AB 172 Changes Name - Objective Remains

AB 172 -- Foster care: instruction and education pilot project.

This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to contract with an entity with specified qualifications to establish, until January 1, 2012, a foster care parent and child home instruction and education pilot project, as specified in the bill.

The staff of the qualified entity shall meet all of the following criteria:

It shall have statewide experience in the training, education, and evaluation of children three to five years of age, and use curriculum and materials consistent with those developed by Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters, USA (HIPPY USA).
It shall provide national and international research, demonstrating the academic and behavioral benefits of the home instruction approach for foster and at-risk families.
It shall implement a multiyear program that utilizes curriculum and materials described in this section, designed specifically for preschoolage children.
1. The purposes of the pilot project shall be as follows:
  1. To empower foster parents as the primary educators of the foster children in their home.
  2. To ensure the foster parents' involvement in school and community life, so as to maximize the chances of successful early school experiences for children three to five years of age.

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Urgent Action Alert: California Bill: AB 172 -- Universal Preschool

AB 172 Enrolled
Passed the Assembly August 20, 2006

Updated: September 1, 2006

The defeat of CA Prop 82 - The Preschool-For-All Act in June, simply stopped funding for AB 172 - Universal Preschool in CA via a tax on the wealthy.

Just a few days ago, on August 30th, the legislature approved funding through an alternative means in order to implement and expand preschool programs in CA. [Read Bill AB 172]

You can read a news article about it here:
Legislature OKs preschool bill

The bill is on its way to the Governor for signing. Please ask Governor Schwarzenegger to veto this legislation. Here's a sample letter to use:

Sample Letter:

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,

RE: AB 172 - Universal Preschool

[Put your own opening comments here]

I urge you to VETO legislation that would implement and expand preschool programs in California. Preschools have been shown by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University to be harmful to the social and behavioral development of young children.
[See: How Much is Too Much? - The Influence of Preschool Centers on Children's Development Nationwide]

Over 60 experts in the field of child development, psychology, pediatrics, and mental health recently condemned and called for a reversal of academic curriculum in early childhood education -- such as that proposed in "AB 1246 - Preschool Learning Standards" that dovetails with AB 172. Those Preschool Learning Standards cause increased pressure and stress undermining children's learning and health. (See the "Call to Action on the Education of Young Children" released by The Alliance for Childhood)

Please don't hurt California's children. They deserve what's best and should not be institutionalized in state run preschools. Stop listening to and serving special interest groups that stand to gain economically from preschool legislation and take a stand to protect the children. Please, VETO legislation to provide funding that implements and expands preschool programs in California.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Calls, email, fax, and letters to the Governor of California are now urgently needed. Here is the contact info:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633

Send an Email to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Here is another suggested route for possible action:
Governor Schwarzenegger's Blog
Maybe we can start something here?

Ask Gov. Schwarzenegger

Thanks for any assistance you can provide in urging Gov. Schwarzenegger to VETO this legislation.

California Assembly Bill 172 -- Universal Preschool Update

Updated: August 22, 2006

We need your help now to make sure California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and key leaders in the Legislature do not harm California children by instituting state-run preschool programs.

The "Big 5" (the governor and legislative leaders from both parties -- see names and email addresses below) are now negotiating implementation legislation (AB 172) to expand state funded preschool programs. This $50 million expansion will lead to state-run preschool programs that will indoctrinate little kids with curriculum tied to state standards.

We are in the final days of the legislative session and we must ACT NOW to make our voices heard above the preschool propaganda. Write the governor and key legislators now. We've set it up so it will only take a moment. Tell your friends, family members, and colleagues to do the same.

Below you will find a sample letter. Use it as a guide, but be sure to personalize the first paragraph so it will be much more effective and more likely to be read than a form letter. Thank you. Send it to each of the following people:

Assembly Member Fabian Nunez
Email: Assembly Member Fabian Nunez
Phone: 916-319-2046 or 213-620-4646
Assembly Member George Plescia
Phone: (916) 319-2075 or (858) 689-6290
Fax: (916) 319-2175 or (858) 689-6296
To E-mail him - go to his site and use the "Contact" form.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633
To send an E-mail please visit and use contact form.
Senator Dick Ackerman
Phone: (916) 651-4033 or (714) 573-1853
Fax: (916) 445-9754 or (714) 573-1859
Email: Use feed back form at website
Senator Don Perata
Email: Senator Don Perata
Phone: (510) 286-1333.

Sample Letter:

Dear [name of representative],

RE: AB 172 - Universal Preschool

[Put your own opening comments here]

Please vote against and do not pass implementation legislation (AB 172) for additional preschool dollars. Preschools have been shown by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University to be harmful to the social and behavioral development of young children. (See How Much is Too Much?)

Please don't hurt California's children. They deserve what's best -- and should not be institutionalized in state run preschools. Stop listening to and serving special interest groups that stand to gain economically from preschool legislation and take a stand to protect the children. Do not pass implementation legislation for additional preschool dollars.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Updated: June 25, 2006

The funding source for this bill was supposed to be provided by Proposition 82 - Rob Reiner's Preschool-For-All Initiative. Since Prop 82 was soundly rejected and defeated by California voters in the June 2006 election, the language of the bill was changed on June 22, 2006. Now, "the bill will become operative if funding is provided in the annual Budget Act or other statute." Please contact your legislators and let them know you are opposed to AB 172 - Universal Preschool. Here is a sample letter you may use. Or call your legislator on the phone.

