California has made huge investments in both expanded learning and early learning with the goals of universal access to expanded learning and pre-kindergarten for all students. To achieve these goals, schools and providers will need to blend, braid, and layer pre-K and expanded learning programs to create full-day, full-year programs.

We are working alongside our early learning partners to advocate for policy shifts that enable this collaboration, and we identify models and provide resources for expanded learning providers to better serve their youngest learners.

Why Early Learning?

Access to early learning opportunities is a key driver of longer term educational inequities. Children who attended preschool spent 1,395 more hours learning than their peers who did not attend preschool.

Expanded learning and early learning share goals and core values that encourage blending programs. To make full use of public investments, school districts and community-based organizations need to find new ways to work together.

Our impact

• Held an informational hearing in the California State Senate on Early Care and Education and Expanded Learning programs in California, presented in partnership with the Child Care Resource Center (Senate Education Committee, March 2, 2022).

• Convened leaders in the expanded learning and early learning fields in the first organized collaboration about how best to create full-day, full-year learning opportunities for California’s youngest learners.

Resources

For more information on increased coordination between early childhood education and expanded learning, check out these resources:

• Universal Pre-kindergarten Expansion Resources page, created by Santa Clara County Office of Education

• An Inclusive Framework: Designing and Implementing Universal Prekindergarten in California, created by the YMCA of San Diego County

• Overview of Child Care and Expanded Learning Programs for School-Age Children, Legislative Analyst’s Office