• Policy paper outlines policy solutions to narrow Latino education gap. The nonprofit research, development and service agency WestEd released a new policy paper, “The Latino Education Crisis: Rescuing the American Dream.” The brief provides information about the growing education achievement gap between Latinos and other students. The policy paper outlines various policy interventions to narrow the achievement gap for Latino students, including access to high-quality early childhood education. Read the paper.

• New report advocates for a new early education framework. A recently released report from the New America Foundation discusses the need for a ‘social contract’ for education, outlining a vision for an education system beginning with early childhood education. The brief further advocates for a new system of public policies that foster a seamless transition between early learning programs and the K-12 system; the report concludes with policy recommendations. Read more about the brief.

• Report shows no improvement in student reading scores. The latest report from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) says that fourth grade reading scores for American students have remained unchanged since 2007. [more] Although eighth grade children’s reading scores have improved by one point in 2009 since 2007, achievement gaps between racial and ethnic groups in fourth grade remained unchanged. The report’s results further highlight the need for increased access to high-quality early learning programs. Read the full report.

• Dual Language Learners forum materials now available. Materials from the Dual Language Learners Forum on March 25, including presentations, videos and handouts, are now available online. The forum identified research gaps and recommendations for policymakers relating to all young children developing two (or more) languages. Participants heard from distinguished speakers, including Dr. Linda Espinosa, Dr. Marlene Zepeda and Los Angeles Unified School District Board Vice President Yolie Flores Aguilar. Watch video of the forum and view resources. 

• New white paper on early learning systems and Dual Language Learners. The National Council of La Raza has issued a new report noting that states, with the exception of California, are lagging behind in taking advantage of early learning opportunities to better serve diverse student populations, particularly Latinos and Dual Language Learners. The report, Responding to the Needs of Young Latino Children: State Efforts to Build Comprehensive Early Learning Systems, discusses how one exception and model for other states is California, which has included Dual Language Learners its preschool learning foundations. The report also outlines developments in federal funding and policy that would help states improve their early childhood education programs.

• National organizations create QRIS network. A network of national organizations has collaborated to create the Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) National Learning Network. The network of national organizations, which will provide assistance for building quality rating and improvement systems, has also launched a new website housing reports, state-by-state resources and organizational contacts to facilitate exchange of ideas and technical assistance. Visit the web section.

• Report focuses on training for pre-k teachers. A new report from Pre-K Now concludes that increased educational training for early childhood teachers is likely to raise the quality and maximize the positive impacts of early learning programs. The report, A Matter of Degrees: Preparing Teachers for the Pre-K Classroom, includes evidence demonstrating that states that offer incentives and training programs for teachers create more effective pre-k classrooms. It also highlights the challenges states face in raising qualification requirements for pre-k teachers; state models for increasing teacher quality; and policy recommendations to raise teacher qualifications. Read the report.

• New brief on using Title I Investments for preschool. A new brief providing an overview on how to use Title I, Part A Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) funds for preschool in California is now available from the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA). The resource, “Ready for K…With ESEA” is for administrators of public school districts and county offices of education that receive Title I funds. It discusses what school district leaders need to know about Title I and existing preschool programs in their districts and different ways to implement “Ready for K” programs. Download the report. A similar national resource, “Tapping Title 1: What Every School Administrator Should know about Title I, Pre-K and School Reform,” is available from Pre-K Now. Download the Pre-K Now paper.

• New report on state-by-state early childhood program cuts. A new report is available from the National Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (NACCRA) that provides a state-by-state description of early childhood programs that have been cut due to budget concerns. The new paper, “State Budget Cuts: America’s Kids Pay the Price,” also includes recommendations for future investments. Read the report.

• Los Angeles Unified School District unveils new transition kindergarten program. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) will create an innovative, new transition kindergarten pilot program, scheduled to begin in September 2010. The voluntary pilot program is intended to boost the academic success of the district’s youngest kindergarteners by providing them with a year of preparation before entering kindergarten. Read LAUSD’s press release. Read Preschool California’s statement about the pilot.

• Early learning and development receives a C grade in newly released report card. The report, released Jan. 4 by Children Now, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, highlights the poor education and health status of the state’s children. The study notes recent policy developments in early care and education, and says that high-quality preschool programs deliver lifelong dividends to children, families and society. Although some progress has been made in improving the quality of early education and increasing access to high-quality early learning programs, too few children have access to such programs. See the report, 2010 California Report Card: The State of the State's Children.

