Community Assessment 2020-2025

Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 2020-2025
Access to high-quality early learning programs is limited. Only 43% of 3-and 4-year-olds
attend preschool (Children Now, 2016-17 California County Scorecard, Sacramento). Only 59%
of three- and four-year-old children who are eligible are not currently served in state preschool,
other Title 5 programs, Head Start, or transitional kindergarten (American Institutes for Research
Report, 2016).
In 2010, the Kindergarten Readiness Act changed the age
requirements for children entering kindergarten to 5 years
old by September 1 st . The law also created a transitional
kindergarten program (TK) for children whose entrance into
kindergarten is delayed, those who turn five September 2 –
December 2. These transitional programs are being run at all
elementary schools.
LICENSED
CAPACITY SERVES
ONLY 27% OF
ELIGBLE CHILDREN
With a decreased unemployment rate, working
parents/guardians with young children need longer hours for
early care. The hours of operation by child care providers should also be flexible to meet the
varying needs of working families. Most recent available data (2017) supports the need for child
care as licensed capacity (available slots) serves only 27% of children with working parents.
For the remaining 73% of children for whom child care may be needed, slots are not available.
Sacramento County Head Start currently serves about 13% of the eligible population. The program
will continue to adapt to the longer hours (6-9 hours) needed by families by offering program
options that provide full-day services (6-9 hours).
Maintaining full enrollment remains an issue that Sacramento County Head Start needs to address
by carefully analyzing external and internal factors that contribute to this. To remain competitive,
Head Start and Early Head Start programs should not only be of high quality as an early learning
program but accessible and easy to navigate to get families enrolled.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 2020-2025 33