What is the Ventura County Universal Preschool Mixed Delivery (UPK MD) Advisory Workgroup?

The California Department of Education (CDE) has charged our County Office of Education’s Local Planning Council in partnership with our local Resource and Referral (Child Development Resources) with facilitating the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Mixed Delivery Planning Grant. The purpose of this grant is to develop a plan to ensure all three and four-year-old children in Ventura County have access to high-quality full and part-day preschool options through a mixed-delivery system. One of the most exciting opportunities within this grant is the UPK Mixed Delivery Advisory Workgroup (membership categories are informed by Ed Code 8320) which will include representatives including: the Ventura County Office of Education, First 5, LEAs that offer preschool and/or TK local institutes of higher education, Resource and Referral, family child care providers, private center based providers and CSPP, CCTR, and Head Start program administrators and educators. Additional members will be considered to enhance our local mixed delivery system.

What will the task of the workgroup be?

The workgroup will:

- Plan for increasing inclusion of children with exceptional needs in UPK

- Plan for UPK workforce development

- Plan for how all four-year-old children and an increased number of at-promise three-year-old children may access full-day

  learning programs before kindergarten that meet the needs of parents, including through partnerships with the UPK

  programs in the mixed-delivery system and expanded learning offerings

When will the workgroup meet?

The UPK Advisory Workgroup will meet quarterly and in-person from fall of 2023 through June 2026; the full schedule is to be determined. All meetings will also be open to non-member attendees.

How can I learn more about becoming a part of the UPK Mixed Delivery Workgroup?

Please register to join us our October information session. If you or someone you know is interested in applying to join the UPK Mixed Delivery Advisory Workgroup please complete this interest form.  

Where can I view the UPK Mixed Delivery Plan?

The UPK Mixed Delivery Plan can be viewed in full by clicking the image below.