News and Events

Sacramento, CA – On Friday April 10th, Governor Newsom announced the release of $100 million to the California Department of Education (CDE), with $50 million to be used for up to 20,000 “limited-term additional state-subsidized slots” for children, and $50 million to be utilized for reimbursing childcare centers, facilities, and family provider homes for the purchase of gloves, face coverings, cleaning supplies, and other labor-related cleaning. 

This is the latest in a series of announcements from the state over the past week regarding emergency childcare for California’s essential workers, including the Governor’s April 4th executive order which described the need for state-subsidized childcare among workers in essential industries, including workers who may previously not have required childcare or who now require more childcare due to their work responsibilities during COVID-19, as well as the CDE’s release of guidelines on April 8th in response to the Governor’s executive order. 

“Supporting hospital workers, first responders, and other essential workers right now is critical to helping our state overcome the COVID-19 crisis. Making these emergency childcare services available ensures that these workers’ children have a safe, supportive place to be so their parents and caregivers can continue to fight for all of us against this horrific pandemic. We applaud Governor Newsom’s leadership and continued support for families and their children during these challenging times,” said Patricia Lozano, Executive Director, Early Edge California. 

“Governor Newsom’s order allows non-profits like Kidango to use their state funding to provide emergency childcare for health care workers and first responders. We are excited to open our classroom doors to take care of the children for those who are on the front lines of fighting COVID-19,” said Scott Moore, CEO, Kidango. 

Governor Newsom’s April 4th executive order waives eligibility and enrollment requirements, allowing state-subsidized childcare centers and after-school programs to prioritize essential workers like health care professionals, first responders, law enforcement, and grocery workers and others for the next 60 days. The executive order will also:

• Prioritize  enrollment of abused and neglected children. 
• Suspend family fees for childcare programs for 60 days. 
• Allow for the CDE and the Department of Social Services to share data to identify children eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

For more information, refer to Early Edge California’s summary of the executive order. 

The CDE’s guidance regarding this executive order, released on April 8th, is for state-subsidized early learning and care (ELC) programs which are continuing to provide services to currently-enrolled families or are providing “Emergency Childcare” for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. These rules will be in effect until June 30, 2020 or until the State of Emergency declaration has ended, whichever comes sooner. The guidance applies to non-CalWORKs ELC programs: Alternative Payment Program (CAPP), California State Preschool Program (CSPP), General Child Care (CCTR), and Family Child Care Home Education Networks (CFCC). The guidance outlines enrollment priorities and ratios, and provides guidelines for all childcare facility licensees and providers who are serving families during the state of emergency, including:

• Maintaining small, stable groups
• Practicing social distancing
• Screening
• Hygiene for staff and children
• Frequent sanitization of touched surfaces

For more key points about the guidelines, read Early Edge California’s CDE Guidelines summary.

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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.

Kidango is an early learning nonprofit committed to setting every child on a path to thrive in Kindergarten and in life. As the largest child care 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.