California’s Universal Preschool Kindergarten Mixed Delivery System (UPKMD) can mystify policy-makers, families, early care and learning advocates, public schools and strategic partners alike by its mere name alone. The question that consistently arises in collaborative spaces is, “what is UPKMD and what is it not?” And before a common definition can be agreed upon the conversation forges ahead. While a common definition is yet to be established there are some general understandings.
Universal Preschool Kindergarten Mixed Delivery (UPKMD) - All Provider Types
UPKMD presumes all eligible age preschool (2 to 5 years) children will have equitable access to early care and learning systems provided by a mix of various program types(e.g. Head Start, family child care, California State Preschool Programs, community based, and private). These preschool programs are publicly and/or privately funded. Family and child preferences, needs and options are prioritized (e.g. age, developmental growth, hours of care, location, philosophy, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds). Program type, income level, zip code, race, and citizenship status typically do not serve as barriers to family accessibility.
UniversalTransitional Kindergarten (UTK)- Public Schools
Alternatively, Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) is a free public school-based preschool for all 4 year olds with the goal of closing the achievement gap, especially those from marginalized communities with the opportunity for the greatest academic gains at a projected $3B annual investment. Academic gains are hoped to sustain PreK to 3rd grade and beyond.
UTK is inclusive of the broader UPKMD system supported by before- and after-school through the Expanded Learning Opportunity Programs (ELO-P) to fill the gap during out-of-school time (e.g. summer, intercession, school closures). According to the Public Policy Institute of California (June 2025), underrepresentedcommunities’ TK participation rates are lower than expected.
Family Affordability and Universal Access & Expansion
Nevertheless, over the past two decades UPKMD has been central to “family affordability” and “universal access and expansion” through public policy and investment. To move forward with sound public investment, let's first reflect where California has been with efforts to establish a free public preschool system.
Universal Preschool Mixed Delivery Timeline: Past to Present Spotlights Current Reality
On the Capitol Door Step maintains a historical record of California's early care and learning and preschool policy bills and budget acts from 1971-2010 and partly informs the timeline below.
1965- Head Start - President Lyndon B. Johnson declares “War on Poverty”. The Office of Economic Opportunity launched Head Start during the summer of 1965. In 1969, President Nixon transferred Head Start to the Office of Child Development under the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
1965 - California State Preschool Program began for children/families not eligible for Head Start program and are at-risk of neglect, abuse and family violence, or receiving protective service
2004 - LAUSD’s adoption of full day and California’s implementation of two-year Kindergarten launches to close the achievement gap starting with its youngest learners
2006 - Proposition 82 Ballot - Preschool for All - 70% of four year olds to receive free half-day preschool provided by public schools and community-based regardless of income. The proposal would cost $23B; it failed with 60% of voters opposed
2007 -California State Preschool Program moves eligibility beyond children and families at-risk of child welfare engagement to include a literacy component and General Child Care Programs
2008 - California State Preschool Act (CSPP) - consolidates several CSPP early childhood initiatives into one funding stream
2010 - Kindergarten Readiness Act established Transitional Kindergarten is added as a new grade level to ensure most children start Kindergarten by age 5 – signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
2012- Transitional Kindergarten expansion continues with training and support for 4 year olds with birthdays in the fall
2014 - California Legislators propose $1B for Universal Preschool during Governor Brown’s Administration
2018 - California’s Gubernatorial Gavin Newsom campaign promise is to prioritize Universal Preschool
2021 - California Universal Transitional Kindergarten passes as a free public school preschool for all 4-year-olds - signed by Governor Newsom
2022 - Universal Preschool Act, SB 976 advances through several legislative committees to provide all 3 and 4 year olds access to universal preschool - failed in Assembly Education
2023 - Governor Newsom signs $2B legislation for Child Care Provider United to increase wages by 20%
Strategic Partnerships
As California reimagines and continues to define what UPKMD is and isn’t, the journey of perceiving preschool as only a way to reduce child welfare engagement to include social-emotional development and school readiness for children is the heart of this policy issue. Jointly, UPKMD, when accessible, supports working families and therefore deserves strategic public and private partnerships across organizations, local education agencies, and community-based organizations serving families.
Family Engagement Toolkit Resource
EveryChildCA in collaboration with UPK Partnership Guidebook offers a unique Family Engagement Toolkit to everyday early care and learning settings. It is a practical resource guide developed with community input for child-centered organizations to help raise California families’ awareness about the mix of provider types based on family needs and preferences in their community.
While California’s UPKMD continues to progress forward, we are at a turning point and critical mass to align whole child and family systems that cultivate child and family well-being starting with child care affordability that centers economic mobility and upstream systems of support. Where we go next will tell the story of what was possible and the policy levers adopted that shifted the UPKMD movement in California’s decades long journey to reality.
.svg)
