Program Overview

Quality Counts California Early Learning and Care Workforce Development Pathways Grant

California is committed to increasing the number of qualified early learning and care (ELC) professionals across the state and improving their educational attainment. The Governor and Legislature have allocated $195 million for grants between 2019–20 and 2023–24 for ELC workforce professional development to improve the quality of care and provide accessible avenues for ELC professionals to move along the ELC professional continuum. The Quality Counts California (QCC) ELC Workforce Development Pathways Grant is designed to align with the QCC professional development system and to focus on local workforce needs across all care setting types. In addition, this funding incorporates an annual total of $10 million from the Child Development Staff Retention Funds (formerly known as AB 212) in order to bring greater coherence to ELC workforce preparation and education supports.

American Indian Early Childhood Education Program

The American Indian Early Childhood Education (AIECE) Program, California Department of Education (CDE), is a state-funded program designed to develop and test educational models that increase competence in reading, language arts, mathematics, and self-esteem for American Indian children in pre-kindergarten through grade four. Funds are designated for schools with at least 10 percent American Indian students, and they are allocated through a competitive process for three-year cycles.

Child Care and Development Programs

Child Care and Development Programs

Brief descriptions of Title 5 child development programs, quality improvement activities, and Local Child Care and Development Planning Councils.

Child Care and Development Programs - CalEdFacts

Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships Grant

The Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP) grant allows the Early Education Division (EED) to improve and expand quality services to infants, toddlers, and their families in nine rural counties of Northern California.

Early Learning and Care Division (ELCD) 2018-2023 Strategic Plan

ELCD 2018–2023 Strategic Plan [Link no longer available]

Inclusive Early Education (IEE) for Children with Disabilities

As outlined in the March 18, 2019 letter regarding Access in Inclusive Early Learning and Care Program for Students with Disabilities, the CDE continues to pursue a system of education that adequately addresses the needs of each and every child in the least restrictive environment (LRE), providing access to inclusive early learning opportunities for students with disabilities is fundamental. Inclusive early education environments should be made available for children as options for LRE within a continuum of service deliveries. Please visit the IEE web page for more information.

Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five

The Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five is a federal grant that is designed to fund states to help enhance the current mixed-delivery system consisting of a wide range of provider types and settings, including child care centers and home-based child care providers, Head Start and Early Head Start, state pre-kindergarten, and home visiting service providers across the public, private and faith-based sectors.

Title I Preschool

Title I Preschool
Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) encourages the use of Title I, Part A funds for preschool programs: Title I preschool programs take into account the experience of model programs for the educationally disadvantaged, and the findings of relevant scientifically based research indicating that services may be most effective if focused on students in the earliest grades at schools that receive funds under this part. [ESSA Section 1113(c)(5)]