November 1, 2005
SUBJECT: Explore the City’s Role in Supporting Universal Preschool - Study Issue
REPORT IN BRIEF
The purpose of this report is to provide Council with findings from the 2005 Study Issue: Explore the City’s Role in Supporting Universal Preschool (See Attachment A, Universal Preschool Study Issue Paper).
This report:
- defines Universal Preschool;
- discusses the history of Universal Preschool in California;
- reviews the status of Universal Preschool; and
- presents options for supporting the concept of Universal Preschool.
Staff recommends that Council:
1. Approve a Legislative Action Position to support the concept of Universal Preschool;
2. Support the efforts of First 5 Santa Clara County in implementing their “Preschool for All” Master Plan;
3. Assist DeAnza College and Mission College with locating market-rate classroom space in Sunnyvale for college-level child development and early education classes;
4. Develop and administer, in conjunction with DeAnza College and Mission College, a survey to determine the current educational needs and aspirations of the Sunnyvale child care community; and
5. Assist DeAnza College with locating practicum sites (for students enrolled in their child development classes) at Sunnyvale child care centers and preschools.
BACKGROUND
At the 2004 Council Study Issues Workshop, Council directed staff to undertake a study issue introduced by the Child Care Advisory Board (CCAB), Explore the City’s Role in Supporting Universal Preschool.
What is Universal Preschool?
Universal Preschool is a concept that is commonly defined as requiring the provision of free, voluntary high-quality preschool for four year olds for three hours per day, regardless of income. The term “Universal Preschool” is used interchangeably with the term “preschool for all”.
If passed, pending Universal Preschool legislation will likely have a significant impact on Sunnyvale child care centers, family child care providers and local colleges and universities. The proposed legislation:
- requires the provision of voluntary, free high-quality preschool for all four year olds; and
- sets new and higher educational requirements for the preschool workforce ( Bachelor’s degrees in Early Childhood Education for teachers).
In order to meet the potential demand for Universal Preschool slots, many of the current Sunnyvale child care providers would need to become Universal Preschool providers. It is unlikely that all of the current preschool providers in Sunnyvale would choose to become Universal Preschool providers due to the Bachelor’s degree requirements for teachers and high quality standards proposed in the pending legislation.
History of Universal Preschool in California
Universal Preschool in California has received increasing attention since the late 1990s via policy and legislative efforts. These efforts include:
Universal Preschool Task Force (1998)
Convened by State Superintendent of Public Instruction, this task force presented the California Legislature with a report that:
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called for publicly funded preschool within ten years for all three and four year olds in California;
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highlighted the need for educational reform due to lower than average educational achievement compared to others states;
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pointed to research about the strong impact of preschool on later success in school; and
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called for improving the quality of preschool instruction, increasing the number of preschool facilities and combining state, local, federal and private funds to finance the program.
Although the Legislature did not act on the report's recommendations, the report brought preschool education to the forefront in policy debates about education.
Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education
In 1999, the California Legislature created the Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education. The Committee adopted recommendations for a new Master Plan for Education, preschool through university. The Joint Committee issued its final report with recommendations for a California Master Plan for Education in September 2002.
This report:
Assembly Bill 712 (2004)
AB 712 was introduced by Assembly members Steinberg, Chan, Daucher and Liu. It was passed by the California Assembly and Senate in August 2004, but was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger in September 2004. AB 712:
Current Status of Universal Preschool
Across the nation, universal preschool continues to be an important issue for educators and legislatures. Five states (Georgia, Oklahoma, New Jersey, New York, and Florida) have made a commitment to some type of universal preschool program. These five states have established a policy goal to make free, voluntary preschool available to all children, regardless of income, at least within certain specified school districts or geographic areas. Georgia and Oklahoma are the only two states that currently offer universal preschool to all four year olds. Universal preschool efforts in these states are spearheaded by the State Board of Education and local school districts. Georgia finances their universal preschool system through the state lottery. Oklahoma finances their universal preschool system with public school funding.
