What’s New

• State early learning advisory council continues to make progress. The California State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (ELAC) met on July 13. The council unanimously approved the state’s application for $10.6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. The federal planning funds will be used to help create the Early Learning Quality Improvement System (ELQIS) pilot program, continue work around early childhood education workforce competencies, and to invest in creating an early learning data system. Find more information on the California State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care.

• New report available on California’s early learning and development system. Children Now released a new report on California’s early learning and development system. This new resource provides a comprehensive review of the state’s early learning programs and services and available funding streams. The report includes information on the types of early learning and development programs available, the quality of these programs and policy recommendations to increase access to quality early learning opportunities. This guide is intended as a resource for the Early Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) and California policymakers, to help them navigate the state's numerous early learning and development programs and services, and range of available funding streams. Read the new report.

• Los Angeles Universal Preschool Names New CEO. Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) announced the appointment of Celia C. Ayala as its new chief executive officer. Ayala, who previously served as chief operating officer and Interim CEO of LAUP, replaces Gary Mangiofico. She brings more than 34 years of experience as a teacher, administrator and advocate for children and will lead LAUP’s efforts to increase accessibility to high-quality preschool education throughout Los Angeles County. Read more.

• New report shows child care costs are rising. A new publication from the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) shows that child care costs, already high, are continuing to rise across the country. The report reiterates the need for affordable child care, particular in these tough economic times. Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2010 Updates provides average costs of child care for infants, 4-year-olds, and school-age children in centers and family child care homes in every state. Read the full report.

News from the Field

• Silicon Valley Leadership Group observes firsthand high-quality early learning programs. On Aug. 4, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a business organization that represents more than 300 of Silicon Valley's most respected employers who provide nearly one of every three private sector jobs in Silicon Valley, held its monthly meeting at Santee Elementary, in the Franklin-McKinley school district. The meeting, held with the support of the Santa Clara County Office of Education, First 5 Santa Clara, the Packard Foundation, and Preschool California, gave Franklin-McKinley School District the opportunity to engage the Silicon Valley Leadership Group on the potential of early childhood education in Santa Clara County and the Silicon Valley. Santee Elementary is providing early childhood programs like its Kinder Academy and Abriendo Puertas parent education program as an integral part of the Franklin McKinley Children’s Initiative. In addition to the Children’s Initiative work, Santa Clara County and the Franklin-McKinley school district are working on exciting early learning initiatives, under the Santa Clara County’s Early Learning Master Plan and SJ2020. Find out more information on the Franklin-McKinley Children's Initiative.

• Local business leaders and preschoolers gather in San Diego. The San Diego Economic Development Corporation June “Investor Breakfast” convened local business leaders to discuss the importance of high-quality early learning programs. The event featured Sandy McBrayer from The Children’s Initiative, who presented San Diego County’s Report Card on Children and Families, and Julie Meier Wright, who made the case for why investing in preschool education is important for the business community. Special guests at the breakfast were preschoolers from the  Olivewood Elementary School in National City, who entertained the breakfast guests with their version of I love Preschool (Rock n’ Roll).

• ELQIS advocates gather at Santa Clara town hall. More than 60 local early learning supporters gathered in Santa Clara on June 29 to provide feedback on the development of a statewide early learning quality improvement system (ELQIS). Cosponsored by State Senator Elaine Alquist, Smart Start San Jose, First 5 Santa Clara County, the Santa Clara County Office of Education, WestEd, the E3 Institute, Local Early Education Planning Council of Santa Clara County, Go Kids and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, the town hall meeting featured expert panel discussions on the latest advancements in federal, state and local early learning policy. Participants also worked in groups to provide feedback on the state’s emergent ELQIS and brainstorm ways to align the state system with local efforts to develop a comprehensive quality rating system. The feedback will be forwarded to the California Department of Education For consideration by the ELQIS advisory committee.

2011 State Budget Proposal

As you know, on May 14, Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed drastic budget cuts that would further shred the social safety net for our children at a time when families are already struggling with the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. If implemented, the proposed cuts to our child development programs – including CalWORKs and General Child Care –would decimate the fundamental infrastructure of California's early learning system.

We are counting on the Legislature to ensure we maintain our investments in these critically needed programs. Please visit the Campaign to Save Child Care web section, which includes a response statement to the governor’s May revise proposals, an updated list of supporters, media coverage and other resources.

California Childcare Resource and Referral Network Child Care Issues Fact Sheet

Media Coverage:

New York Times: Lack of aid for child care pushes some to welfare. May 23.

Washington Post: Study finds that effects of low-quality child care lasts into adolescence. May 14.