UPK Mixed Delivery Quality and Access Workgroup

Vision

"One System, All Children: Better Together"

Our Call to Action

California’s mixed-delivery system intends to offer a variety of early learning and care settings to allow parents and guardians an authentic choice to meet the needs of their families. However, access to high-quality preschool programs for families utilizing subsidized early learning and care options has been undersupplied. Additionally, the current standards of quality for preschool pursuant to Education Code (EC) Section 8203 and found in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations must be reviewed and, more importantly, must be updated through the lens of equity - for children, families, and the workforce and to incorporate more recent research and understanding of what practices best support children’s development and learning. Our call to action has been initiated by the Legislature’s addition of a state-level workgroup intended to review these standards listed in EC Section 8203, as well as to review practices to expand access to high-quality preschool programs in the mixed-delivery system.

Pursuant to Assembly Bill 185, which has been codified into EC Section 8202.6, the Superintendent, in consultation with the Director of Social Services and the Executive Director of the State Board of Education (SBE), is required to convene a universal preschool (UPK) mixed-delivery statewide interest holder workgroup (Workgroup). As part of a statewide collaborative effort, the CDE has welcomed the partnership of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

Per EC Section 8202.6, the Workgroup is required to include representatives from:

• County offices of education
• Contracted state preschool programs, including those operated by school districts and by community-based organizations
• Transitional kindergarten programs
• Tribal preschool programs
• Educators
• The Commission on Teacher Credentialing
• First 5
• Resource and referral programs
• Alternative payment programs
• Contracted general childcare programs serving preschool-age children
• Head Start
• Private center-based preschool providers
• Licensed family childcare providers
• Researchers
• Child development experts

The Superintendent is required to, in consultation with the Director of Social Services and Executive Director of SBE, provide a report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature and the Department of Finance with the recommendations of the Workgroup.

Statutory Charge of the Workgroup

1. Provide recommendations on best practices for increasing access to high-quality universal preschool programs for three- and four-year-old children offered through a mixed-delivery model that provides equitable learning experiences across a variety of settings.
2. Provide recommendations to update preschool standards pursuant to EC Section 8203 to support equitable access to high-quality preschool and transitional kindergarten programs through the mixed-delivery model and across all appropriate settings and funding sources.
3. Ensure that recommendations are in alignment with the work of the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, without recommending new system changes that create increased state or local costs to offer preschool across the mixed-delivery system.

Workgroup Selection Process

The UPK Mixed Delivery Quality and Access Workgroup includes interest holders with experience and expertise related to preschool quality and access. The Workgroup consists of state appointees and individuals identified through an open application process creating a diverse and representative group of individuals.

To establish the Workgroup, the California Department of Education (CDE) identified Workgroup members through a combination of individual referrals and an open application process.

The CDE identified Workgroup members to invite through individual referrals based on their experience working on quality and access issues in preschool programs and their roles in key organizations working on quality and access issues in California. Identification of representatives from the specific groups/agencies is outlined in AB 185 through a referral process.

To solicit applications through an open process, the CDE developed and widely disseminated a survey application form.

Workgroup members were chosen based on several factors, which included both work and lived experiences. The CDE received nearly 300 applications, and each was read by three reviewers. Members were selected and notified in mid-November 2022 and the Workgroup was established on December 1, 2022.

This Workgroup is convening under the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act of 1967 denoting that all Workgroup meetings will be open to the public to attend, as well as each meeting will contain a forum to capture public comment. To avoid limitations under this Act and to ensure diverse opinions and experiences are uplifted from around the state, the CDE selected individuals for this Workgroup who are not currently participating in other public workgroups.

Questions: UPKMixedDeliveryWorkgroup@glenpricegroup.com

Workgroup Members

*Please note that the original email listserv announcing the establishment of the Workgroup included an incorrect affiliation for this member. The affiliation listed here is accurate.

Workgroup Meetings

Date and Time	Location	Agenda	Notes
January 26, 2023, 12:30-4:30 p.m.	Teleconference: Register in advance to receive a link to the webinar	January 26, 2023 Agenda (PDF)	TBA
February 23, 2023, 12:30-4:30 p.m.	Teleconference: Register in advance to receive a link to the webinar	TBA	TBA
March 23, 2023, 12:30-4:30 p.m.	Teleconference: Register in advance to receive a link to the webinar	TBA	TBA
April 27, 2023, 12:30-4:30 p.m.	Teleconference: Register in advance to receive a link to the webinar	TBA	TBA
May 25, 2023, 12:30-4:30 p.m.	Teleconference: Register in advance to receive a link to the webinar	TBA	TBA

Questions about the Workgroup may be directed to UPKMixedDeliveryWorkgroup@glenpricegroup.com