In the 2025-26 California state budget, Governor Newsom proposed $3.9 billion to meet the goal of full implementation of universal transitional kindergarten 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.

Partnership for Children & Youth is working alongside our early learning partners to advocate for policy shifts that enable this collaboration. We identify models and provide resources for expanded learning providers to better serve their youngest learners.

Why Early Learning?

Unequal access to early learning opportunities is a major contributor to long-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

• In partnership with DialEE, PCY supported the LEA Fellows cohort of 16 LEA fellows from 10 school districts and 3 CBOs.

• PCY participated in updating the California Preschool/Transition Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF) in partnership with WestEd and the California Department of Education. The foundations provide early childhood educators, parents, and the public with a clear understanding of the wide range of knowledge and skills that preschool children typically attain when given the benefits of a high-quality preschool program.

• PCY has played a significant role in the statewide coalition to provide guidance on systems alignment, partnerships between LEAs and CBOs, and working to support the implementation of full day, full year inclusive universal TK and pre-kindergarten programs for all of California’s early learners.

• In 2024, PCY presented at 14 conferences and webinars with over 2,000 attendees to spread awareness and resources for early learning initiatives.

• The UPK Guidebook was co-created with other whole-child focused organizations, including Every Child California, Child Care Resource Center, First 5 California, District Innovation and Leadership in Early Education, Santa Clara County Office of Education, and Heising-Simons Foundation. The UPK Guidebooks provides critical information and resources to family-serving organizations, LEAs, and CBOs.

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