844 children had been served through this program, and an additional 6,000 children are currently enrolled this year. Through the Preschool for All Demonstration Project, First 5 San Diego increases access to high quality early learning programs by providing funds for improving quality of existing preschool programs, as well as creating additional preschool spaces or slots in targeted communities. The work to improve quality and increase access will continue as San Diego moves forward with a major investment in a future quality preschool initiative. Find out more about First 5 San Diego’s Preschool for All Demonstration Project and new Quality Preschool Initiative.
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