Item 1: Welcome and Previous Session Recap
Welcome and Previous Session Recap
● Welcome and Agenda Review
● Reflect on Workgroup progress to date
● Public Comment
Item 2: UPK Mixed Delivery Quality and Access Landscape: What does Quality and Mixed Delivery look like in CA?
The Workgroup will explore the following overarching questions through a
combination of presentations, facilitated discussions, and public comment, which includes:
a. What is the current status of quality (both standards and practice) within
California’s Mixed Delivery Model?
b. What is the current distribution of programs across California and how
does this vary across the state?
c. What are the barriers families face in accessing high-quality universal
preschool programs (defined by statute as those meeting educational/Title
5 standards) for their three- and four-year old children? How can these
barriers be addressed?
The Child Center approach means taking into account everything that affects the child as a whole. We understand that a child’s learning is impacted not only by the program they attend and their teachers, but also their family, culture, and the communities they live in.
A child centered program ensures that children see themselves (their home language, their racial/ethnic/cultural background, etc.) in their environment.
We must also take into consideration the curriculum that will be used. I worked for a district’s preschool program and it was very academic-based. If this system is truly going to be child-centered, the type of curriculum must focus on the appropriateness of teaching young children and not just be a watered-down kindergarten curriculum or pushed-down kindergarten standards. We will have to hold curriculum publishers accountable.
We are transitioning to the presentation from PIQE: Parent Perspectives - Why Quality Matters and Desired Components and presentation from Child Trends: Parent Preferences and Barrier to Access in the Research
I think child-centered is, and must always be, accompanied by a FAMILY-CENTERED approach - the adults that care for children must have the knowledge and resources needed so they may in turn support their children to thrive. This means, coming alongside and meeting families where they are. Member Gloria Corral’s point is spot on - who are the children we are wanting to ensure are centered (and in turn their families)? They are most all non-white and English language learners and their families currently struggle to see the systems in place recognize, support, let alone, value their culture, experience, and history as residents of California.
At Head start, we emphasize that school readiness means Ready Children, Ready Family, Ready School, and Ready Community. In order to get children ready for school as the child centered framework, families, schools, and the communities need to rally around our children. Children are the center, our goal, and our future. Everything go toward the goal of school readiness of our children. Head Start PFCE Framework also reflects that value.
In sharing the sentiments of the other workgroup members, I want to add identifying how all systems impact the child overall and looking at how the guidelines we create are equitable not only across systems but understanding the characteristics of each caregiving context and how those guidelines may impact one caregiving context than the other. For example, speaking from a family child care lens, very often guidelines are created from the idea that all family child care programs needs are the same, when in fact that is the exact opposite. When stakeholders truly understand the diversities within this caregiving context will help minimize the likelihood of creating another system that is inequitable and not inclusive to the diverse needs of caregivers as well as community.
UPK needs to be clearly defined. I had a colleague that emailed me asking for the phone number for free preschool. I didn’t understand her request so I emailed her back asking her to be more specific because Head Start, CSPP, and TK were all free programs for 4 year olds. She then asked for TK so I called her to find out what exactly she needed.
It turns out, there was a parent that called inquiring about free preschool for her child that was turning 4. She didn’t qualify for our Head Start program so my colleague was trying to connect her to a free preschool program. This opened my eyes to the challenges parents will have deciding on where to place their young child and how to connect with those programs. There has not been clear communication for parents on what UPK means and how the different preschool options available fit into the system. The only thing that has been clearly discussed is TK. Many parents think this is their only option for their 4 year old child and do not take into consideration CSPP, Head Start, and community based organizations (private/public).
A child-centered approach protects and honors childhood. Allows children to develop and discover themselves through hand on play-based experiences. Adults guide and facilitate their development without pushing them to grow up too fast or pushing down expectations for academic growth or maturity that they are not ready for. Children are given time to develop and learn. Children are provided the environment needed to thrive, which includes supporting families, healthy nutrition, and mental health resources are available. We recognize the child’s home and community and recognize the gifts that the child’s race and culture bring to the program, and to the child’s life experience.
I’ve worked in several different program types and believe Head Start gets it right when it comes to child-centered. I wish the LEA programs would understand and adopt this instead of pushing/watering down kindergarten standards/curriculum and packing in children into a classroom to increase their ADA. It’s as if children=dollars and that’s all they care about.
California’s early learning and care system is very complicated and this is not a new challenge for parents because of the phase-in of TK - this is an ongoing barrier experienced by families for years. Access to services must include a process for ensuring families understand options available
