California Archives - Early Learning Nation

For Child Care Providers, Wildfires Are Just One More Crisis

More than 500 child care spaces were in areas affected by the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires, according to L.A. County figures.

Libby Rainey·Jan 27, 2025·4 min read

In an instant, Blanca Carrillo and her daughter Aurys Hernandez lost everything. Their home in Altadena was also the place...

Poverty Wages, Staffing Crisis: New Federal Rule Looks to Sustain Head Start

New federal rule raises annual Head Start teacher salaries by $10,000 over time — but congressional funding is not guaranteed.

Amanda Geduld·Sep 24, 2024·6 min read

Andrea Muñeton has been a Head Start educator in California for 14 years. The work is important but greuling, she...

Unleashing the Potential of Young Dual Language Learners

Building Bilingualism into the Golden State’s Early Education

Mark Swartz·Nov 17, 2023·4 min read

When it comes to supporting brain development and language skills, California’s policies matter not just for the nearly 60% of...

“Dolly Is the Book Lady”: The Imagination Library’s Journey in Three States

Mark Swartz·Oct 3, 2023·4 min read

Dolly Parton sticks a lot of books in the mail. To be clear, the music legend, business executive and philanthropist...

Liz Ogbu’s Joyful Euphoria

Mark Swartz·Apr 6, 2023·5 min read

This is the way Liz Ogbu describes herself as a child: “I was the weird one in my family who drew.” But she didn’t become an artist.

“Children Learn What They Live”: Building Empathy in Marin County

Mark Swartz·Mar 2, 2023·4 min read

What do you do when a preschooler throws a desk? For Carol Barton, project director of Early Childhood Education in...

WeeSubsidy: A New Way to Balance Child Care Market Forces

Mark Swartz·Jan 18, 2023·3 min read

The laws of supply and demand have never quite applied to child care, and no state exemplifies this conundrum as...

5 Top Takeaways from the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center’s Summit

New State Policy Roadmap Published

Mark Swartz·Nov 17, 2022·4 min read

Last month, the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center (PN-3) at Vanderbilt University hosted the 2022 Research to Policy Summit to mark the publication of its annual State Policy Roadmap.

Sharing the Findings from Better Life Lab: Improving Child Care Assistance and Investment

Part 4 of a 5-Part Series

Rebecca Gale·Aug 23, 2022·10 min read

Our country is in a child care crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic, which has shown how difficult it is for...

California

For Child Care Providers, Wildfires Are Just One More Crisis

Poverty Wages, Staffing Crisis: New Federal Rule Looks to Sustain Head Start

Unleashing the Potential of Young Dual Language Learners

“Dolly Is the Book Lady”: The Imagination Library’s Journey in Three States

Liz Ogbu’s Joyful Euphoria

“Children Learn What They Live”: Building Empathy in Marin County

WeeSubsidy: A New Way to Balance Child Care Market Forces

5 Top Takeaways from the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center’s Summit

Sharing the Findings from Better Life Lab: Improving Child Care Assistance and Investment

Three Zaentz Fellows Look Forward to Sparking Systemic Change

Reading Their Way to Better Parenting: Baby Book Projects Show It Can Be Done

The Quality Trap: The Movement to Reconsider QRIS

Get the latest in early learning science, community and more: