The Preschool Experiences We Deserve - California Community Foundation

The PreschoolExperiences We DeserveA G u i d e f o r FA M I L IE SThe Los Angeles PreschoolAdvocacy Coalition strivesto increase access to qualityearly care and preschooleducationProduced byunderservedprogramsincommunities.Member organizations ofthe coalition support effortsIn Partnership withThe Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy CoalitionWith Support FromThe California Community Foundationto address the child careand developmental needsof children from birth to fiveyears of age.

What Families Can Do1Seek qualityearly careand preschooleducationexperiencesfor your ownchildren.2Learn howto identifyqualityprogramsso you candetermine ifyour childis receivingthis type ofeducationalexperience.Schedule an appointment bycalling your official’s districtoffice, write a letter to share yourconcerns, share the PreschoolExperiences We Deserve brochurewith the official or his/her staff.3Engage inconversationswith otherparents ofyoung childrenabout theurgency ofquality earlycare andpreschoolprograms fortheir children.4Join a localcoalition,parentassociationor organizeone throughyour networkof friendsto advocatefor a qualitypreschoolexperience forall children.5Contactdecisionmakers throughletters or byvisiting theiroffices to letthem know LosAngeles needsmore facilitiesand qualityprograms for itsyoung children.Elected officialsuse informationthey hear frompeople likeyou to decidehow to vote onissues.Parentsand familiesget involved!The following elected officialsand decision-makers haveinfluence over policies related tothe availability of quality earlycare and preschool programs forchildren in Los Angeles County.How to Identify Your Decision-MakerF e d e r al L e v e l :Visit www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html and enter your zipcode to identify your State Senator or Assembly Member.U.S. Senators and RepresentativesS tat e L e v e l : StateSuperintendent of Public Instruction,Governor, Secretary of State,Senators and Assembly MembersL o c al L e v e l : District andCounty Boards of Education, CityCouncil Members, Los AngelesCounty Board of Supervisors, MayorsVisit www.congress.org and enter your zip code toidentify your U.S. Senator or Representative.Contact your local librarian or the L.A. CountyRegistrar’s Office (1-800-481-8683) for assistance.Look in the Government Pages of the telephone book fora listing of elected officials and government offices.Tips for Meeting with Your Decision-Maker Share a personal story. Send a thank you note. Provide your contact information. Keep in touch. Develop a relationship with him/her.

L e a r n i n g B e gi n s at B i r t hGetting your child on the path to a successful life starts at birth,when your child’s brain has an incredible ability to learn, moreso than at any other time in life. From birth to age 5, yourchild’s brain is absorbing information, learning fromeveryone he/she encounters and from the environment,and recording these experiences for future reference.Childrenread betterand are moreYou are your child’s first and lifelonglikely to graduateteacher. Through everyday activities such asfrom high schoolplaying hide and seek or reading a story atbedtime, you are stimulating and developing yourwhen their parentschild’s brain, establishing a solid foundation forare involved inlifelong learning.their earlyAs a parent, you want to make available qualitytime for your child, though it may not always belearning andpossible to provide for this yourself, due to theeducation.demands of a job or other pressing obligations.If this is the case, early care and preschooleducation programs can assist you in makingsure your child’s well-being and developmentalneeds are met. These programs are offered by trainedprofessionals in community agencies, schools or licensedhomes and can help your child get the quality care andof brain growthlearning experiences he/she deserves.occurs from birth85%to five years.Children will display betterlanguage, cognitive and social skillswhen they experience quality early careand preschool education programs.Childwho attenpreschools dreading, spmath in

Q u ali t y Ea r l y Ca r e a n dP r e s c h o o l E d u c at i o n P r o g r am sLead to Future SuccessLanguage development is an essential component of all early care and preschoolprograms. Quality programs help increase your child’s vocabulary and prereading skills and build on the home language to attain confidence in English.Before enrolling your child in an early care or preschool program, visit thecenter or school and try to determine whether: C hildren develop socially, emotionally and academically P arents are valued as their children’s most important teachers Teachers pay attention to language and vocabular y development Teachers receive training and support to engage children in learning T he physical environment is attractive, safe and healthyPreschools give children a jump-start to kindergarten by focusing onpre-reading, pre-math and socialization skills, leading to higher rates of highschool and college completion. As adults, they contribute more to the economicand civic life of the community. Early care and preschool programs are enjoyableexperiences, but they are also the foundation for education and social successin later years.drennd qualitydo better inpelling andschool.By three years of age,children who experiencelanguage-rich environmentshave a vocabulary ofnearly 1,100 words; childrenwithout these experiencespossess only about500 words.Find out if yeligible to be pLos AngelesEligibility ListResource & Reat 1-800-5

