UC Berkeley study reveals early education programs are struggling more than we thought

MONTEREY >> Gov. Gavin Newsom has boasted positive numbers detailing the success of state-funded transitional kindergarten programs, but a new study out of University of California at Berkeley shows there’s more nuance to those numbers.

The study shows the disparities in enrollment between public and private early education programs. Seemingly, the rise in the amount of public programs offered has led to a decline in enrollment overall.

“We’re trying to raise the question for the governor’s office and lawmakers, that if their goal is to raise enrollment overall … that’s not being accomplished yet,” said Bruce Fuller, co-author of the study.

The study “Tracking Progress, Achieving Fairness” looked at numbers for the federal Head start program which serves low-income students from birth to 5-years-old and the state-funded California State Preschool Program which serves 3-4-year olds and privately-funded programs. Across the board, these programs have not returned to pre-pandemic enrollment numbers.

These numbers were also compared with an ambitious universal preschool program Newsom unveiled in May, which outlines $2.7 billion to implement transitional kindergarten programs in K-12 public schools. The goal is to allow every 4-year-old in the state to receive early learning education by the 2025-26 school year.

“That’s where a lot of programs began to see the loss of their 4-year-olds,” said Shannon Watkins, executive director of Early Development Services, which offers preschool, pre-K and transitional kindergarten services to families in Monterey County and Santa Barbara. “The biggest impact is on the private sector because they’re the ones relying on parent tuition to continue, and parents want to reduce that cost.”

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District will start accepting younger students for its subsidized preschool program. (Molly Gibbs – Monterey Herald)

But even though Newsom’s plan allows more toddlers to be looked after, the care is still not perfect, according to Watkins. “If you ask a family with two working parents, high quality care means Monday through Friday, 8: a.m. – 5 p.m.,” she said. “The devil’s in the details.”

Watkins explained that even though Newsom’s plan will provide some care and instruction for kids, that care will still only be available during the academic year, which in California is typically around 177 days. “Where are they going for those other days? What is he considering ‘care?’ Or is it just another grade level that’s being created?” she asked.

The study found enrollment across Head Start preschools and California State Preschool Program sites declined in 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, Head Start has still not bounced back at just over 46,00 in 2023 and the state preschool program’s enrollment has started to recover slightly at around 141,000 in 2023.

The county’s Head Start program reports that it quickly returned to pre-covid enrollment levels. “We don’t have those (enrollment) issues, but I do understand that many other programs do,” said Sonia Jaramillo, program director for the Monterey County Office of Education Head Start program.

According to Jaramillo, the program shut down its sites during the federally mandated lockdown in 2020, but quickly reopened and has been at full capacity since. Fuller said the county’s Head Start program is an anomaly, considering statewide enrollment in the program has dropped by 42,000.

Located on Hartnell College’s East Campus, the Discovery Academy is a preschool program for low-income families. (Andrea Valadez – Monterey Herald)

“Kudos to Monterey County’s office if they are recruiting or staying in touch with families over time,” said Fuller. “It is a shining light of good news against otherwise declining enrollment.”

State data also shows transitional kindergarten enrollment has risen from around 75,000 in 2021, to 125,000 in fall 2023.

Last month, a bill passed that changed the requirements for the California State Preschool Program, lowering the age requirement so 2-year-olds could be enrolled, and raising the income requirement so more families could qualify for the subsidized program.

The study also showed that while Salinas has a larger number of public programs and privately-funded preschools, the city is also home to a greater number of kids who aren’t served by either schooling option. Fuller said the Central Coast is a region that is struggling with scarce supply of early education options.

“In our community, a lot of children are going with… relatives to care for them or unlicensed providers,” said Jaramillo. But as more districts begin to boost their transitional kindergarten programs and enroll 4-year-olds, Jaramillo said Head Start will compensate by being able to recruit and enroll more 3-year-olds.

Another factor changing the childcare landscape is the availability of childcare vouchers, which parents can receive based on income and decide between the plethora of early education options. Single or two-person families can earn up to $93,000, which allows flexibility for most low and middle-class families to qualify for the vouchers.

According to the study, nearly 75,000 families used the voucher system in 2023, compared to 62,800 in 2021.

“When you don’t have a voucher, you’re limited to what you have around your community to fit your needs,” said Jaramillo. “A voucher perhaps is an opportunity to take them to a site where they believe is aligned to what they want for their child or perhaps is closer to where they work.”

Watkins said about 10% of the families at Early Development Services pay tuition with a voucher and the other 90% are considered “private pay parents” and pay a monthly tuition which ranges from $650 to $975 for full-time preschool students.

Fuller explained that while vouchers provide more flexibility for parents, the voucher system is also seemingly pulling 3-and-4-year-olds out of pre-K and shuffling them into different programs.

Fuller’s team has recommended the state simplify the structure of its early education programs to make it easier for families to weave through what he calls a “crazy quilt of childcare and preschool programs.”

“If the governor is serious about moving toward universal pre-K, we need crystal clear information for parents to be aware of their local options,” said Fuller. “Nobody in Sacramento proactively looks at childcare deserts and works with local agencies there. So some leadership from Sacramento to deal with inequality would be big, too.”