California, Illinois, and Massachusetts are in the process of conducting statewide universal preschool planning efforts. In California, Universal Preschool is at the forefront of public education policy discussions. There are several efforts underway to make Universal Preschool a reality in California within ten years. These efforts include:
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pending legislation – the Preschool for All ballot initiative, and Assembly Bill 172 (The League of California Cities has taken no position on AB 172 and will undertake an analysis of the Preschool for All ballot initiative should it appear on the June 2006 ballot)
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financial commitments from First 5 California and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
The Preschool for All Ballot Initiative
The Preschool for All Ballot Initiative suggests using the existing public/private preschool system to deliver free, high quality preschool for all four year olds in California. It mandates specific qualifications and compensation levels for teachers, allows flexibility to meet local needs, and requires the development of a system of accountability to the public.
This initiative was filed with the California Attorney General on June 20, 2005. If this initiative appears on the June 2006 ballot, staff will include a separate analysis of this ballot initiative as part of the City’s ballot analysis in May 2006. The Ballot Initiative:
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establishes free, voluntary, high quality, part-day preschool for all four year old children in California whose parents choose to enroll them;
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identifies a deadline of 2010 for making preschool available to all four year old children;
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requires Bachelor level teachers in every preschool classroom (all head teachers must have Bachelor’s degrees by 2015); and funds the initiative through a tax on individuals with income over $400,000.
Pending Legislation
Assembly Bill 172 (AB 172)
AB 172 is a two-year bill that was introduced by Assembly member Wilma Chan in January 2005. In brief, it declares the legislature’s support for publicly-funded, quality preschool for all four year olds in California. It is intended to supplement and support the “Preschool for All” ballot initiative that may appear on the June 2006 ballot. AB 172 passed out of Assembly and is being considered by the Senate Education Committee. AB 172 would only become operable if the state-wide Preschool for All ballot initiative is approved by the voters in June 2006. AB 172:
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provides voluntary preschool that can be offered in a variety of settings, including public schools, child care centers, family child care homes, faith-based institutions, and Head Start programs; and
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requires preschool teachers to be educated and compensated at levels comparable to public school teachers.
Financial Commitments
First 5 California (Statewide Commission)
First 5 California was created in 1998 to oversee the allocation of Proposition 10 (tobacco tax) funds. First 5 California supports the healthy development of children from prenatal through age five by promoting early childhood development and school readiness. In addition to the statewide commission, a First 5 commission exists in every county of California. First 5 California has:
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committed $100 million over four years to support Preschool for All demonstration projects;
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initiated a statewide media campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of quality preschool; and
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allocated additional $206.5 million in local matching funds, which many First 5 county commissions have used in part to expand preschool through the development of preschool demonstration sites.
First 5 county commissions in Los Angeles, San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties have all committed funding to create Preschool for All at the local level.
First 5 Santa Clara County Commission
The First 5 Santa Clara County Commission has allocated $50 million of local Proposition 10 dollars for Preschool for All. The goal over the next five years is to create 6,440 free preschool slots for children in Santa Clara County.
First 5 Santa Clara County is targeting specific school districts and neighborhoods, primarily in San Jose, to roll-out their initial Preschool for All demonstration sites. The school districts and neighborhoods were selected based on cumulative risk factors that put them at the highest risk for poor school performance.
The First 5 Santa Clara County Commission approved its Preschool for All Master Plan in August 2005. The Master Plan is a complex approach to delivering preschool and family support services to targeted areas in Santa Clara County. The Mater Plan will be used as a framework for the development of the Commission’s Preschool for All Implementation Plan. The Master Plan involves the following components (in brief).
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County-wide Initiatives: education and awareness regarding child development and early childhood intervention; professional development for early educators; early screening and assessment for special needs children; arts enrichment activities
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Services Focused on Specific Neighborhoods (San Jose and Mountain View): development of quality early learning environments in year two of implementation of the Master Plan; parent workshops; coordination with community colleges regarding the professional development of early educators in the targeted neighborhoods; screening for developmental delays
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Demonstration Sites (June 2006): in addition to offering preschool for four year olds in specified school districts in San Jose, there will be a coordinated approach to support all aspects of the children’s healthy development, including services to support the mental, physical and psychological health of the child and their family
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
The Foundation has committed a multi-year, multi-million dollar commitment (the Foundation allocated $10 million dollars in 2005 towards the Universal Preschool effort), to achieve and implement preschool for all three and four year olds in California by 2014 by making grant funding opportunities available to:
Sunnyvale School District
In its 2005-2010 strategic plan, the Sunnyvale School District (SSD) identified early childhood education as one of its priorities, and convened an Early Childhood Action Team to develop a quality school readiness program for Sunnyvale’s children. The Action Team is developing a Universal Preschool strategic plan, and anticipates presenting it to the Sunnyvale Board of Education in June 2006.
