Time is running out, but we are not giving up! Head Start California is still fighting to get funding for Head Start and Early Head Start programs in the California budget. And we need your help!

Over the next few weeks, a small group of California lawmakers will decide if our state will invest in Head Start and Early Head Start. We are asking them to provide $20 million to help ensure that critical Head Start and Early Head Start programs are available to California’s most at-risk children.

Head Start provides school readiness for children in families with low incomes by offering educational, nutritional, health, social, and other services to strengthen families. Yet, California’s need for these comprehensive services continues to outstrip capacity. Currently, Early Head Start reaches only 7% of the eligible children and families in the state. 

This is our final chance! We can’t do this without you! Help us secure a Stronger Start, Brighter Future for all of our children. Click here to send a message to your legislators.

We have also assembled a strong coalition of organizations who also support increased funding for Head Start and Early Head Start. Click here to see our coalition letter.

Other Advocacy Updates:

AB 452 (ECE facilities grants bill) has been ordered to the Senate

We are also advocating for AB 452 (Mullin) which creates a grant program for child care facilities to serve infants and toddlers; funds can be used for construction, renovation, repair or modernization of facilities. We’ve worked with the legislature to ensure Head Start grantees will be eligible for these funds.

Head Start California submitted this floor alert to encourage all Assembly members to vote for this important bill. AB 452 passed the Assembly with broad bipartisan support and is headed to the Senate.

The Governor’s Infrastructure Grant Proposal:

Both the Assembly and Senate have approved Governor Newsom’s proposal for $245 million for Early Learning and Care Infrastructure grants. We are pleased that language adopted by Assembly Budget Committee specifies language aligned to AB 452 – this will ensure Head Start grantees will be eligible. We are working to make sure this language remains in the final budget package. The language makes the facilities grant funding opportunity available to serve infants and toddlers. This is desperately needed to expand the capacity of our mixed delivery system of early childhood learning and care programs.

Budget Conference Committee:

Both the Assembly and the Senate have completed their Subcommittees and have put actions forward to be further discussed in the Budget Conference Committee.

We are connecting with all members of the Conference Committee to ensure that Trailer Bill Language for Governor’s ECE proposal includes Head Start grantees. The appointed members from each house to sit on the Budget Conference Committee are:

From the Senate:

• Senator Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), Chair
• Senator John M. W. Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa)
• Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama)
• Senator Richard D. Roth (D-Riverside)
• Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley)

From the Assembly:

• Assembly Member Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Vice Chair 
• Assembly Member Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley)
• Assembly Member Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento)
• Assembly Member Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia)
• Assembly Member Shirley Weber (D-San Diego)

The Final Countdown!

• May 30: Budget Conference Committee expected to begin meeting to resolve differences between Senate and Assembly budget bills and craft a final budget
• By June 15: Legislature must vote to pass a budget
• By June 30: The Governor must sign the final budget