For more than 25 years, Child Care Resource Center’s Policy Forum has been the premier event for critical and motivating discussions around early learning and child care issues that matter most for children and families. When the event returns January 7, 2022, a panel of leading experts and representatives will discuss federal investments in child care, the current state of California’s child care landscape, and Universal Preschool.
Federal Investments in Child Care
President Biden’s Build Back Better Plan makes historic investments in child care, that if passed would save families thousands of dollars in child care and finance an early care system designed to meet the needs of working families. The plan includes increased compensation for the child care workforce and provides startup and supply expansion grants for child care providers in rural areas deemed child care deserts. Panelists will discuss the future of child care and how federal investments will be divvied up among the different states.
California’s Current Child Care Landscape
A 2020 report from Child Care Aware America found that the number of child care programs in California has declined since 2018. During that same time, the number of child care slots has also decreased. The state legislature approved this year the addition of 200,000 new child care slots, starting with 120,000 child care slots and an additional 80,000 over four years. Rate reform and other supports for providers were also outlined by the legislation. The latest child care data from the CA Budget and Policy Center will be provided at the Policy Forum.
Universal Preschool
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed off on the legislature’s plans to implement a Universal Transitional Kindergarten statewide by 2025. Universal Preschool has been similarly imposed in other states with varying results. There’s no question that wider access to early care and education for young children has a positive effect on future outcomes, but how these programs are implemented by state leadership will either bolster a fragile early care system or destroy it. Policy Forum panelists will weigh in on the potential impacts of Universal Preschool.
The event will be held virtually. Click here to register.
Panelists include:
Mario Cardona
Chief of Policy and Practice for Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA)
Kelly Gonez
President of the Los Angeles Board of Education
Kristin Schumacher
Senior Policy Analyst at Budget and Policy Center
