San Bernardino County UPK Programs Help Children Build Confidence Before Kindergarten

San Bernardino County families may now qualify for free or low-cost early learning programs as California expands transitional kindergarten and local education leaders work to connect parents with options before their children enter kindergarten.

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools is promoting universal pre-kindergarten, or UPK, as a way to help families understand the early education choices available from birth to age 5, when children’s brains are developing most rapidly.

Heather Smith, director for early education and development with San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, said UPK is not one program. It is an umbrella of early learning and care options that can include transitional kindergarten, state preschool, Head Start, Early Head Start, licensed family child care providers and care from family, friends and neighbors.

“Universal pre-kindergarten is really an avenue that we are using to help families recognize what their choices are so that they can choose a setting that is best for them and their child,” Smith said.

Those choices matter, because many families, particularly in underserved communities, have not always known what programs were available or have faced barriers such as cost, transportation and work schedules.

“Historically, our families, particularly in underserved communities, haven’t necessarily known what their choices are,” Smith said. “Sometimes they were aware of choices, but there were barriers to accessing them.”

Transitional kindergarten, or TK, is offered through local school districts and is free for 4-year-olds. Smith said it can be an especially helpful option for families with older children already attending the same elementary school.

Other early learning options may also be available at no cost or at a reduced cost, depending on the program and a family’s eligibility. Smith said state preschool, Head Start, Early Head Start and some family child care providers may offer subsidized care.

“With universal pre-kindergarten, there are more options for families that they might be surprised they qualify for,” Smith said.

The county’s role, Smith said, is to help families understand those options and build stronger connections between early learning providers and the K-12 school system. Historically, those systems have often operated separately.

“It really is a community lift,” Smith said. “We’re really looking at building the infrastructure, which has historically not happened, in terms of how early learning and care is connected to the TK or K-12 system.”

Under the UPK model, families may use one program or combine several depending on their schedules, income, transportation needs, language preferences and child care needs. A family might enroll a child in TK during the school day and use a family child care provider or expanded learning program before and after school.

Smith said that flexibility is important because each family’s needs are different.

“It really looks at creating a system that allows families to make choices for their kids so that they best meet their needs,” Smith said.

Early learning can also support children who speak more than one language or are learning English. Smith said some local elementary schools offer dual-language immersion programs beginning in TK, while family child care providers, state preschool, Head Start and Early Head Start programs may offer different levels of language support depending on the needs of the family and the community.

Smith said the early years are critical because children’s brains develop most rapidly from birth to age 5.

“This is the perfect time for kids to be exploring, learning language and literacy skills, early numeracy and building all of those skills that they build in early learning and care programs,” Smith said.

But kindergarten readiness, she said, does not mean forcing young children into formal academics too soon.

“A lot of times, our families think being ready for kindergarten means kids have to be reading and writing and knowing their letters and all their numbers,” Smith said. “Kindergarten readiness is really not about pushing academics down. It’s about helping kids feel safe in a new environment, feel confident and feel connected to the adults and children in their learning environment.”

Smith said high-quality early learning environments should focus on safety, play-based learning, conversation, exploration and social development. Children should have opportunities to ask questions, talk with adults and peers, build with blocks, use manipulatives and develop curiosity.

Those experiences help children build confidence before kindergarten, she said.

“Kindergarten can be so overwhelming for children who haven’t had any early learning experiences,” Smith said. “Those programs allow them to build their social skills, learn how to make friends, recognize their needs and build their confidence before they go to kindergarten.”

The county has also seen new partnerships emerge between school districts and early learning providers. Smith pointed to Rim of the World, where preschool-age and TK-age children had been on a waiting list because of limited early learning opportunities in the mountain community.

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools worked with the district and Head Start partners to help establish a Head Start program on an elementary school campus, Smith said. A similar model is also being used in Trona.

“The school districts can’t do it on their own,” Smith said. “UPK has provided a structure to allow them to do that and encourage them to do that, because in the end, all of the kids are all of our kids.”

Smith said the county is also working with three school districts in partnership with First 5 San Bernardino to help develop community school structures that include families with children ages 0 to 5.

The goal, she said, is to help families find support before kindergarten, whether they need early learning programs, developmental resources or referrals.

“We really want our families to know that they don’t have to navigate this alone,” Smith said. “Taking that first step into exploring what’s available could be life changing for kids and families in our communities.”