• Need for affordable, quality child care surpasses supply, according to new report. A new statewide report released by the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network includes county-by-county data documenting the demand and supply of child care. The report notes that the supply of child care, particularly for low-income children, falls far short of the demand. The report also shows that parents particularly seek full-time care during their work hours and lack non-traditional child care hours, such as in the evenings and on weekends. Read the report, the 2009 California Child Care Portfolio.

 

• Report discusses lessons drawn from New Jersey’s PreK-3rd reform efforts. The New America Foundation issued a new report in December, describing how New Jersey has become a national leader in early childhood education and Pre-K to 3rd. The report also documents New Jersey’s successes and challenges, draws lessons for other state and national policymakers and provides recommendations for New Jersey policymakers to ensure continued progress. Read the report, “Education Reform Starts Early: Lessons from New Jersey’s PreK-3rd Reform Efforts.”

 

• Index highlights a decade of improvement in California children’s health and well-being. A new index, based on data from www.kidsdata.org, shows child well-being has consistently improved over the last decade. The report, released by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, highlights that child well-being from 1995 to 2006 has improved by 16% for children in California, though these gains may be undermined by the current recession. The data also demonstrates improvement for all racial/ethnic groups for which data was available, but that racial and ethnic disparities continue to persist. Read the “California Index of Child and Youth Well-Being.”

 

• First findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. In conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education, the National Center for Education Statistics released findings from the kindergarten data of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, which tracked nearly 4,000 children from 2001 through 2007. This first look provides a snapshot of the demographic characteristics, reading and mathematics knowledge, fine motor skills and before- and after-school care arrangements of the cohort at the time they first began kindergarten. View the data.

 

• New report calls for an integrated Prek to 3rd education system. A new report from the New American Foundation describes how an aligned pre-k and early elementary learning experience can help California narrow achievement gaps and raise student learning across the state. The report, titled "On the Cusp in California: How Prek to 3rd Strategies Could Improve Education in the Golden State," notes that although state policymakers and early childhood advocates have taken some important first steps to better integrate early childhood programs, there is more they can do to move towards a more seamless PreK-3rd early education system to help California narrow the achievement gap. Read the report.

 

• Early education can lead to better military readiness. According to a new report released by Mission: Readiness, a bi-partisan organization of retired military leaders supporting early childhood programs as an issue of national security, 75% of young Americans cannot join the U.S. military due to failure to graduate high school, a criminal record or physical fitness. The report highlights that high-quality early education is a proven investment to decrease high school dropout rates, reduce crime and help children succeed in life. Read the report.

 

 

 

• Release of annual compilation of state early care and education developments. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) released its annual compilation of state early care and education developments for fiscal year 2010. The report notes that despite a tough economy, there were a number of policy changes in early care and education, partly due to the influx of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. Read the report.

 

 

• Join the Conversation: CTA Virtual Conference on Early Learning. The California Teachers Association (CTA) is hosting a three-week online conference titled, What Works!, from Oct. 26 to Nov. 14. The conference recognizes the existing strengths of early childhood education and care providers and explores innovative ways to apply these strengths in preschool classrooms and other care centers. Find more information and register.

 

New study on health and cognitive growth of Latino toddlers. A new study from the University of California, Berkeley, shows that children of immigrant Latina mothers are born healthy and have similar cognitive growth as other American children. However, by the age of 2, they often show smaller gains in cognitive proficiencies. Read the study and article from the New York Times.

 

High-quality early education promotes long-term academic achievement. According to a new study conducted by researchers from Boston College, the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Samford University, high-quality early education can help raise low-income children’s reading and math scores into middle school. Additionally, the study shows that low-income children who were in high-quality early education programs achieved similar academic levels as their more affluent peers. Read the study.

 

Report shows that many states are prioritizing pre-k. A new report from Pre-K Now found that 29 states maintained or increased investments in early learning programs, demonstrating their commitment to investing in preschool in spite of worsening economic conditions. Read the report, Votes Counts.

 

Jumpstart study shows many Americans believe that early literacy skills are important. Jumpstart, a nonprofit organization dedicated to early literacy, recently released a new report focusing on the gap in early literacy skills between children from low-income families and those who come from middle- and high-income families. The report also includes survey data showing that although a vast majority of Americans recognize that early childhood literacy is a very important issue, only a small percentage are aware that children who lack early literacy skills not only start behind, but often stay behind. Read the study.

 

New resource on closing California’s achievement gap. The state Department of Education, working with other state and local agencies, as well as business and community partners, has created an online tool kit to help communities, families and schools develop partnerships to close the achievement gap. The website includes links on how to start and sustain partnerships, the importance of data and ideas for making connections with others who want to help improve student achievement. Visit the site.

