Contra Costa County Office of Education

Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK)

Research shows that when young children have a foundation of high-quality learning opportunities before kindergarten, they not only gain an advantage in school and in life, but also in brain development. Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) in California is intended to provide this foundation for all four-year-old children.

Background

The Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 made Transitional Kindergarten (TK) available for 4-year-olds turning 5 between September 2 and December 2. This legislation gave new support for these students, but it did not include younger children who didn't qualify for public preschool because of their age, and who weren't old enough yet to enroll in Kindergarten or a TK classroom.

The vision of UPK is to resolve this issue, providing equitable access to programs for all 4-year-olds, without regard to income. The state of California is devoting the funds to train staff and prepare school facilities in order to give our children equitable access to quality teachers and programs. UPK will begin with a rollout in fall of 2022 for some LEAs.

Planning Resources and Tools

The following list of resources may be helpful in supporting LEAs with Universal Prekindergarten planning while they envision, plan, and implement expanded PreK programs and movement towards a P-3 continuum. While it is not exhaustive, the list includes key online resources to highlight potential promising practices. These resources and tools were curated by the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA). The five tabs below are aligned with the five focus areas of the UPK Planning Template.

A. Vision

CA Early Childhood Educator Competencies
Center for District Innovation & Leadership
Family Engagement Network
Family Engagement Toolkit
KidsDATA
Leading Pre K-3 Learning Communities - Executive Summary via NAESP.org
P-3 Alignment Projects via CEELO
Parent Toolkit for Multilingual Education
Preschool through Third Grade (P-3) Alignment - Grade Spans via CA Department of Education
Resource & Referral Program Services Data
Taking it to the Next Level: Strengthening and Sustaining Family Engagement through Integrated, Systemic Practice
Universal Prekindergarten Frequently Asked Questions via CA Department of Education
Transitional Kindergarten Professional Resource Guide for Administrators via CCSESA, 2015
Transitioning to Kindergarten: Toolkit for Early Childhood Educators via American Federation of Teachers

B. Community

All About Young Children .org (Information for Families on Children's Early Development)
Resources for Families via Center for Early Literacy Learning
List of Local Child Care and Development Planning Councils via CDE
List of Local Planning Council Representatives for each California County via CDE
Milestones Matter - Learn the Signs via CDC
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for Families
Resource and Referral Program Services Data
Transitional Kindergarten Implementation Guide via CDE
- Video Chapter 7: Families and Community Partners
Quality Counts California

C. Workforce

D. Curriculum

E. Facilities

UPK Implementation Workgroup

The Contra Costa County Office of Education hosts an ongoing, collaborative workgroup designed to support LEAs successfully roll out UPK in their communities. Meeting resources and future meeting dates are available below. For information about participating, please contact Yvonne Nelson, Coordinator, P-3 Alignment, Educational Services (contact information available in sidebar).