June 26, 2018

What we know about where the candidates for  
governor stand on early childhood issues

Photo credit: Charlie Kaijo, Flickr
After the June 5 primary, more attention will be focused on the winners in the governors' race: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and GOP candidate John Cox. EdSource looks at what is known about the two candidates' approaches to early childhood and preschool programs based on their responses during a primary debate held in May and in response to an EdSource questionnaire. 

In a detailed response to an EdSource questionnaire, Democratic candidate Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom made a strong commitment to a far more active role for the state in providing early childhood services than current Gov. Jerry Brown. He said the state needs a "cradle to career" education system that should begin well before preschool. 

He stressed the importance of supporting children and their families during the first three years of life, as well as services for expectant mothers.

"While I'm a firm believer in universal preschool, I believe that beginning learning at 3 years old is already too late. We need to double-down on the readiness gap by emphasizing prenatal care and the first three years of a child's life when nearly 85 percent of brain development occurs."

"To create a strong foundation of educational success, I believe we must expand proven programs that support the health and wellbeing of our state's babies and their families, including prenatal and developmental screenings, family nurse visits and affordable, high-quality child care."

"Furthermore, our early childhood strategy must also include expanded family leave because a parent should never have to choose between keeping a job and taking care of their newborn child. Investment in the first three years pays off: students who participate in early education programs have been shown to have fewer interactions with the criminal justice system, achieve greater educational outcomes, and go on to have successful careers."

Newsom pointed to San Francisco's Preschool for All program, which got underway the year he became mayor in 2004. "I'm the only person on this stage who actually did it - fully implemented universal preschool as mayor of San Francisco," Newsom said. "It's a developmental necessity and we need to advance it for the rest of the state." Newsom himself has four children 8 years old or younger.

Republican candidate, businessman John Cox does not appear to support universal preschool and did not respond to a request to complete EdSource's questionnaire. In a debate held in San Jose in May, Cox said he would focus on reducing the state's cost of living "so that parents can afford their own education for their kids at early ages."  In an interview with Nico Savidge in May, Cox addressed a range of education issues, but not early childhood.  See the full interview here.

EdSource early education reporter Ashley Hopkinson honored with journalism award

 
Congratulations to Ashley Hopkinson, EdSource's primary reporter focused on early education, for receiving the Child 360 Uplift Award for Early  Education Journalist of the Year.
 
At its annual award ceremony honoring outstanding early education teachers, nonprofit early education advocacy organization Child 360 stated,
"From reporting on disparities within early education to uncovering data on students with disabilities and diversity in the classroom, your trusted reporting--in an increasingly complex space--has made a difference for the education industry. These journalistic achievements, paired with your spirit to support children and families, have made you our unanimous choice as the first ever Child360 Early Education Journalist of the Year."  
 
Read more from Ashley here.  
 
Early Education Reports from EdSource

California budget includes increase for infant and toddler care but not enough to meet demand

Credit: Lillian Mongeau for EdSource
Despite pressure from early childhood advocates to invest close to a billion dollars in infant and toddler care in next year's budget, the agreement lawmakers approved earlier in June reflects a compromise, with significant increases in child care slots for low-income families but no new funding for preschool.  

Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders in the California Assembly and Senate agreed to create 13,407 new child care slots for low-income families who pay for child care with subsidies, through the state's Alternative Payment Program. Most of the funding for the slots comes from $409.2 million approved earlier this year by Congress.
 
More states expanding preschool programs but quality still lags

Credit: Lillian Mongeau for EdSource
California has increased the number of 3-year-olds enrolled in state-funded preschool programs over the last 10 years, but needs to improve preschool quality, including teacher qualifications, professional development and class size.

Those are among the findings in The State of Preschool 2017 report, by the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University. The report, released last month, tracks program quality, state spending and enrollment in preschool programs.

It also includes a companion report titled " Supporting Dual Language Learners in State-Funded Preschool," which assesses how states address the needs of preschoolers whose parents speak both English and another language at home.

 
Many teachers favor a more integrated early education system, national survey finds

  Credit: Ashley Hopkinson, EdSource 
Teachers of children in preschool through 3rd grade said a more unified education system, for children younger than 8 years old, would help to establish a common foundation in early childhood education that would align teaching and student learning, according to a national survey by the by the   National Association for the Education of Young Children.
   
 
Photo by Brittany Murray_ Press Telegram_SCNG
The art of engagement: classroom management now matters more in teacher training
 
It doesn't get the attention that curriculums and test scores do, but classroom management - the art and craft of keeping a room full of 20 eight-year-olds, or 35 teenagers, engaged and under control - is among the most challenging aspects of a teacher's job.

And it's something for which new teachers are often the least prepared. Historically, a typical teacher credentialing program in California offered a one-credit course in classroom management, and some not even that, according to interviews with teachers, school administrators and those who run the programs.

 
EARLY ED IN THE NEWS
Which CA county has the highest percentage of hungry children? Santa Barbara.  

In Santa Barbara County more than 28,000 children are at risk of not having enough to eat. The county has the highest child poverty rate in the state due to "skyrocketing rents" and has seen a 32 percent increase in families enrolling for food stamps, according to an article in the Santa Barbara Independent. Schools and nonprofit organizations in the region are stepping up efforts to provide meals through year-round nutrition programs that serve "culturally familiar foods" to the area's Spanish-speaking students. 

Read more  
 
California legislature advances preschool mental health services bill
 
Assemblymember Blanca Rubio's bill to provide mental health services to preschool age children continues to progress through the Senate, according to the health policy web site State of Reform. 
 
The bill would provide mental health consultation services to children up to the age of 5 in preschool programs or in a general child care and development program. The cost of providing these services would be reimbursable under certain conditions.


Erin Brownfield, editor