Research and policy attention should now examine PreK program quality and equitable access across racial, ethnic, and linguistic groups, and how families choose among PreK options¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The brief's concluding recommendation is that, now that enrollment expansion is underway, attention must turn to whether programs are high quality and whether access is equitable. It states that "ensuring the quality of these programs is also crucial" and that it "will therefore be important to examine the quality of these programs and whether children from different racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds have equitable access to high-quality PreK." It also recommends research on how families make PreK decisions, noting possible influences such as program accessibility, hours of care, awareness of options, and preference for private programs.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Enrollment data on participation must be complemented by quality and access data for the recommendation to be actionable

Constraints¶

• The brief states these factors were not the focus of its own analysis

Target Learners¶

• 4-year-old children in California's publicly funded PreK programs

Target Learning Goals¶

• Access to high-quality prekindergarten education for all 4-year-olds

Related Strategies¶

• Use centralized enrollment, controlled choice, and transparency systems to ensure equitable access and integration
• State policymakers should pair any choice expansion with quality controls, equitable access safeguards, integration management, and research and evaluation requirements
• Five policy strategies for fostering integration in early childhood education settings
• Future research agenda on preschool quality: access, younger ages, home-based settings, and practice-level studies
• Establish parent-staffed Parent Information Centers to equalize access to the choice process
• Federal policy should expand access to high-quality, integrated early care and education with quality assurance and adequate ECE educator compensation

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

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