How to take advantage of early learning opportunities: A four-step process
This article is the third of a four-part series published by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, along with our partners, to provide timely information to parents about navigating our public school system.
Early learning opportunities form the most important foundation you can build for your child. Research tells us that from birth to age 5, a child’s brain develops most dramatically and this early period is critical to children’s future success. Here are four steps to help with each stage of your child’s development:
Step 1: Kids start
developing communication skills from the moment they're born, so talking, singing, and reading to your child helps tremendously with their language skills.
First 5 California has a free multilingual “Kit for New Parents” that includes hands-on resources for parents and children.
Step 2: There are plenty of
outside-the-home learning and preschool opportunities available. Both the San Jose city and Santa Clara County public library systems and parks and recreation programs offer free resources and activities for young children. Preschool is also an important option to consider, and there are private and public providers that offer programs for children as young as infants. Two public programs that provide full- and half-day preschool services to low-income children are State Preschool and Head Start. Check the
SCCOE website for eligibility requirements. Many school districts and non-profit organizations also offer free or low-cost early learning programs.
Step 3: With child care being a necessity for so many parents,
finding a quality caregiver is very important. The
Community Child Care Council of Santa Clara County, also known as the “4Cs,” is a great resource and referral agency to help families find the right child care provider.
Step 4:
Kindergarten registration is for children turning five-years-old by Sept. 1, and transitional kindergarten is for those who turn age 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2. Kindergarten is only required to be a half-day program, but some schools offer full-day programs and most schools also offer after-school care programs on site. Contact your local school or district for details and registration timelines.
Remember to check out www.sccoe.org for information related to these topics and more. Be sure to check out our next article on parent involvement.
This series is brought to you by the Santa Clara County Office of Education and features information from First 5 California/Santa Clara County, the Community Child Care Council of Santa Clara County, the California Department of Education, and Early Edge California.
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Works consulted; additional resources:
