UPK

Universal Preschool (UPK)

Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) is the expansion of the state’s mixed delivery system to meet the early learning needs of 3- and 4-year-old children and their families.

UPK brings families more high-quality choices for preschool, including Transitional Kindergarten (TK).

UPK is an essential part of transforming California’s schools and giving every student in California a great start.

This webpage is designed to provide information and resources on UPK and UPK expansion efforts in San Francisco.

Vision and Strategies for UPK in San Francisco

Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) in San Francisco takes a comprehensive and multi-layered approach to enhance UPK education within a mixed-delivery system.

Oversight:

To do this work, we’ve established a UPK Coalition composed of San Francisco Unified School District, San Francisco Child Care Planning and Advisory Council (CPAC), Department of Early Childhood (DEC), Children’s Council of San Francisco, and Wu Yee Children’s Services.

Also, a Workgroup, consisting of center-based and family child care providers, R+Rs, community-based organizations, and policymakers was created to support the operational and tactical aspects of the UPK expansion in a mixed delivery system.

This collaboration is designed to ensure that grant-related activities effectively respond to the needs of children, their families, and our early childhood education (ECE) community, align efforts, and identify gaps for improvement.

Our Vision

Our vision is to move away from silos and instill a joint UPK vision and process for children, their families, and the childcare community. We aim to create a cohesive, inclusive, high-quality early childhood education ecosystem catering to various educational needs and methodologies.

Key Strategies

Collaborative Efforts

UPK Coalition: The Coalition will discuss San Francisco's UPK vision and efforts, collaborating on implementing the plan to leverage and align resources.

Regular Meetings: Regular updates and discussions happen frequently in CPAC meetings and other venues to collect community input and ensure continuous alignment.

Community Development

Broad Stakeholder Participation: Engaging a wide range of stakeholders within the mixed-delivery system through regular in-person and virtual meetings.

Feedback Mechanisms: Recording and disseminating discussions to gather feedback from the community through CPAC meetings and focus groups.

Priority Areas

Access and Information: Ensuring families have access to necessary resources and information.

Data: Utilizing data to inform decisions and improve practices.

Workforce Development: Enhancing the skills and capabilities of early childhood educators.

Support for Special Needs: Prioritizing support for children with special needs and disabilities.

Professional Development

Multilingual Support: Focusing on the development of multilingual learners and educators.

Inclusive Practices: Promoting inclusive and effective educational settings for all children.

Commitment to Excellence

We are dedicated to building a robust early childhood education system by strategically emphasizing collaboration, professional development, and community involvement. Our vision is to meet the diverse needs of our community, creating an inclusive and effective educational setting for all.

California Department of Education (CDE) UPK

UPK Partnership Guidebook

Resources to create a common understanding of UPK and facilitate essential partnerships between family serving organizations, community-based organizations, and local education agencies.

CDE UPK Resources for Families and Providers

For parents or caregivers looking for information about UPK and TK in California

CDE UPK and
TK Resources

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding California state law relating to Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) and Transitional Kindergarten (TK)

UPK