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan Socio-Economic Subelement Goal 5.1H.1: Support efforts to increase the availability, quality and affordability of child care in North Santa
Clara County.
2004 Legislative Action Position 5G/H (23): Support child care providers having a voice in the development of potential Universal Preschool legislation.
DISCUSSION
Should the City of Sunnyvale Support the concept of Universal Preschool, and if so, what role should it play?
Proponents
Proponents of Universal Preschool state that high quality preschool programs have a profound, positive impact on a child’s brain development, readiness for school and long-term academic success.
One benefit of a Universal Preschool system is that high quality preschool would be available to all families regardless of income. The cost of preschool in Sunnyvale is approximately $6,000 annually for a part-time program and $11,000 annually for a full-time program, which prohibits many families from accessing preschool programs. Sunnyvale residents who earn less than minimum income requirements (i.e., $2,650 monthly gross income for a family of four) are eligible for state preschools operated in by the Sunnyvale School District (at Columbia Middle School and at Cherry Chase Elementary School). These sites have the combined capacity to serve 55 preschool age children. Currently, 150 children are on the waiting list, and many of these families have expressed frustration with long waiting lists and lack of alternatives for free or low cost preschool for their children.
Additional benefits from high-quality preschool are documented in widely accepted longitudinal research studies indicating that high-quality preschool increases a child’s chances of succeeding in school by:
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reducing the likelihood of being held back a grade and needing special education;
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increasing high school graduation rates;
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reducing teen pregnancy rates; and
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increasing standardized test scores.
Finally, the Perry High-Scope Educational Research Foundation, the lead agency in studies citing the benefits of high-quality preschool, states that the potential savings from the implementation of Universal Preschool legislation are estimated at approximately $7.00 for every $1.00 invested by reducing grade retention, drop-out rates and special education placements.
Opponents
Opponents of Universal Preschool are skeptical of a public preschool system due to its cost (approximately two billion dollars per year in California, assuming a 70% enrollment rate), and the lack of research on the benefits of preschool for middle and upper class children (research on the benefits of early education has been limited to underserved populations). Opponents purport that developing a public preschool system is irresponsible, given their perception that the public school system has failed to educate the children currently enrolled. Opponents also argue that formal schooling can actually be harmful to young children if the curriculum is academically demanding and not developmentally appropriate.
Options for Supporting the Concept of Universal Preschool
In developing the following options to support the concept of Universal Preschool, staff:
- explored potential collaborations with local community colleges to train Universal Preschool providers;
- explored potential collaborative opportunities with First 5 Santa Clara County; and
- researched the types of support that other California cities are giving to Universal Preschool (See Attachment B- Examples of Cities Supporting Universal Preschool).
If Council chooses to support the concept of Universal Preschool, Table One identifies options that offer differing types and degrees of support.