 

Silicon Valley reports show importance of preschool. San Mateo and Santa Clara counties released new reports on school readiness that found high-quality preschool helps children learn during their most formative years and can help close the school readiness gap before it becomes an achievement gap. Children transitioned into kindergarten more easily and had more advanced skills. The reports were released at an event in Mountain View on Sept. 25 where State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell reiterated the powerful role preschool can play in preparing children for success in school and in life.  Read more about the studies.

 

Pew Hispanic Center new report release. The Pew Hispanic Center released a new report, “Latinos and Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap,” which highlights that although 9 out of 10 Latino young adults believe a college education is necessary for future success in life, many face numerous challenges that prevent them from attaining such an education. The report and its survey findings were prepared for the “Latino Children, Families, and Schooling National Conference” on Oct. 6 in Washington, D.C. Read more.

 

First 5 California aids Healthy Families with $81.4 million. The California First 5 Commission announced it would provide the state’s Healthy Families health insurance program with $81.4 million to help the program backfill some of its $178.6 million in budget cuts. The funds, which would be used for children age zero to 5, will ensure over 200,000 children will continue to have health insurance.

 

President Obama bolsters case for Early Learning Challenge Fund. In remarks to the NAACP in July, President Obama challenged the nation to improve early childhood education, stating, "And we should raise the bar when it comes to early learning programs...Today, some early learning programs are excellent. Some are mediocre. And some are wasting what studies show are by far a child's most formative years...if you demonstrate how you will prepare the lowest income children to meet the highest standards of success - then you can compete for an Early Learning Challenge Grant that will help prepare all our children to enter kindergarten ready to learn." Read more here.

 

State Superintendent touts early learning. State Superintendent Jack O’Connell announced results for the 2009 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. He notes that although California students overall continue to make academic progress, an achievement gap still remains. State Superintendent O’Connell highlighted high-quality early learning programs as a method of leveling the playing field, saying, “These results do not suggest students can't learn. The reality is the starting line is not the same for all our students." Read more here.

 

NPR interview: Early education makes all the difference. In a recent interview with NPR, Nobel Laureate and economist James Heckman discusses his theory that investing in early childhood education creates significant economic gains. Listen to the interview or learn more about the Professor Heckman’s contributions to early learning.

 

New advocacy guide for advancing early childhood agenda for the Latino community. The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) recently released “New Leaders, New Directions: Tools for Advancing an Early Childhood Agenda for the Latino Community,” a preschool advocacy guide. The toolkit includes information for early childhood education supporters to develop an advocacy plan, as well as other resources and tools available. Read the guide.  

 

Early learning advocates meet with California congressional offices. Representatives from statewide early learning organizations and local agencies met with congressional district offices in Fresno and San Diego. Early learning advocates also met with legislative staffers in Washington D.C. to discuss the importance of H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, and its inclusion of the Early Learning Challenge Fund.

 

New research investigates trends of Latino children and preschool enrollment in California. A new Wealth Research Organization report indicates that preschool enrollment rates for Latino children have increased between 2000 and 2006, with some of the greatest gains for Latino children who are under the federal poverty level. Nevertheless, a large enrollment gap still exists between white and Latino children; the report also includes several policy recommendations to increase Latino enrollment. Read the full report and policy brief.

 

Bay Area Council report supports business case for early learning investment. The Bay Area Council issued a research report highlighting the need for early education programs in California. The report, which builds upon research demonstrating the need for early education investments, will assist in the Council’s efforts to promote early education as a public investment with significant economic returns. Read the report.

 

First 5 California launches new parent site. A new website from First 5 California is available for parents of young children. The website is a resource that connects parents with health, education and support services information for their children and is translated into several different languages. See the First 5 California Parent website.

 

WIC/First 5 Data Mining research shows more Latino children in preschool. A new survey shows an increase in enrollment of Latino participants in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program between 2005 and 2008. Over 68% of Latino children who are WIC participants were enrolled in preschool, slightly more than the average enrollment rate of all WIC participants. The survey also notes that Latino families are reporting fewer barriers to accessing preschool services. View the survey report.

 

Preliminary results of the Abbott Preschool Program longitudinal study. The second in a series, this interim report discusses the results of a longitudinal study of the long-term effects of preschool participation. The preliminary results find that children participating in the Abbott Preschool Program continue to outperform their peers through second grade. The new report also notes that participation in the pre-k program significantly reduced retention in kindergarten and first grade. Read the full report.

