For more than two decades, Early Edge California has been committed to connecting young children and their families to high-quality learning and care opportunities that support their unique needs and strengths. Learn about the mission, vision, and values that drive our work to advance policy change and increase investment in California’s Early Learning and Care system.
Starting from birth, every child has access to high-quality, linguistically and culturally affirming Early Learning and Care that is developmentally appropriate and supports the needs of families, teachers, and trusted caregivers.
Founded in 2003, Early Edge California is a nonprofit organization focused on transforming Early Learning and Care at a systemic level through targeted policy change and investments. Our goal is to positively impact the lives of all young children and families through access to options that support their unique needs, starting with those from the most under-resourced communities.
Born as Preschool California and focused on the need for a free, high-quality preschool option for families, the organization, alongside policymakers and partners, was instrumental in the creation of Transitional Kindergarten (TK) in 2010 – a public school program designed to provide younger children with an additional year of early education before they enter kindergarten, serving as a bridge between preschool and kindergarten. Thanks to a multi-year advocacy effort by Early Edge and partners to transform TK into a universal program, Governor Newsom committed to investing in the program’s expansion to all 4-year-old children in 2021. After expanding the program over the last several years, it is now available universally to all families, regardless of income. This is a historic achievement for California, as we now have the largest universal preschool program in the nation and are providing critical support for families who are struggling to find high-quality options for their preschool-age children that are affordable and allow them to stay in the workforce.
Over the years, Early Edge has expanded its portfolio of priorities for Early Learning and Care, including developing and strengthening supports for Dual Language Learners, securing just compensation, benefits, and professional pathways for the Early Learning and Care workforce, and increasing access to child care for families with babies and toddlers that is high-quality and affordable or free. In the last 8 years, we have had 7 sponsored bills signed into law by the Governor. We have successfully advocated for budget investments including nearly $2.5 billion for TK expansion and $5 million for professional development opportunities for educators in supporting Dual Language Learners.
We’re making waves across California’s Early Learning and Care system. At the helm of our organization is a strong team of female leaders driving innovative strategies for strengthening early learning and child care for all communities. Learn more about our priorities for our state’s children, families, educators, and caregivers, access key resources we’ve created, and read about the impact we’ve made since our start in 2003.