Table One: Options for Support
| Option |
Option Description |
|
Option #1: Approve a Legislative Action Position (LAP) to support the concept of Universal Preschool |
Proposed LAP: Support Universal Preschool legislation that requires the provision of free, voluntary preschool for all four-year olds, provided that the legislation does not have a negative financial impact on the City of Sunnyvale. |
| Option #2: Support the Efforts of First 5 Santa Clara County in Implementing Their Preschool for All Master Plan
|
Staff would work collaboratively with First 5 Santa Clara County beginning in January 2006, to assist with the implementation of their Preschool for All Master Plan. Although Sunnyvale has not been specifically targeted for an initial Universal Preschool site, First 5 Santa Clara County has expressed an interest in partnering with the City of Sunnyvale to further explore the development of Universal Preschool services in Sunnyvale. |
| Option #3: Assist DeAnza College and Mission College with Locating Classroom Space in Sunnyvale
|
Staff would identify potential market-rate classroom sites for college-level child development and early education classes tentatively for the Fall 2006 semester. Both DeAnza and Mission College stated that offering child development and early education classes to child care providers in convenient locations in the community would be a key factor in increasing child care provider enrollment in these classes. |
| Option #4: Develop and Administer a Sunnyvale Child Care Provider Educational Needs Survey in Conjunction with DeAnza College and Mission College
|
Staff would work collaboratively with DeAnza and Mission College to survey all licensed child care providers in Sunnyvale to determine their current level of education, desire to access college-level early education classes in Sunnyvale, convenient times to attend classes, etc., regardless of whether the Universal Preschool Legislation is passed, this survey will help to inform local colleges about the educational needs of Sunnyvale’s child care providers, which in turn will assist the colleges with meeting their educational needs. |
| Option #5: Provide assistance with Locating Practicum Sites for DeAnza College Students at Sunnyvale Child Care Centers and Preschools
|
Staff would work with DeAnza College to identify potential practicum sites in Sunnyvale for students in their child development classes (Mission College stated that they do not require assistance in this area). All students are required to complete practicum work, where they are closely supervised and provided with opportunities to develop their teaching skills. Staff would provide assistance to DeAnza College by providing contact names and telephone numbers of potential practicum sites. |
FISCAL IMPACT
The approximate fiscal impact to the City to Sunnyvale for Options one through five is 85 hours of staff time (at a cost of approximately $3,200), which can be accommodated within the FY2005/06 Child Care Resources Program’s operating budget.
Conclusion
Universal Preschool is a concept that provides free, high quality preschool for all four year olds in California, and is an important element in ensuring that all children are ready to enter kindergarten. There are several efforts underway to support its development, including Assembly Bill 172, the Preschool for All Ballot Initiative, and the First 5 Santa Clara County Preschool for All Master Plan. Well-accepted research has demonstrated that high quality preschool can dramatically impact a child’s intellectual, social, and emotional development, which has many benefits to both the child, his family, and the larger community.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda in Public places, on the City’s web page, and the publication of the general business/ public hearing items in the San Jose Mercury News. The Child Care Advisory Board held public hearings about this study issue at their July 26th and October 25th meetings and reviewed a draft of this report at the October 25th meeting. The Cupertino Unified School District, Santa Clara Unified School District, and the Sunnyvale Elementary School District were noticed about these public hearings. Staff provided updates about this study issue at the June and September meetings of the Sunnyvale Family Child Care Network.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve a Legislative Action Position to support the concept of Universal Preschool.
2. Support the efforts of First 5 Santa Clara County in implementing their “Preschool for All” Master Plan.
3. Assist DeAnza College and Mission College with locating market-rate classroom space in Sunnyvale for college-level child development and early education classes.
4. Develop and administer, in conjunction with DeAnza College and Mission College, a survey to determine the current educational needs and aspirations of the Sunnyvale child care community.
5. Assist DeAnza College with locating practicum sites (for students enrolled in their child development classes) at Sunnyvale child care centers and preschools.
6. Do not support the concept of Universal Preschool.
7. Other alternatives as determined by Council.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council direct implementation of Alternatives one through five as listed below:
1. Approve a Legislative Action Position to support the concept of Universal Preschool.
2. Support the efforts of First 5 Santa Clara County in implementing their “Preschool for All” Master Plan.
3. Assist DeAnza College and Mission College with locating market-rate classroom space in Sunnyvale for college-level child development and early education classes.
4. Develop and administer, in conjunction with DeAnza College and Mission College, a survey to determine the current educational needs and aspirations of the Sunnyvale child care community.
5. Assist DeAnza College with locating practicum sites (for students enrolled in their child development classes) at Sunnyvale child care centers and preschools.
Child Care Advisory Board Comments:
The Child Care Advisory Board supports the staff recommendation in this report (See Attachment C, Draft Child Care Advisory Board Minutes from October 25, 2005).
Reviewed by:
Robert Walker, Assistant City Manager
Prepared by: Kristen Nigriny, Child Care Resources Manager
Approved by:
Amy Chan
City Manager
Attachments (pdf)
Attachment A, Universal Preschool Study Issue Paper
Attachment B, Examples of Cities Supporting Universal Preschool
Attachment C, Draft Child Care Advisory Board Minutes from October 25, 2005