What is Universal PreKindergarten?
California’s mixed-delivery system intends to offer a variety of early learning and care settings to allow parents and guardians an authentic choice to meet the needs of their families. Universal PreKindergarten, or UPK, provides a solid early start to education through equitable access to educational programs the year before Kindergarten.
The »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ is working with school districts, California State Preschool Programs, Head Start, private preschools, and family childcare providers to implement a mixed-delivery system to ensure parent choice in selecting quality early learning programs.
Universal PreKindergarten Programs
UPK includes various program options families may be familiar with, giving more choices for high-quality PreK programs that meet a family’s needs. This also includes connecting before and after school and other childcare programs to create wraparound or full-day options for working families.
UPK can be accessed through many programs in San Mateo County, including:
- Transitional Kindergarten (TK), provided by local school districts
- California State Preschool Program (CSPP), operated by school districts and community-based organizations
- Federal Head Start Programs
- Subsidized programs that provide a preschool learning experience and are operated by community-based organizations, including family childcare
- Private preschools
- Park and Recreation Preschool Programs
- Family Child Care
Families with four-year-old children can enroll in any program for which their child is eligible.