Early Edge Joins LAUSD Board Committee on Children and Families in Early Education
Early Edge California’s Director of Dual Language Learner (DLL) Programs, Carolyne Crolotte, was appointed to serve as a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board Committee on Children and Families in Early Education for the 2023-24 school year.
The committee is chaired by Board Member Kelly Gonez, where she is joined by board members Nick Melvoin and Tanya Ortiz Franklin. External members of the committee include LAUSD parents, as well as representatives from SEIU Local 99, UTLA, and Catalyst California.
Through the committee, LAUSD is hoping to discuss the efforts to expand early education access (both with in-district programs and more broadly) as well as how to support and engage families with young children.
The first meeting was held on September 7th and was focused on the district’s expansion of Transitional Kindergarten (TK). LAUSD is ahead of schedule with respect to the state’s expansion of universal preschool through TK. Dr. Dean Tagawa, Executive Director for the Early Childhood Education Division at LAUSD, shared a presentation on the district’s UTK expansion, and members engaged in conversations around the presentation.
Carolyne praised the district on their vision and commitment to expanding universal preschool through TK and encouraged the district to use the opportunity to focus additional resources on supporting DLLs, including expanding dual language programs beginning in TK. Dr. Tagawa shared that the district has added more dual language programs through their TK expansion with plans to add more.
There will be three additional meetings of the committee, and details and topics are included below:
Upcoming Committee dates and topics:
- Thursday, October 19, 10am-1pm – birth through three focus (0-3)
- Thursday, January 18, 10am-1pm – focus on broader early education (family child care, parental leave)
- Thursday, April 4, 10am-1pm – focus on special programs in early education (dual language, inclusion)
Meetings will be held in-person at the LAUSD Beaudry headquarters (333 S. Beaudry Ave).