PreK-3 Alignment

By investing more than $2 billion in early childhood education, Governor Gavin Newsom has placed early learning high on California’s education policy agenda. Early learning programs represent the initial rung of the state’s education ladder, but many questions remain.

What happens following preschool to sustain learning gains? To what extent do early learning programs align with early elementary grades in areas such as instruction and teacher professional development? What are the challenges in creating alignment? What state policies facilitate or hinder districts from creating stronger connections between preschool and elementary school?

To answer these questions, in Spring 2019, PACE researchers interviewed superintendents or directors of early learning programs in 25 representative California school districts to better understand alignment work and challenges. This seminar will focus on the results of this study.

Participants include:

• Julia E. Koppich, President, J. Koppich & Associates
• Debbie Look, Principal Consultant, California State Assembly
• Jennifer Marroquin, Early Childhood Director, Tulare City Schools
• Deborah Stipek,  Judy Koch Professor of Education, Stanford University

Moderated by Heather J. Hough, Executive Director, PACE