Getting kids off to the right start is key to them succeeding the rest of their lives. I spent the first two decades of my career, where I too often saw the California Department of Education be a hindrance rather than a help. When I was speaker, I convened a Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education that made a number of recommendations for how we restructure the ways California runs its preschool and early education programs. Among my priorities are:

• Expand access to affordable child care for working families.
  
  

• Ensure fair, competitive pay for providers and teachers to attract and retain early learning professionals.
  
  

• Invest in training and education for both new and existing child care providers.
  
  

• Strengthen our child care infrastructure by growing the workforce and improve affordability and accessibility for families.
  
  

• Enable parents to work while their children are cared for in safe, developmentally supportive environments.
  
  

• Support California’s economy, which depends on reliable child care for working families.
  
  

• Prepare children for school with early learning programs that ensure kindergarten readiness.