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More than 700,000 young children from low-income families rely on Head Start for preschool and other support. A proposed federal rule could make the program harder to access and lower quality, with potential ripple effects for public schools.
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LPI Senior Policy Advisor and Director of Early Learning Hanna Melnick provided testimony at a child care innovation hearing. Her remarks focused on how early care and education (ECE) are critical for families and the economy, and that while states are taking innovative approaches to improve access, they need more federal support to make quality ECE accessible to all.
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Well-prepared, well-supported early childhood educators are essential to high-quality learning experiences for young children. Building that workforce depends on strong educator preparation, effective recruitment and retention strategies, and supportive state policies.
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California’s investment in universal prekindergarten has increased the capacity of local education agencies to expand the accessibility of transitional kindergarten across the state. Ongoing challenges center on staff recruitment and retaintion, meeting the developmental and behavioral needs of younger students, securing facility space, and sustaining funding.
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California’s expansion of universal prekindergarten (PreK) has helped increase access to early childhood education (ECE) programs. This brief examines the impact of investments in universal PreK by calculating how many 3- and 4-year-olds have enrolled in publicly funded ECE programs across the state.
Hanna MelnickMarjorie WechslerVictoria WangSara Plasencia
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Through a $4 billion investment, California is dramatically increasing access to early childhood education for all 4-year-olds and eligible 3-year-olds through its mixed delivery system. To fully realize equitable, high-quality preschool, California can streamline governance, simplify enrollment, align quality standards, strengthen the workforce, and improve coordination across state and local agencies.
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Well-prepared teachers are essential during early years of learning, which form the foundation for lifelong success. A study examining early childhood credentialing programs in Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York sheds light on strategies institutions of higher education can use to promote quality and accessibility of ECE credential programs.
Abby SchachnerVictoria WangCathy YunSara Plasencia Chris MauermanCordy McJunkinsDeborah Stipek
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Well-prepared teachers are essential during the early years of learning, which form the foundation for lifelong success; and yet fewer than half of U.S. states require teachers to hold a credential. This national landscape highlights the key decisions states and preparation programs face and strategies for strengthening teacher preparation.
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Well-prepared teachers are essential during the early years of learning, which form the foundation for lifelong success; and yet fewer than half of U.S. states require teachers to hold a credential. State-level policies governing the credentialing of early childhood teachers in Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York illustrate how states can support a high-quality preschool workforce.
Victoria WangMelanie Leung-GagnéHanna MelnickShaakira ParkerMarjorie Wechsler
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California is expanding universal prekindergarten (UPK) to all 4-year-olds and eligible 3-year-olds. Survey data show that local educational agencies have expanded UPK quickly; however, they continue to face challenges related to UPK facilities, staffing, developmentally appropriate practices, resources, and funding, making continued state investment and targeted support critical for success.
