Nearly 40% of California Kids Ages 3-5 Not Enrolled in Preschool or Kindergarten as State Lawmakers Introduce Universal Preschool Legislation
Preschool and prekindergarten attendance is linked with a variety of educational and behavioral benefits in kindergarten and beyond. However, an estimated 39 percent of California children ages 3-5 were not enrolled in preschool or kindergarten in 2012.
Enrollment of Hispanic/Latino, Multiracial, and African-American youngsters was less common than among their white or Asian counterparts, according to newly available estimates from kidsdata.org.
A recent Field Poll found that most Californians support universal preschool for 4-year-olds, and California state lawmakers have introduced two bills (SB 837 and SB 1123) that would increase access to both preschool and transitional kindergarten.
Researchers also have found that parents reading to their young children frequently helps promote literacy, social-emotional development, and better performance in school. In California, an estimated 62 percent of children in 2011-2012 had parents who reported reading to them every day, but 14% had parents who reported reading to them 1-2 days per week or never.
Read more about early care and education indicators in California, including policy implications>>
See Early Care and Education Data for California Children
Helpful Links
Investing in Young Children: New Directions in Federal Preschool and Early Childhood Policy
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
National Center for Children in Poverty: Early Care and Learning
National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)
Child Trends: Early Childhood Development
Reframing Family Involvement in Education: Supporting Families to Support Educational Equity
New! Kidsdata.org Goes Mobile
Need quick access to information about kids in California? Good news! Kidsdata.org is now easier to use when you’re on the go: our data now are optimized for mobile devices. More information>>
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Children Ages 3-5 Not Enrolled in Preschool or Kindergarten (Regions of 65,000 Residents or More) (California, 2012) 
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