Resourcesfor FamiliesVisit the center or school and look for thefollowing signs of quality:Fi n d o u t what p r o g r am sa r e availabl e i n y o u rc o mm u n i t y: Resource & Referral Agency:1-800-543-7793www.rrnetwork.org T rained teachers who motivate yourchild to learn First 5 L.A. Parent Helpline:1-888-FIRST5LA1-888-347-7855 L anguage-rich activities in yourlanguage and English 2-1-1 L.A. County(Dial 2-1-1) Individual attention and supportfrom adults Y our participation in school activities M usic, drama, art, science,storytelling and interest in reading P hysical activity, rest, nutrition andhealth educationyour child isplaced on theCentralizedby asking theeferral Agency543-7793. A smooth transition tokindergarten L.A. Universal Preschool1-866-581-LAUP (5287)www.laup.net L.A. County Office of Child Care:www.childcare.lacounty.gov LACOE Head Start-State PreschoolPre-K Kid Line: 1-877-PRE-K-KID(1-877-773-5543)Chil d Ca r e R e s o u r c e a n dR e f e r r al A g e n c y M e mb e r s :“ A parent’sCenter for Community & Family Services: (310) 217-2935testimonial willChild Care Information Center: (626) 449-8221go here talkingChild Care Resource Center Inc.: (800) 464-9970abouttheChildren’s Home Society (Los Angeles):(562) 256-7490Connections for Children: (888)922-4453difficultiesofCrystal Stairs, Inc.: (888) KIDS-247finding qualityMexican American Opportunity Foundation: (323) 890-1555child care. “Options – A Child Care & Human Services Agency:(626) 856-5900 or (562) 945-2635–Parent NamePathways: (213) 427-2700

“To build a vibrant and healthy Los Angeles,parents, families, policymakers andconcerned citizens must work togetherto shape our children’s future.”– Antonia Hernández, CEOCalifornia Community Foundationp o li c y ma k e r s a n d c i v i c l e a d e r sn e e d t o b e awa r e t hat e a r ly c a r e a n dp r e s c h o o l p r o g r am s ma k e a d i f f e r e n c e .P o li c y M a k e r s Ca n d o t h e f o ll o wi n g :1. Make early care and preschool education an important priority on legislative platforms.2. Increase resources and invest financially in early care and preschool education.3. S hare The Preschool Experiences We Deserve: A Guide for Families pamphlet with your staffand constituencies to spread the word about how these programs make a difference.Th e L o s A n g e l e s P r e s c h o o l A d v o c a c y C o ali t i o nThe Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Coalition, comprised of early care and educationorganizations throughout Southern California, promotes the following principles: B uild on the existing infrastructure for early care and education (ECE) P romote access to high quality ECE-preschool programs for children Encourage family engagement S upport language development through research-based best practicesFor a full list of LAPAI Principles visit: www.calfund.org/pub cyPrinciples.pdfTo learn more about this issue, contact the California Community Foundation at:(213) 413-4130, Extension 402, www.calfund.org/learn/lapai.php Advancement Project: www.advanceproj.org First 5 L.A.: www.first5la.org Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP): www.laup.net Preschool California: www.preschoolcalifornia.orgMore than40,000 childrenin L.A. County arewaiting for placementin early care programs.

Children Who Start School Ahead,Stay AheadChildren who attend quality early care and preschool programs are exposed to languagerich environments, are more likely to do better in reading and math, to graduate from highschool and to be employed – earning higher wages as adults.Evidence from two long-term rigorous evaluations of the effects of preschool also shows thathigh-quality preschool increases high school graduation rates by as much as 44 percent.www.fightcrime.org/ca/dropout/CA Dropout Report.pdfL.A. County Drop-Out Rates by EthnicitySource: California Dept.of Education, 2006-07 adjusted 4-yr derived rateL.A. County 3rd grade English Language Arts PercentProficient by Ethnicity Source: California Dept. of Education,8070605040302010080706050403020100White Asian* African Latino English LowLearners IncomeAmerican2007, California Standards TestWhite Asian* African Latino English LowLearners IncomeAmerican*Data is aggregated by race/ethnicity.ECONOMIC IMPACTof EARLY CARE ANDPRESCHOOL PROGRAMSLos Angeles community canreap tremendous benefits byinvesting in quality early careand preschool programs for allits children. Among other things: T he preschool industrygenerates 1.9 billionannually to the economy P rovides more than 60,000full-time equivalent jobsLearningBegins atBirth!Close to33,000 studentsdropped-out ofhigh school inLos Angeles Countyin 2006-2007.Only 34% of3rd graders inL.A. County areproficient inEnglish.