 

New RAND fact sheet available. The California Federation of Teachers has issued a new fact sheet based on the latest RAND report. Available in both English and Spanish, the fact sheet is part of the California Federation of Teacher’s ongoing efforts to inform the public about the importance of high-quality preschool. View the fact sheet

 

New James Heckman resources available. A new website is available for advocates to promote the work of Nobel Laureate James Heckman, who illustrates the economic gains from investments in early childhood development. His work is now explained on a new Heckman Equation website through a variety of presentation slides, videos, and other resources to help demonstrate the importance of effective of early childhood education. View the new resources available.

 

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.

 

• $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;
• $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;
• $124 million for a new home visitation initiative;
• a $122 million cost of living increase in Head Start and Early Head Start funding; and
• 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.

 

Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee holds first meeting. The Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee has begun its work to improve the quality of California’s early learning and care programs for children from birth to five years old.  The Advisory Committee, created by SB 1629 (Steinberg), will develop the policy and implementation plan for an Early Learning Quality Improvement System, as well as develop an early learning rating scale and a funding model aligned with the quality rating scale. See the Advisory Committee webpage.

 

Preschool toolkit for Los Angeles families highlights how to access and advocate for early education programs. “The Preschool Experience We Deserve Toolkit” includes critical information for families on why preschool programs matter, how L.A. families can access programs and how to advocate for early education. The toolkit was produced by Families in Schools in partnership with the Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Coalition and with support from the California Community Foundation.Download the toolkit.

 

President Obama continues to highlight early education. In his speeches and remarks, President Obama continues to link early childhood education to children’s ability to “get a complete and competitive education from the cradle up through a career.” Read his many remarks on the important role early learning plays in children’s success in school and beyond.

 

New RAND research on preschool in California coming this month. The final report in a series of preschool studies from the RAND Corporation will be released May 28. The RAND report, “Issues, Policy Options and Recommendations for Preschool Adequacy and Efficiency in California,” will feature policy recommendations for how to narrow the achievement gap by preparing children to succeed in K-12. Visit our website to see the findings of the first three RAND preschool studies.

 

State schools chief Jack O’Connell releases annual report on dropouts. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell’s annual report on dropout and graduation rates found that the dropout rate for the 2007-08 school year was 20.1 percent and the graduation rate was 68.3 percent.  High-quality early education is one of the most effective ways to decrease high school dropout rates, according to recent research from the California Dropout Research Project. View the California Department of Education’s press release on the report.

 

Federal stimulus funds for education and early learning made available. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that Head Start and Early Head Start programs will receive funding worth $2.1 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Read the HHS news release. The U.S. Department of Education has released $44 billion to states and schools for federal education programs, including more than $1 billion for California. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said "The federal economic stimulus funds will help us educate some of our most vulnerable students – those in need of special education services and those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged." Read O’Connell’s news release.

 

Business groups call for a renewed emphasis on high-quality early care and education. Reflecting a growing consensus among the business community that investments in the first five years of life yield high returns, Corporate Voices for Working Families and Business Roundtable released a policy paper that outlines the need for federal and state efforts to develop a high-quality early care and education system. Read the brief, Why America Needs High-Quality Early Care and Education.

 

Resources on using Title I education funding for early learning services available. See Pre-K Now’s fact sheet making the case for using Title I funds for preschool and a Center for Law and Social Policy brief on Title I and early childhood education. 

 

Technical assistance available on applying for new Early Head Start funds. For organizations who would like assistance in developing strong Early Head Start funding proposals, there will be regional workshops and webinars hosted by First 5 California, in partnership with WestEd Center for Child & Family Studies, the California Head Start Association and Preschool California. View the flyer for more information and visit SchoolsMovingUp to register for the webinars. 

 

President signs economic recovery plan that includes significant new funding for early childhood education. The final bill includes $1 billion for Head Start, $1.1 billion for Early Head Start, and $2 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) over FY09 and FY10. In addition, pre-k programs and early education also stand to benefit from the additional investments in Title I ($13 billion), IDEA ($12.2 billion) and a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund ($53.6 billion). See Pre-K Now's fact sheet on the recovery plan provisions pertaining to early childhood education. Read an article in the Whittier Daily News about how the recovery funds will help fund more spaces and quality in early learning programs. 

 

Governor Schwarzenegger signs state budget that includes child development cuts. Legislative leaders and the governor reached a budget agreement with $14.8 billion in spending reductions, including a $15 million cut to State Preschool and a $40 million cut to General Child Care. The budget agreement also puts several proposition on the May 19 special election ballot, including Proposition 1D, which would redirect Proposition 10 tobacco tax funds for early childhood development, totaling $1.6 billion over five years. For more on the budget deal, read the Child Development Policy Institute's analysis.

