January 5, 2026 | CalMatters
In this CalMatters article, Early Edge’s Executive Director Patricia Lozano speaks with CalMatters K-12 education reporter Carolyn Jones about legislators’ ongoing efforts to make kindergarten mandatory in California, and uplifts the positive impacts for children.
“Kids need to be around other kids, they need to be learning. It matters,” said Patricia Lozano, executive director of Early Edge California, which advocates for early childhood education. “I don’t see why California can’t make this happen.”
“It took us 20 years to get TK. It takes time to change minds, change policies,” Lozano said. “There are so many benefits to kindergarten, especially for the kids who need it the most. We believe the benefits outweigh the costs.”