Welcome! This page supports community-based early learning providers — including licensed child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start programs, and other early education programs — with clear information about how you fit into California’s Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) system. UPK is designed to expand access to high-quality early learning for all 3- and 4-year-old children in our state through a mixed-delivery model.

UPK isn’t just one program — it’s a coordinated system of early learning options that allows families to choose the setting that best meets their needs. The mixed delivery system includes a variety of high-quality, licensed early childhood programs, such as:

Community-based early learning programs

Licensed child care centers

Family child care providers

Head Start and Early Head Start

California State Preschool Program (CSPP)

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) offered by LEAs

Other early learning and extended care programs

Each program contributes to the UPK goal of expanding high-quality early learning and family choice in the year before kindergarten.

California’s mixed delivery model is guided by collaboration and partnership:

✔ Parent Choice: Families can select the provider that fits their preferences — whether that’s TK, a community preschool, FCC home, Head Start, or a private program — creating true choice in early learning.

✔ Coordination with School Districts: Many programs work with local school districts or county offices of education as partners in planning and service delivery.

✔ Shared Goal of Quality: The system is designed so that all UPK programs — regardless of setting — support developmentally appropriate, high-quality learning experiences for children.

Note: Mixed delivery does not replace existing programs — it expands and connects them so that children, families, and providers benefit from shared resources, coordination, and program alignment.

As a provider in the UPK mixed delivery system, your program can:

 Offer high-quality early learning that aligns with UPK’s goals

 Partner with school districts, counties, local planning councils, and resource & referral agencies

 Participate in planning and workgroups that shape local UPK implementation

 Help ensure children from diverse backgrounds have access to early learning   opportunities

Many regions have planning workgroups or advisory committees that include FCC, CBOs, Head Start, and other early learning providers to help guide expansion and coordination.

By engaging in UPK mixed delivery planning and implementation, providers can:

Strengthen partnerships with LEAs and county offices

Increase access for children in your community

Support equitable early learning options for families

Access professional learning, coaching, and quality improvement resources

Interested in joining UPK planning or learning more about mixed delivery partnerships? Contact your:

Local school district early learning office

County Office of Education early learning team

Local Planning Council (LPC) or Resource & Referral Agency

Participating in UPK in Solano County may involve:

Offering developmentally appropriate early learning experiences aligned to California’s standards

Collaborating with school districts, county offices, and community partners

Supporting transitions to kindergarten for children and families

Participating in Local Planning Council (LPC) planning and workgroups

Strengthening program quality and equity in early learning

Participation varies by program type but contributes to a coordinated, accessible early learning system across Solano County.