Five policy questions for unifying, funding, and improving California's ECE system¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 4 claims (3 for, 1 mixed) · 3 studies (1 review, 1 associational, 1 qualitative), q2 · 0 of 3 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The report's Takeaways section sets forth five questions for policymakers: moving from "a patchwork of disconnected programs to a more unified ECE system"; increasing availability of high-quality, full-day programs; sustainably funding ECE through a stable revenue source; improving quality and supports, including improving the county-led QRISs statewide; and improving data systems for strategic decision-making. Specific mechanisms named include investing in full-day Head Start and state preschool, blending and braiding funding sources, adding preschool funding to the Local Control Funding Formula, and creating incentives for QRIS participation.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• State-level policy action on administrative structure, funding, quality improvement, and data systems

Constraints¶

• Recommendations are framed as questions for policymakers; the report provides background rather than evaluated interventions

Target Learners¶

• Children birth to age 5 in California, particularly low-income children and infants and toddlers

Target Learning Goals¶

• Access to high-quality early care and education supporting kindergarten readiness and long-term development

Affordances¶

• California Ece Patchwork System Structure

Claims¶

• California's subsidized ECE system serves only a minority of eligible children, with the lowest access among infants and toddlers [~W]
• U.S. ECE governance is fragmented across multiple federal and state agencies, creating an incoherent patchwork of programs [+W]
• California's ECE programs are held to very different quality standards, which can mean unequal learning opportunities for similar children [+W]
• Access to subsidized ECE is extremely limited for California infants and toddlers, with approximately 14% of eligible infants and toddlers enrolled [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Four-part state policy agenda: coherent administration, universal affordability, a well-qualified workforce, and quality improvement for all programs

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Melnick, H., Tinubu Ali, T., Gardner, M., Maier, A., & Wechsler, M. (2017). Understanding California's early care and education system. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/ca-ece-report