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Early Education

There are many child care and development programs in California. These programs are for children from birth to age twelve. They offer early learning and after-school services to babies, toddlers, children in preschool, and children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Some programs assist children with disabilities and children of migrant farm workers. Many of the programs were set up to help parents with child care while they work.

Child care and development programs can provide care, education, and food for children. They are paid for with state and federal tax money, and in some cases, parent fees.

The California Department of Education helps manage several child care and development programs in California.


Program Overview
Descriptions of and budget information about child development programs administered by the Department.
Contractor Information
Resources and important information for early education contractors, including Desired Results, management bulletins, forms, fiscal services, child development permits, and data reporting.
Laws, Regulations, & Requirements
Legal and regulatory requirements contained in Education Code, California Code of Regulations, Funding Terms & Conditions, Compliance Review Instrument, California School Accounting Manual, and Audit Guide.
Quality Rating and Improvement System
A Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is a systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs.
Resources
Resources for child development contractors, families and the child care community.
Interest Holder Groups
Leadership bodies that ensure statewide collaboration among early childhood programs that will help to define future policy for children birth to kindergarten.
Recently Posted in Early Education
  • Early Identification Legislative Report (added 24-Apr-2024)
    Report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, the Legislature, and the Department of Finance on the Proposed Tools and Process for the Early Identification of Developmental Delays and Learning Disabilities
  • UPK Mixed Delivery Workgroup Agenda April 2024 (added 11-Apr-2024)
    Agenda for the April 22, 2024, meeting of the Universal PreKindergarten Mixed Delivery Quality and Access Workgroup.
  • UPK Mixed Delivery Workgroup Agenda February 2024 (added 11-Apr-2024)
    Agenda for the February 2, 2024, meeting of the Universal PreKindergarten Mixed Delivery Quality and Access Workgroup.
  • UPK Mixed Delivery Workgroup Agenda January 2024 (added 11-Apr-2024)
    Agenda for the January 11, 2024, meeting of the Universal PreKindergarten Mixed Delivery Quality and Access Workgroup.
  • Child Care Annual Aggregate Report SFY 2019-20 (added 26-Mar-2024)
    This page displays a comprehensive breakdown of children served by various subsidized child care and development programs during SFY 2019-20, including program types, counts, and key definitions, highlighting the total impact on community support.

  • CAPSDAC Support (added 26-Mar-2024)
    Technical support for the California Preschool Data Collection (CAPSDAC).