UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant

Program Overview

The Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) Mixed Delivery Planning Grant is part of the overarching expansion of UPK in California. The grant was established with the goal of expanding access universally to preKindergarten programs for three- and four-year-old children across the state through a mixed delivery system. The UPK Mixed Delivery Grant provides funding on a non-competitive basis to Local Planning Councils (LPCs) and Resource and Referral Agencies (R&Rs) to partner with all local educational agencies (LEAs) in the county to enhance and uplift the UPK Mixed Delivery System.

The California Department of Education (CDE) is authorized to administer the UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant through Chapter 2 of Part 6, Division 1 of Title 1 of the California Education Code, Article 13.1, commencing with Section 8320 .

UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant funds may be used for costs associated with any of the following:

1. Assessing the parental preferences and the need for access to available high-quality universal preschool through a mixed-delivery system for three- and four-year-old children in the county or region by program type.
2. Establishing or strengthening partnerships with other providers of early childhood education services and family childcare home education networks within the county or region’s mixed-delivery system and with tribal partners, to ensure that high-quality options for universal preschool, including inclusive preschool programs and multilingual programs, are available for three- and four-year-old children.
3. Engaging in community-level coordination and planning with agencies participating in the county or region’s mixed-delivery system for the implementation of high-quality universal preschool options.
4. Coordinating with special education local and regional partners, including regional centers and local educational agencies, to ensure three- and four-year-old children with exceptional needs in the county or region have access to universal preschool through the mixed-delivery system in the least restrictive environment in accordance with Section 1412(a)(5)(A) of Title 20 of the United States Code.
5. Partnering with the regional agency responsible for the system described in Section 8203.1 to fund and support workforce development, coaching, and other quality improvement activities to support the universal preschool mixed-delivery system.
6. Other costs, as specified by the Superintendent.

UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant Funding includes three distinct rounds of funding, spanning multiple fiscal years (FYs).

Funding

UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant - Round 1
FYs 2022–26.

UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant - Round 2
FYs 2023–26.

UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant - Round 3 (Coming Soon)
FYs 2024–26.

Resources

Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) Mixed Delivery Planning Grant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQs regarding UPK Mixed Delivery and the UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant..

UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant Materials
Resources for grantees on the UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant.

UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant Data
Mixed Delivery Annual Data Collection Template and data for the UPK Mixed Delivery Planning Grant.

Guidance for the Mixed Delivery System
Information provided by the California Department of Education to the LEAs and County Offices of Education (COEs) to develop their plans for UPK.

Additional Guidance on Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and UPK
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) guidance and the California Preschool/TK Learning Foundations (PTKLF).

California PTKLF
The PTKLF describes the learning and development of most children ages three to five and a half years old in high-quality early education programs.

UPK Mixed Delivery Quality and Access State Level Workgroup
Information on the UPK Workgroup including memos developed, video panels, and the legislative report containing recommendations from the Workgroup on best practices for increasing access to high-quality universal preschool programs for three- and four-year-old children offered through a mixed-delivery model that provides equitable learning experiences across a variety of settings.