The 2019-20 California State Budget funds new preschool and child care spaces and expands preschool eligibility.

Early Edge California and Kidango commend Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature for their commitment to early care and education in the 2019-20 budget signed today by the Governor. By expanding access to subsidized preschool and child care and investing in California’s early learning infrastructure, this budget brings California one step closer to our goal of high-quality universal preschool and a birth-to-five early care and education system that prepares all children for success in life.

“This budget reflects a turning point for California’s early care and education system. After years of disinvestment in our young children and families, and then slow progress to restore cuts to child care, we now have a Governor, Assembly Speaker and Senate pro tem who recognize the importance of early childhood and are committed to ensuring our youngest children can thrive,” said Scott Moore, Chief Executive Officer at Kidango. “While there is still much work to be done, this budget is the down-payment we need to start planning and moving toward an early care and education system that sets our children, families, and state up for success.”  

The 2019-20 budget takes a key step toward universal preschool, starting in the highest need communities, by funding 10,000 new full-day state preschool spaces and expanding eligibility to all four-year-olds living in school attendance zones where more than 80 percent of children are eligible for free or reduced price meals. This new “community eligibility” provision – which is based on Assembly Bill 123, authored by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty and co-sponsored by Early Edge and Kidango – will make subsidized preschool accessible for the first time to children living in low-income communities regardless of family income.

In addition to funding preschool expansion, the budget includes ongoing funding to expand access to child care and makes significant one-time investments in early learning facilities, data, and workforce training. It also provides funding for the development of Governor Newsom’s master plan to implement universal preschool and a comprehensive, high-quality early care and education system in California.

“At Early Edge, our mission is to make sure that all children have access to early learning opportunities that can make a real difference in their lives and break cycles of poverty. We’re pleased to see support for this effort in the state budget and look forward to continue working with Governor Newsom and the Legislature to achieve our shared vision of building a high-quality early learning system in California. Key to this will be ensuring that all of our early learning teachers have the preparation, pay and support they need to do their jobs well,” said Patricia Lozano, Executive Director of Early Edge California

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Early Edge California is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to improving access to high quality Early Learning experiences for all California children so they can have a strong foundation for future success.

Kidango is an early learning nonprofit committed to setting every child on a path to thrive in Kindergarten and in life. As the largest child care provider in the San Francisco Bay Area, we provide thousands of children, especially those from low-income families, with safe, healthy, nurturing environments and relationships. Our goal is to make sure all children have the social, emotional, and academic skills they need to learn, grow and realize their potential.