News and Events

Asm. Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), Early Edge California, Kidango, and San Diego Unified School District Support the American Families Plan

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, President Biden announced his American Families Plan, a package which includes $1 trillion in spending and $800 billion in tax credits that will support children and families across our country by helping them cover their basic costs of living and working to reduce child poverty. This announcement could not come at a more critical time when families are struggling to make ends meet and when our Early Learning and Care system is in dire need of support to survive the health and economic crises. 

The package proposes monumental investments to support children and working families, which include:

• $200 billion to provide free Universal Preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds, which is projected to benefit five million children and save the average family $13,000 a year.
• $225 billion to ensure high-quality Child Care is affordable and that families earning 1.5 times their state median income will pay no more than 7 percent of their income.
• Investments in the Child Care workforce which will provide at least a $15 minimum wage for early childhood staff and pay parity to ensure that those with similar qualifications as kindergarten teachers receive comparable compensation and benefits. It also invests in job-embedded coaching and professional development to provide on-going support for educators.
• $225 billion to create a national comprehensive paid family and medical leave program.
• Extension of the Child Tax Credit increases included in the American Rescue Plan through 2025 and makes it permanently fully refundable, and also permanently increases the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.

“The American Families Plan is amazing news for California! It prioritizes early education and child care by focusing on universal pre-kindergarten, increased child care subsidies, and the extension of the increased child care tax credits. We’ll put this money to good work in California and make child care and Pre-K universal,” said Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento).

“I’m thrilled that the Biden-Harris Administration is prioritizing the needs of working families from all backgrounds. We are especially supportive of the Administration’s emphasis on ensuring that every child has access to high-quality child care and Universal Pre-K. California is in a unique position to seize this opportunity to ensure equity in Early Learning for our youngest kids, giving them the best chance at success in education and in life,” said Patricia Lozano, Executive Director of Early Edge California. 

“This is the most significant early childhood proposal of any President in U.S. history.  Coupled with Governor Newsom’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, which is the most significant proposal of its kind for any governor, California has an historic opportunity to ensure every child is ready for success in school and life,” said Scott Moore, CEO of  Kidango. 

“Like many districts across California and the nation, San Diego Unified is focused on closing the race-based opportunity gap. We know the best way to close the opportunity gap is to prevent it from opening in the first place, and that is why we believe so strongly in early childhood education. Simply put, there is no better investment in equity than increasing access to preschool for all students,” said Richard Barrera, Board President of San Diego Unified School District.

We thank the Biden-Harris Administration for advancing a strong agenda for our Early Learning and Care system: one that provides high-quality preschool to young learners, critically-needed support for our teachers, and financial support to our working families so that they can start building pathways to a brighter future. We look forward to our partnership with the Administration, Governor Gavin Newsom, and the California Legislature in implementing the American Families Plan in California.

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Early Edge California is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to improving access to high-quality Early Learning experiences for all California children so they can have a strong foundation for future success.

Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) represents California’s 7th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Sacramento, West Sacramento, and unincorporated Sacramento County. McCarty serves as Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance.

Kidango is an Early Learning nonprofit committed to setting every child on a path to thrive in Kindergarten and in life. As the largest childcare provider in the San Francisco Bay Area, we provide thousands of children, especially those from low-income families, with safe, healthy, nurturing environments and relationships. Our goal is to make sure all children have the social, emotional, and academic skills they need to learn, grow and realize their potential.

San Diego Unified School District: With some 100,000 students and approximately 14,000 employees, San Diego Unified School District is California’s second-largest school district. San Diego Unified is a leader among urban districts when it comes to academic performance, equity, and financial stability.