 

President Obama's 2010 budget request highlights early education. The Obama administration’s budget summary highlights early education programs in both the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services sections of the document, with promises for increased federal investments in these programs. In the budget, Obama recognized the ECE funding contained in the economic recovery plan and promised to “help states strengthen their early education programs... by encouraging new investment, a seamless delivery of services, and better information for parents about program options and quality.” Read more excerpts from the President’s budget summary.

 

President Obama challenges states to improve quality of early education programs. In his remarks to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Obama highlighted research on the benefits of early childhood education and said: "I'm issuing a challenge to our states: Develop a cutting-edge plan to raise the quality of your early learning programs; show us how you'll work to ensure that children are better prepared for success by the time they enter kindergarten. If you do, we will support you with an Early Learning Challenge Grant that I call on Congress to enact. That's how we will reward quality and incentivize excellence, and make a down payment on the success of the next generation." Read the full speech.

 

FIRST 5 California releases the Power of Preschool Progress Report. The Power of Preschool demonstration program recently completed its third year in a five-year $100 million investment in voluntary, free and high-quality preschool. The report shares progress to date, county profiles and lessons learned on the state and local level. Preliminary data indicate that children are better prepared for kindergarten. Read the report.

 

Governor appoints new state Secretary of Education. Gov. Schwarzenegger named Glen Thomas, an education consultant and former executive director of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association, as California's new education secretary. Thomas has been a strong promoter of preschool and other early learning opportunities. Read the governor's press release.

 

Appointments made to the Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee. Gov. Schwarzenegger appointed Celia Ayala, COO of Los Angeles Universal Preschool, and Dennis Vicars, executive director of Professional Association for Childhood Education to the Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee. Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg appointed Cliff Marcussen, executive director of Options; Consuelo Espinosa, an infant toddler specialist at WestEd; and Dave Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Education, who will represent Senator Steinberg. The remaining members of the 13-person committee are expected to be named soon. The committee was created by SB 1629 (Steinberg), which passed the state Legislature and was signed by the governor last year.

 

Superintendent O'Connell highlights 2008 preschool successes in his State of Education address. In his annual address, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell cited the passage of two major preschool bills – SB 1629 and AB 2759 – as examples of the state’s progress in education. Superintendent O'Connell also highlighted the importance of strengthening our education data system, which is now underway as a result of SB 1298. Read the full speech.

 

Children Now's Report Card highlights deficiencies in children's education and health policy in California. In their annual Report Card, Children Now gave California a grade of C on early care and education, noting that the state is failing to ensure the availability and quality of the care and education received by all young children. The report called for increased investment in California's children, particularly early in life. See the 2009 California Report Card.

 

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan places early education at the top of the agenda. Speaking at his Senate confirmation hearing, Duncan prioritized early childhood programs as job one in the administration's education agenda and outlined President Obama's Zero-to-Five strategy, which includes greater supports for working parents, early learning challenge grants for the states, pre-k quality enhancements and more funding for Head Start and Early Head Start. Duncan said "First, we must invest in early childhood education." Read Duncan's testimony.

 

House passes economic recovery plan that includes significant funding for Head Start, child care and critical children’s programs. The U.S. House of Representatives passed an economic recovery plan that includes $2 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, $1 billion for Head Start, $1.1 billion for Early Head Start and funding for other critical programs for children. The Senate is currently considering its version of the economic recovery package. See our action alert on including early childhood in the economic recovery plan and send a letter to your Senators.

 

Governor Schwarzenegger proposed 2009-10 budget includes substantial cuts to education and child care and development programs. To meet a $41.6 billion budget gap, Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed a combination of new revenues and program cuts, including a $55 million permanent decrease in general child care and preschool funding. The governor also proposed eliminating the First 5 California Commission, which supports programs for children from birth to age 5, and redirecting all state funds and half of local funds to support children’s programs administered by the Department of Social Services. See budget analyses from the Child Development Policy Institute and the Child Care Law Center.

 

Pre-K Now National Satellite Conference brings together pre-k supporters. Over 300 California preschool advocates gathered at 20 viewing site on December, joining thousands of other supporters across the country to share lessons about professional development, collaboration between early childhood programs and partnering with home-based care providers. A webcast of the conference is available at Pre-K Now.

