Including subsidized child care, California enrolled about 37% of all 4-year-olds in publicly funded early childhood programs in 2019–20 and 55% in 2023–24¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? When subsidized child care enrollment is added to TK, CSPP, and Head Start, the share of 4-year-olds in publicly funded programs rose from about 37% in 2019–20 to 55% in 2023–24. → Melnick 2024

Evidence¶

Melnick 2024¶

Melnick, H., & García, E. (2024). Progressing toward universal prekindergarten in California [Brief]. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/progressing-toward-universal-prekindergarten-california

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Analysis adding California Department of Social Services subsidized child care enrollment data (Table 3) to the TK/CSPP/Head Start totals. The brief reports the state "enrolled about 37% of all 4-year-olds in 2019–20 and 55% in 2023–24."

"However, subsidized child care serves a growing number and proportion of children in California. When the number of children enrolled in subsidized child care is added to the number of children enrolled in TK, CSPP, and Head Start, the state enrolled about 37% of all 4-year-olds in 2019–20 and 55% in 2023–24."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Access to subsidized ECE is extremely limited for California infants and toddlers, with approximately 14% of eligible infants and toddlers enrolled — related
• TK enrollment in California grew substantially during expansion while the share of eligible 4-year-olds enrolled declined from 65% to 55% — related
• TK enrollment grew from 88,883 children in 2019–20 to 151,491 in 2023–24, while the share of eligible 4-year-olds enrolled declined to 59% — related
• Combined enrollment in TK, CSPP, and Head Start raised California's coverage of all 4-year-olds from about 34% in 2019–20 to 50% in 2023–24 — related
• Publicly funded ECE programs in California served only 33% of eligible children under age 5 in 2015–16, leaving nearly 650,000 eligible children without access — related
• In 2022 only one in nine eligible California children—and one in seven eligible Alameda County children—received subsidized childcare — related
• California's subsidized ECE system serves only a minority of eligible children, with the lowest access among infants and toddlers — related
• Transitional kindergarten enrollment in California doubled from about 75,465 in 2021–22 to 151,491 in 2023–24 as eligibility expanded toward all 4-year-olds — related
• The proportion of eligible 4-year-olds enrolled in TK declined from 64% in 2021–22 to 59% in 2023–24 because eligibility grew faster than enrollment — related
• California ECE funding suffered over $1 billion in recession-era cuts, eliminating roughly 25% of child care slots between 2008 and 2013, and funding remains below pre-recession levels
• Many U.S. children lack access to early learning programs: only 54% of 3- and 4-year-olds attend any preschool and 35% of eligible children participate in Head Start — related