California Early Learning Scores Major Federal Grant

Youngsters and families throughout the Bay Area and California got welcome news this week with the announcement by the White House that the Golden State is among nine to receive a combined $500 million in Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant funding. Under Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO George Halvorson’s leadership and with tremendous support from the Packard Foundation and Wells Fargo Foundation, the Council worked with the Preschool Business Advisory Council and many others to advocate for the grant funding, which will help increase access to high-quality programs for children from low-income families and provide more children from birth to age 5 with a strong foundation they need for success in school and beyond.