What Are California’s Major School Readiness Programs?

What Are California’s Major School Readiness Programs? State Preschool Transitional Kindergartena Head Start Eligibility Three and four year olds whose Four year olds whose fi fth Three and four year olds whose family’s income is below 70 percent birthday falls between family’s income is below the of state median income ($42,216 a September 1 and December 1 federal poverty line ($20,090 a year for a family of three). and, at district discretion, some year for a family of three). four year olds whose fi fth birth- day falls between December 2 and the end of the school year. Availability Number of available slots based on Available for all eligible Number of available slots based state budget appropriation. Waiting children. on federal budget lists are common across the state. appropriation. Children Servedb Approximately 157,000 children. Approximately 83,000 children. Approximately 86,000 children. Provider Public and private providers that Public school districts and char- Public and private providers that contract with the state. ter schools. contract with the federal govern- ment. Teacher Qualifi cation Child Development Teacher Permit Bachelor’s degree and multi- “Demonstrated competency to Requirements (24 units of early childhood subject teaching credential. perform basic functions education/child development plus (New TK teachers as of July 1, that. . . advance the intellectual 16 general education units). 2015 also must have at least and physical development of 24 units of early education/ children. . .”c child development, comparable experience, or a Child Development Teacher Permit.) Maximum Student-Teacher 24:1 child-to-teacher and 8:1 33:1 child-to-teacher ratio. 20:1 child-to-teacher and Ratios child-to-adult ratios. 10:1 child-to-adult ratios. Programmatic Standards California’s Preschool Learning Locally developed, modifi ed The Head Start Early Foundations. kindergarten curriculum. Learning Outcomes Framework. Duration Part day, 175 days a year. (Extended Part day, 175 days a year. Part- and full-day programs care is available for one-third of chil- (Some school districts opt to offered. dren enrolled in the program.) offer longer-day programs.) Per-Child Funding Approximately $4,200 per child per $6,270 per non-EL/LI child per Average of approximately year. (Approximately $9,600 per year and $7,524 per $9,100 per child per year. year including extended care.) EL/LI child.d Total Fundingb,e $835 million (Proposition 98 funds) Approximately $600 million Approximately $780 million and approximately $145 million (non- (Proposition 98 funds). (federal funds). Proposition 98 General Fund). a Refl ects Transitional Kindergarten under current law. b Counts/amounts for State Preschool from 2015-16. Counts/amounts for Transitional Kindergarten and Head Start from 2014-15. c Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007. d Refl ects 2014-15 rates under Local Control Funding Formula not including concentration funding. e Some First 5 programs provide additional funding to support additional preschool slots in their counties. EL/LI = English learner/low-income.