Universal Prekindergarten Resources

Universal PreKindergarten

Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) is an initiative designed to ensure access for all children to a quality learning experience the year before kindergarten by bringing together programs across early education and TK–12 settings.

UPK in Sacramento County is provided through a mixed delivery system that includes not only Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and the California State Preschool Program (CSPP), but also Head Start, private providers, and other options.

By 2025–26, California is poised to meet major UPK objectives by:

1) providing all families, regardless of income, a free year of voluntary public PreK for all four-year-old children through TK; 2) serve a growing number of three-year-old children through the CSPP and the mixed delivery system.

While not all providers of UPK will be available free of cost to families, families will be able to choose whether to enroll their three- and four-year-old children in quality early learning programs and in which program to enroll them.

UPK Planning and Implementation

We support districts and charters in the implementation of a high-quality learning experience the year prior to kindergarten. Educators and leaders in PK, TK, and expanded learning can find access to professional learning and technical assistance/support.

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Sacramento UPK Collaborative

The UPK Collaborative is a cross-sector group of early learning and care partners from a wide variety of settings invited to connect, share expertise, and provide the highest quality programs to our youngest learners.

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UPK Mixed Delivery Planning

The Local Planning Council created a diverse workgroup, lead by SCOE Early Learning leaders and consisting of broad representation of the early learning and care community, to develop a plan supporting a mixed-delivery system in Sacramento.

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UPK for Families

Families are a child’s first teacher and the SCOE Early Learning Department is committed to connecting families with the information and resources they need to help their children thrive. UPK's mixed-delivery system brings more flexible, high-quality early learning choices for your 3- and 4-year-olds that address your families' learning and care needs.

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Early Learning Workforce Programs

SCOE Early Learning works in partnership with institutes of higher education, schools of education, and partners across the county to assist and support increasing a diverse, highly qualified workforce dedicated to helping our youngest learners and their families thrive.

Sacramento Consortium for Empowering Early Educators (SacE3) Program

SacE3 supports early educators in advancing their careers through professional learning, stipends for college course units, acquiring a BA in Child and Adolescent Development, and participating in an internship program to teach TK.

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Sacramento County Workforce Pathways Grant (WPG) Stipend Program

WPG supports early educators, providers, and caregivers through professional growth stipends to complete professional learning hours and degree-pathway college units. WPG also supports new family child care providers by reimbursing the cost of the initial Licensing fee and initial Health & Safety Training.

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