When I first became a parent, I was blindsided by many things. However, nothing hit me harder than the steep price tag and unavailability of high-quality childcare in our state. All of the centers I visited cost over $1,000 a month – the same as our rent! -- and many had years-long waiting lists. Imagine my surprise when a friend told me she had signed up for childcare -- when her baby was still in utero!

This madness has got to stop. Parents need to work to pay the bills, and all children deserve the best possible start in life to thrive and become productive members of our society.  

Last year Governor Brown and the California legislature made the historic commitment to fully fund preschool for all low-income 4-year-olds. But so far, we haven't seen this investment included in the proposed budget.

Please join me and tell our governor and state legislature to fulfill their promise to provide high-quality and affordable childcare for families in California. Sign on and we will deliver your signatures and stories in Sacramento in person! http://action.momsrising.org/letter/earlylearning_CA/

Here's the scoop: legislators and the governor have a small window of time to make good on their promise to provide much needed early learning investments. With your help and your voice right now, we can remind the governor and legislators that kids and families are counting on them to take action. 

California is home to 1 in 8 of the nation’s children. We know that the first 2,000 days build the critical foundation for a child's readiness to be successful in school and life. Leading economists agree: investments in high-quality early learning programs like preschool actually save future dollars for everyone. In fact, children who have high-quality early learning experiences are more likely to succeed in school, graduate from high school, gain stable employment, and are less likely to be arrested later in life. Studies show that for every dollar invested in high-quality early learning, we see a return of up to $8.00.  

Investing in early learning for kids can actually help working families across the state and save future taxpayer dollars. It's a win-win-win for kids, families, and our economy!

Please sign on to our open letter to Governor Jerry Brown and our state legislators to let them know that you support high-quality, affordable early learning for our state’s littlest learners. http://action.momsrising.org/letter/earlylearning_CA/

What exactly are we asking of our leaders? Parents and other early learning advocates in our state are requesting a significant investment that allocates resources to the following top priority areas:

· Preschool for all low-income 4-year-olds in California: Fully fund the commitment made in last year's state budget to provide preschool to all low-income 4-year-olds in the coming years. 

· Access to quality infant and toddler care: Address the state's significant need for access, and ensure quality, affordable care and education for our youngest children ages birth to three. 

· Affordable programs for families: Increase reimbursement rates so that early learning providers can continue to provide quality, affordable services. 

· Increase quality in all early learning settings: Invest in quality improvement efforts to ensure strong outcomes for young children in all settings. This should include supporting improvements in the way early learning teachers are trained at community colleges and allowing infant and toddler programs to participate in the Quality Rating and Improvement System Block Grant. Additionally, we must ensure that California is prepared to meet the new Child Care and Development Block Grant requirements. 

It’s time for California to take the next step to provide support for working families and give our children the high-quality early experiences they need for success. 

Please sign on to our open letter today and we will personally deliver your signatures and stories to Governor Brown and the state legislature to let them know that you support high-quality, affordable early learning for our littlest learners. http://action.momsrising.org/letter/earlylearning_CA/

Together we are a powerful force for children and families in our state!