Election Section

Among the legislation sitting on the governor’s desk awaiting his signature is a bill that takes an important step towards the establishment of a system of universal access to preschool in California.  

Currently California lags behind the rest of the nation in access to preschool programs, particularly for minority and low-income children. Only four in 10 of California’s 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in preschool.  

Research shows that children who attend quality preschool programs are better able to learn to read and do their best in school. In addition, they are better behaved in class and more likely to graduate from high school and attend college. 

Assembly Bill 712, which I authored along with assemblymembers Steinberg, Daucher, and Liu, calls for the establishment of a Blue Ribbon Committee, under the direction of the California Children and Families Commission, to prepare a workforce development plan that will yield a well-trained, culturally and linguistically diverse teaching and administrative staff, to work with all children from birth to age 8 in high-quality early care, preschool, and K-3 programs. 

In addition, the legislation calls for a study that will provide an estimate of the cost of a voluntary Preschool for All program for the entire state.  

Locally, my office worked with community leaders to establish a quality preschool at Fruitvale Elementary School in Oakland. Since its opening in March of 2003, the first class of children has passed through the program with impressive results. According to a follow-up study, students made major gains in their overall development, with marked increases in the number of fully mastered skills essential for success in kindergarten. 

In order to meet the challenge of preparing our young children for the future, we must take the important first steps towards access to a quality preschool experience for all children. Our first challenge will be to recruit, train, and sustain a diverse workforce capable of providing a quality preschool experience for our children. 

Towards that end, the Blue Ribbon Committee proposed in AB 712 will make recommendations which:  

• Delineate core competencies that teachers and administrators should possess. 

• Align college programs to provide the instruction and content needed. 

• Create a mechanism to approve or accredit training programs. 

• Provide for teacher certification in early childhood education. 

• Establish ongoing professional development for early care and education professionals. 

• Provide appropriate compensation incentives to attract, retain and reward staff.  

Despite our state’s current economic situation, we must begin to take the concrete steps that will give all children the opportunity to succeed in school. Laying the foundation for a statewide system of quality preschool is one of the smartest investments we can make in our children, our schools, our neighborhoods and the state of California. 

Assemblywoman Wilma Chan (D-Oakland) Chairs the Assembly Select Committee on California Children’s School Readiness and Health.