Conclusion

Fresno, Oakland, and the Franklin-McKinley School District in San Jose have begun the important work of systems change in early childhood, even while continuing to struggle with political turmoil, deep poverty among families, and lack of resources in districts and community organizations. No one in these communities is expecting immediate results. Change in teacher and adult practice, even in the best of circumstances, will take time.

Successful models and initiatives include some of the following components. They:

• build on the expertise in a community, which empowers teachers, parents, and caregivers to lead;
• put equity at the center;
• offer high-quality and ongoing professional development paired with coaching, with input from teachers on how it is developed;
• build community partnerships to train informal educators; family, friend, and neighbor caregivers; and parents;
• train principals in early learning; and
• use data to evaluate progress and enable teachers and leaders to use that data to change systems.

Using models like this, communities and states can catalyze new collaborations (such as school districts working with community organizations and housing authorities); sustain training programs for teachers and early care providers to lead change inside and outside of school districts; assist administrators as they deepen their knowledge about how to support all of the children in their communities; and instigate important shifts in culture. These activities are critical for building the strong system of support that all children in California deserve.