California Assembly Bill 172 -- Universal Preschool

Updated: June 1, 2005

Assembly Appropriations Committee Awaits Reiner Initiative

In a predictable move California Assembly Appropriations Committee members voted 13 to 5 in favor of passing AB 172, the Universal Preschool bill. We commend Assemblymember Sharon Runner, Assemblyman Bill Emmerson, Assemblyman Ray Haynes, Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi and Assemblymember Mimi Walters for their vote of opposition.

The following stipulations were added to the text of the bill:

"The bill would become operative only if funding is provided for purposes of the bill in a statewide initiative that authorizes universal preschool and is approved by the voters at a statewide election."
...and the removal of specific certification requirements (which will probably be piggy-backed onto an unrelated bill next season).

Which generally means that the bill will be passed by the assembly because it is no longer directly an appropriations issue.

In order for the bill to take immediate effect there will be a statewide vote to determine if 'the people' are willing to finance this money pit. Get ready for war. The NEA will have every teacher in the state pushing to 'edumacate' parents on how important preschool is, and extolling it's benefits.

The most significant hurdle will be that Rob Reiners initiative will require those in the top most tax bracket in California to fund the measure, while the entire state gets to vote on the issue. Well who wouldn't vote to spend someone else's money?

Updated: May 4, 2005

AB 172 Moves to Appropriations Committee

The Higher Education Committee voted 5-1 in favor of Universal Preschool and sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee. No hearing date has been set.

Updated: April 23, 2005

Education Committee Votes to Pass Universal Preschool Bill

The Assembly Education Committee voted on April 20th, 2005, to pass AB 172, with 8 Assemblymembers casting their vote in favor of the bill.

Parents United for Preschoolers presented arguments in opposition listed by the legislative analyst. According to Parents United for Preschoolers, "AB 172 calls for intent to implement funding and administration to establish preschool-for-all programs. These programs are unnecessary and costly to taxpayers and support for them is based on outdated, skewed, faulty, and misrepresented data about the "benefits" of preschool. The most current research studies indicate that preschool programs jeopardize the physical, psychological, intellectual, emotional, and social growth and development of young children. With the federal government and almost every state in the union facing severe budget deficits, attempting to fund these misguided preschool programs is a recipe for failure."

It was also noted that several individual letters were received in opposition to the Universal Preschool bill.

We wish to thank Assembly Members Mark Wyland (R-74), Bob Huff (R-60) and Keith Richman (R-38) for their votes in opposition to Universal Preschool.

AB 172 has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. A hearing date has not yet been set.

Updated: April 16, 2005

AB 172 was amended once again on April 14th, adding additional language, which would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a committee to develop a plan to coordinate the capacity and efficiency of the state system of postsecondary education, for the purpose of preparing and training high quality staff in preschool programs. The bill would also require the State Department of Education to develop a plan for the establishment of a credential in early childhood education.

A hearing has been scheduled for April 20th, 2005, in the Assembly Education Committee. [AB 172 Details]

Updated: April 3, 2005

AB 172 was amended to include the following requirement:

The Superintendent shall prepare a report regarding the types of preschool programs that receive funding pursuant to this article. This report shall include, but not be limited to, data relating to the geographic and income distribution of participants in these programs. The Superintendent shall submit this report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2007.

To be heard in the Education Committee, no hearing date has yet been set.

Posted: February 5, 2005

State funded Universal Preschool moved one step closer to realization in California on January 20, 2005 with the introduction of the "Universal Preschool" bill (AB 172).

The text of the bill identifies Latino families as the largest growing segment of the preschool population in California, and the most under-enrolled in preschool programs and claims that 39 percent of 3-5 year olds would likely be designated as English language learners.

Enrolling these children with "special needs" in preschool programs would allow early identification and intervention to potentially decrease special education placements in kindergarten and beyond. Based on highly questionable and fault-filled studies of the benefit of early childhood development programs for mainly "at-risk" children, the bill supports the implementation of universal preschool programs for ALL children ages 3-5, assuring the use of state curriculum and state qualified teachers.

No mention is made of the research studies that show that too early separation from home and parents and too early academics are harmful to young children.

AB 172 provides for voluntary universal preschool, similar to kindergarten programs. However, in 2003 the Assembly Education Committee unanimously approved a bill to make kindergarten mandatory, and similar legislation was introduced in 2004. The California Education Master Plan outlines the state's goal to provide mandatory kindergarten and an "education system in which all sectors, from pre-kindergarten through postsecondary education, are aligned and coordinated into one integrated system."

Make no mistake, AB 172 is a first step toward a goal of compulsory institutionalization of all children from preschool through high school.

While some working parents favor tax-funded preschools as an alternative to paying tuition to private preschools, California already provides ample early childhood development programs for families in need. This bill is essentially welfare for childcare disguised as an education program and an initial effort toward bringing all young children under the umbrella of state regulation.

Universal Preschool, as defined in CA Assembly Bill 172 is a threat to parental rights. The state is subtly usurping parental authority to determine the best course of education for young children.

UniversalPreschool.com opposes California Assembly Bill 172 and any bill that infringes upon the rights of parents to direct the educational course of their children.

View complete text of California Bill AB 172

View current status and history of California Bill AB 172