Speaking to teachers and students at Fresno's Sunset Elementary School on Tuesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $123.9 billion legislative package that delivers record-level investments in public schools and promises universal pre-kindergarten and seed money for college savings accounts for millions of students.
The package has been in the works in the state's budget plan since at least May as part of Newsom's California Comeback Plan. It will give public schools the highest level of state school funding in California history.
About $2.7 billion of the funds will help create a universal pre-k program for 4-year-olds in the state by 2025, including building and renovating existing state preschool, transitional kindergarten, and kindergarten facilities. The phased-in approach will begin next year.
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson, who spoke before Newsom, said young children in poverty come into school academically behind their middle or upper-income peers.
"We want every 4-year-old to have the opportunity to be in school every day, all day, all the time," he said.
California ranks 15th in the nation for access to preschool for 4-year-olds, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research, which publishes an annual State of Preschool report. Only 37% of California 4-year-olds, or about 182,000 kids, were enrolled in a preschool program in the 2019-2020 school year, according to the report. States such as Vermont, Wisconsin and Florida enroll more than 70% of their 4-year-olds into a program.
Newsom's office said they chose Sunset Elementary School in Fresno for Tuesday's signing ceremony at least in part to highlight the budget's roughly $10 million in grant funding to beef up dual-language immersion programs around the state. Sunset Elementary is one of Fresno Unified's dual-immersion schools.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Newsom said he also chose Fresno in part because of the college savings account program.
"I really believe this is a big, big deal," Newsom said. "So, one of the reasons I wanted to come here in particular, Fresno, (is) because a disproportionate number of your kids are going to get this advantage. It's really exciting."
Fresno parent Lourdes Olivia said offering universal free pre-k was a "great step forward for mankind."
Her son attended a free Headstart program, and Olivia said she wasn't aware that preschool wasn't already free in the state.
"He benefited tremendously from that experience, and it helped me, too," she told The Bee. "I knew he was learning information that I didn't have as a child and/or knew as a teen mom. It also helped shape me to see how liberating it is to have access to knowledge and opportunities."
Larissa Mercado, a Central Unified parent, and professor of Women, Gender & Sexuality studies at Fresno State, said the investment is long overdue.
"The data show that pre-k improves children's literacy rates, health outcomes, and life outcomes. It allows mothers to enter or reenter the workforce, which can have implications for family equality."
She said it could also save families potentially thousands of dollars in childcare.
"What the pandemic showed us is how much we rely on mothers to support our families. The pandemic really pushed mothers in particular out of higher education, out of the workforce."
Mercado wants to see with the funding more teacher preparation programs.
"I'm also hoping it means increased pay for pre-k teachers, and ideally across the k-12 system," she said.
Gavin Newsom's California Comeback Plan
Also of note in Newsom's package — $1.9 billion will help set up college savings accounts of up to $1,500 for vulnerable students. An ongoing $170 million will be used to set up accounts for every vulnerable student when they enter first grade.
California students will also receive free meals at school at an ongoing cost of $650 million. Special education will receive $1.5 billion, including ongoing funds and $260 million for early intervention in preschool.
The package will fund after-school and summer programs, improve staff-to-student ratios in the classroom and expand broadband infrastructure in the state. Students will also see more arts and outdoor environmental education programs in their schools.
About $4.3 billion will be used over five years to transform the youth behavioral health system, to identify and treat trauma, depression, anxiety, psychological disorders, and substance abuse for those under 25.
The Bee's Isabel Sophia Dieppa contributed to this report.