 

Legislative Analyst's Office releases recommendations on state legislation. In the report, the LAO recommends reforming the child care reimbursement rate structure to reward higher quality providers, offer incentives to improve quality of care and recognize regional cost differences.  The report also recommends streamlining child care and development contracting requirements. View the full list of recommendations.

 

Report says high cost of preschool is a challenge for middle-class families. A new report from Pre-K Now finds that eligibility requirements and prohibitively high costs are squeezing many middle-class families out of effective preschool programs. The study demonstrates middle-class families' need for and struggle to afford quality early education programs when they do not qualify for state pre-kindergarten programs. Read the report, “The Pre-K Pinch: Early Education and the Middle Class.”  

 

New state legislators and leadership sworn in at State Capitol. Eleven new state senators and 28 new state assemblymembers were sworn in this month, giving us an opportunity to cultivate more preschool champions. Also, Darrell Steinberg, author of preschool bill SB 1629, was sworn in as President Pro Tempore of the Senate. See the new Senate and Assembly rosters.

 

CDE releases webpage with resources on the California State Preschool Program. The California Department of Education has created a California State Preschool Program (CSPP) webpage with resources and information for child development contractors operating CDE preschool programs and those operating a general child care program serving 3- and 4-year-old children. Visit the webpage.

 

Child Development Policy Institute (CDPI) holds Fall Forum. The conference featured experts from across California and the nation speaking on current and emerging policy trends for early care and education. See the agenda and photos from the event. View the keynote presentation by philanthropist Mike Milken.  

 

Labor unions call for targeted investment in early childhood educators. The California Labor Federation and the Alameda County Central Labor Council passed resolutions this month stating their support for further investments to expand access to early childhood education. Read the resolutions.

 

Pre-K Now video highlights what children learn in preschool. The video follows five young children through a full school year at a high-quality pre-k program, and shows how high-quality preschool helps all children prepare for success in school and in life. View the video.

 

Governor signs SB 1629 (Steinberg) and AB 2759 (Jones). These bipartisan preschool reform bills represent a major step forward in creating a more rational and higher quality preschool system. Read the governor's press release. Read other press releases on the signing of the bills. SB 1298 (Simitian and Steinberg) was also signed by the governor. Send a thank you note to the governor, the bill authors and Superintendent O'Connell.

 

Policymakers celebrate the signing of preschool legislation. SB 1629 author Senator Darrell Steinberg and AB 2759 author Assemblymember Dave Jones joined State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and leaders from supporting organizations at a press conference at a Sacramento preschool. See photos and key quotes from the event. Secretary of Education David Long also marked the signing of the bills at an event at a Los Angeles preschool.

 

Governor approves state budget. Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the FY 2008-09 budget. Read the Child Development Policy Institute's information bulletin on the state budget to learn how child care and development fared.

 

Report shows that many states are prioritizing pre-k. A recent report from Pre-K Now found that 32 states added $316 million new dollars to early learning programs, demonstrating their commitment to investing in preschool in spite of worsening economic conditions. Read the report, Votes Counts.

 

San Francisco’s Preschool for All program has expanded citywide. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced this week at press conference that San Francisco will become the first county in California to open its free, voluntary, high-quality Preschool for All program to 4 year olds in every neighborhood. The press conference also featured San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Carlos Garcia and First 5 San Francisco Executive Director Laurel Kloomok. See photos of the press conference. Read the press release.

 

McCain and Obama take stands on early childhood education. Both presidential candidates issued position statements supporting preschool and other early childhood programs. Read statement by Senator McCain and Senator Obama.

 

California Federation of Teachers calls for investment in high-quality preschool. The California Federation of Teachers (CFT), drawing on data from RAND's California Preschool Study, released a short booklet highlighting the value of high-quality preschool and a well-trained early childhood education workforce. The CFT booklet is available in English and Spanish.

 

Education research group recommends high-quality preschool for the kids who need it most. Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) released a report on school reform featuring policy recommendations, including a call for the state to provide high-quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate preschool for low-income, Latino, African American and English learner students. Read the report, Conditions of Education in California 2008. 

 

Los Angeles school board members speak at briefing on Measure Q, the L.A. school bond. California Community Foundation, Los Angeles Universal Preschool, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and Preschool California hosted a briefing on Measure Q, a school bond measure on the L.A. November ballot that includes $150 million for building early childhood education centers. The briefing featured L.A. Unified School District Board President Monica Garcia and Board Vice President Yolie Flores Aguilar. Learn more about Measure Q.

 

 New research released on kindergarten readiness of San Francisco’s children. Results of San Francisco’s first-ever comprehensive assessment of children’s readiness for kindergarten reveal that about half were not ready to succeed in school.  The research points to the need to further expand access to high-quality preschool and family support services to close the achievement gap and promote school success for all children. Read the report. Read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle.

 

New results on the benefits of Oklahoma’s Universal Pre-K Program. In a recent article in the journal Science, a study of Oklahoma's Universal Pre-K program finds that universal preschool, open to all children, benefits both low-income and middle class students. Researchers from Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute report that children in Tulsa's Pre-K Programs made substantial gains in pre-reading, pre-writing, and pre-math skills. Read the Science article.

 

Key preschool legislation passes state Legislature and heads to Governor's desk.

 

• SB 1629 (Steinberg) – Early Learning Quality Improvement Act – passed the Assembly floor 49-29 on August 19. Fact Sheet. Full Text. LegInfo.
• AB 2759 (Jones) – California State Preschool Program Act – passed the Senate floor 34-2 on August 26. Fact Sheet. Full Text. LegInfo.
• SB 1298 (Simitian and Steinberg) – Education Data System: Governance and Critical Linkages – passed the Assembly floor 41-31 on August 18. Full Text. LegInfo.
• AB 2467 (Brownley) – State Preschool: Information – passed the Senate floor 38-1 on August 27. Full Text. LegInfo.

Pre-K Now looking for preschool success stories to feature at their national conference. Pre-K Now will select preschool stories with the most innovative lessons and send their film crew to create a short video. The video segments will be broadcast on December 10 to thousands of pre-k advocates gathered at hundreds of conference viewing sites. The deadline is Friday, September 19. Submit a success story. 

 

Step Up for Kids Day to take place on Sept. 16 in Sacramento. Every Child Matters is organizing a Step Up for Kids Day with events across the country to highlight the needs of children and families.  Parent Voices is hosting the California event on Tuesday, September 16 from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the North Steps of the State Capitol (10th Street between L and N) in Sacramento.  The free, family-friendly event will draw public attention to issues affecting children in California. See the event flyer.

 

Childhood Matters radio show highlights the need for preschool. On August 17, Childhood Matters, hosted by experienced parent educator Rona Renner, explored the importance of preschool and offered tips for choosing a high-quality preschool.  The show featured Gloria Corral, deputy director of First 5 San Francisco's Preschool for All Program, and Jennifer Kagiwada of Working for Quality Child Care.  Listen to the show.

 

Education forum features top education advisors to Obama and McCain. During the New America Foundation event, the representative for Senator Obama spoke about his proposal for $10 billion in new investments for affordable early childhood education to fund Head Start as well as early learning grant programs to assist states in funding existing zero-five programs. The representative for Senator McCain discussed the importance of early childhood education for language development as well as quality measurements and content standards. The representative said that McCain would be speaking about early education in the future.  View a summary and video of the forum.

 

New study finds Latino families value early education. Researchers from the UCLA Center for Improving Child Care Quality conducted interviews with 116 low-income Latino mothers of 4 year olds in Los Angeles. Ninety-three percent of the mothers interviewed believe children should attend preschool before starting kindergarten. The study also found that some mothers encounter challenges in accessing early care and education programs. Read a research brief on the study from First 5 LA. See the full report.

 

National poll finds strong support for greater federal investments in state preschool programs. Seven in 10 voters—and 7 in 10 swing voters—support a new federal grant to help states increase the quality and availability of their pre-k programs, according to a national survey of 802 registered voters conducted for Pre-K Now in May 2008. Almost 7 in 10 voters want state and local governments to provide voluntary pre-k for all children. See the survey results.

 

New RAND California Preschool Study research released. Visit our RAND section to view the full study, executive summary and research brief and access more resources for your education and outreach efforts. Please take a moment to send a letter to key policymakers to encourage them to invest in high-quality pre-k.

 

Policymakers address preschool graduates. Preschool California joined with partner organizations and high-quality preschool programs across the state to organize preschool graduations featuring key policymakers. See photos and media coverage of the events.

 

Governor releases May Budget Revision: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger released his revised 2008-09 budget proposal, known as the May Revise. Read analyses from the Child Development Policy Institute and the Child Care Law Center. See more on the Governor's proposed budget reductions for education and child development.

 

More than 300 preschool supporters visit Capitol during successful Pre-K Advocacy Day: Teachers, early care educators, parents, business and labor leaders, and others from across California met with more than 90 state legislators and staff to share their stories of how high-quality preschool gets kids ready to learn and is a critical first step in education reform. Advocates also heard from a stellar lineup of speakers, including Assemblymember Dave Jones, Senator Darrell Steinberg, California Secretary of Education Dave Long, Camille Maben from the California Department of Education and Gisselle Acevedo from Para Los Niños. See photos and download event materials. 

 

House Education Committee passes federal preschool legislation. H.R. 3289, the Providing Resources Early for Kids Act (PRE-K Act), passed the House Committee on Education and Labor on June 26 with a 31-11 majority, including five Republican members.  The PRE-K Act would award funding to states, on a competitive basis, to support the quality of state pre-k programs. The bill currently has 115 House co-sponsors. Visit Pre-K Now to learn more. 

 

 

 

National education task force calls for increased investment in high-quality early childhood education. A coalition of leading education experts, economists, and health, housing, and civil rights advocates this month launched a campaign calling for a “Broader, Bolder Approach to Education.” One of their four principles is to increase investment in high-quality early childhood and preschool education. Learn more at http://www.boldapproach.org. 

 

New RAND research on preschool in California coming next month: The third in a series of preschool studies from the RAND Corporation is scheduled to be released in June. The research will feature new data from parents, teachers and providers on the quality of pre-k and child care serving California's children. More information on the third study is available here. Visit our website to see the findings of the first two RAND preschool studies.

National report reveals strong pre-k leadership from some governors: Sixteen governors and the mayor of Washington D.C. proposed a total of $261 million in increases for pre-k for FY 2009, concludes a report from Pre-K Now. Eight governors proposed flat or decreased pre-k funding, representing a $36 million cut. Both Republican and Democratic governors made proposals to increase pre-k, in spite of significant fiscal and political challenges. Four governors, including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, proposed cuts to pre-k funding. Read the report, Leadership Matters.

New fact sheets on two important preschool bills in the California state Legislature are available: See the bill fact sheets for SB 1629 - Early Learning Quality Improvement Act (Steinberg) and AB 2759 - The California State Preschool Program Act of 2008 (Jones). Learn more about 2008 pre-k legislation, including additional legislation related to preschool, child care or child development includes.

Governor's Committee on Education Excellence releases education reform recommendations:  Governor's Committee on Education Excellence's report recommends adopting a comprehensive early childhood package that includes offering pre-k to all kids, starting with those who need it most, and making strategic investments in preschool quality. The report, Students First: Renewing Hope for California's Future, is also available in Spanish. Chapter 8 of the supplementary technical report takes a look at the policy and research base for the recommendations.   

State of Preschool 2007 released: The State of Preschool 2007 report, released by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), showed that public pre-K is unavailable for most 3 and 4 year olds across the country, and California doesn't fare much better. The report said California met only 4 of 10 quality benchmarks outlined by NIEER. (With the recent development and release of the California Preschool Learning Foundations, California now meets half of NIEER's benchmarks). Read the State of Preschool 2007.

Governor proposes budget with across-the-board cuts: Gov. Schwarzenegger’s 2008-09 budget proposal calls for 10 percent across-the-board cuts, including child development programs. Please see the Child Care Law Center's response to the budget proposal and the Child Development Policy Institute's information bulletin for more specifics on the budget.

 

State Superintendent O'Connell calls for high-quality pre-k: In his annual State of Education speech, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell recognized that effective pre-kindergarten is a key way to improve California's education system and close the achievement gap. Read the Superintendent's speech. Visit the Department of Education's "Closing the Achievement Gap" website.

California P-16 Council recommends high-quality pre-k in its education reform report: Superintendent O'Connell accepted education reform recommendations from the California P-16 Council, a statewide group of education, business and community leaders. The P-16 report identified providing high-quality pre-kindergarten as its first recommendation. See the P-16 Council's pre-k recommendations and the Executive Summary of the P-16 report.

New research briefs on RAND's California preschool studies released: The research briefs summarize RAND's preschool studies, which reveal that the achievement gap evident among California's K-12 students exists when kids first enter kindergarten. The research also confirms that effective pre-k helps narrow the achievement gap by addressing the readiness gap. Find new research briefs on the study at RAND's website. 

Momentum grows for making preschool facilities part of the next school bond: At a recent Assembly Education Committee hearing, Chairman Gene Mullin, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and First 5 Executive Director Kris Perry all noted that pre-k is a critical component of the bond package. The Advancement Project has played a leading role in advocating for the inclusion of preschool facilities as part of the Public Education Facilities Bond Act to be put before voters in November 2008. Learn more about the preschool facilities shortfall by viewing maps created by the Advancement Project.