Podcast Summary: Building a Better Childcare System in L.A.

Episode Overview

In the episode titled "Building a Better Childcare System in L.A.," Lemonada Media's No One is Coming to Save Us delves deep into the complexities of America's childcare crisis, focusing specifically on Los Angeles County. Hosted by veteran reporter Gloria Rivera, Season 5 highlights the struggles faced by families and educators while showcasing the efforts of local leaders striving to create a more integrated, accessible, and culturally responsive childcare system. This episode features insightful conversations with Deborah Coleman, Director of the LA County Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education, and Vicki Ramos Harris, Vice President of Policy and Programs for Catalyst California.

1. The Stark Reality of LA’s Childcare Crisis

Gloria Rivera opens the discussion by painting a vivid picture of Los Angeles as an idyllic place to raise a family, yet cloaked in a significant childcare challenge. She states:

“LA is a great place to raise a family. It's got sunshine, a rich mix of cultures, and lots of outdoor spaces for hiking and beach days. But what seems like a California dream can also be a bit of a nightmare for parents when it comes to finding the right childcare.”
[02:28]

Deborah Coleman underscores the severity with alarming statistics:

“We have 480,804,000 children that are birthed through 36 months in LA county, but we only have licensed capacity through an infrastructure of child care centers, unlicensed family child care homes to care for 4% of those children.”
[02:28]

2. Navigating a Fragmented System

Rivera elaborates on the fragmented nature of LA’s childcare system:

“LA county only has enough child care spaces for 4% of infants and toddlers. With the demand far outpacing supply, LA parents are struggling to find any kind of child care, let alone an option with the right cultural fit.”
[02:52]

Deborah Coleman discusses the dependency on an "invisible support system" comprising family and friends:

“We're very dependent in LA county and many other communities on what we call our invisible support system, which our family, friends and neighbors... are the backbone of our early care and education system.”
[04:27]

3. The Impact of Transitional Kindergarten (TK)

The introduction of Transitional Kindergarten (TK) adds another layer of complexity. Rivera explains:

“The state of California recently created a new grade level called transitional kindergarten or TK... making it so almost 400,000 California four-year-olds would receive an extra year of public education.”
[05:42]

Deborah Coleman highlights the unintended consequences:

“The goal of California is by the 25/26 school year to make sure that it is available to all four-year-olds... early care and education system and our public school system have operated very separately.”
[07:30]

She further notes how TK has strained existing childcare providers:

“With more and more four-year-olds enrolling in TK, many early child care and education programs are struggling... It takes much more attention, many more staff.”
[08:09]

4. Workforce Challenges: Low Wages and High Demand

Coleman sheds light on the economic struggles within the childcare workforce:

“The average preschool teacher only makes $16.90 an hour, compared to a kindergarten teacher that makes about $40. So we have a workforce where almost half of them are on some kind of public assistance.”
[10:40]

She emphasizes the need for:

“A system where every family has access to affordable, quality early care and education. How do we ensure we have a workforce of early educators that are well compensated and well qualified?”
[12:08]

5. Bridging Early Care and Public Education

Coleman discusses efforts to integrate early care with the public education system:

“We realized that these two systems do not talk and they don't have relationships. And so we decided... to build a bridge between those two systems.”
[09:10]

This integration aims to create a seamless experience for children transitioning from early care to public schooling, ensuring continuity and stability.

6. The Crucial Role of Cultural and Language Connections

Transitioning to the conversation with Vicki Ramos Harris, the focus shifts to the importance of cultural and language support in childcare.

Rivera summarizes the dire access statistics:

“In LA county, one in three children under the age of six have access to any childcare.”
[15:08]

Vicki Ramos Harris provides deeper insights:

“In LA county, one out of three children under the age of six have access to childcare. That's just childcare. For children birth to age three, 86% are eligible for subsidized childcare, and only one out of seven actually have access.”
[15:08]

7. Dual Language Learners: Opportunities and Challenges

Harris emphasizes the significance of dual language programs:

“California is really uniquely positioned in the nation to lead on dual language learner education because we have the largest population of dual language learners or multi-language learners in the country.”
[20:20]

She criticizes the marginalization of dual language support:

“Often we say, oh, well, this is what we do for all kids. And then for these kids, dual language learners, we do these other things. And so in our advocacy work, we're saying... defining and supporting quality and professional development really needs to include that in the center, not as we do this thing on the side.”
[20:20]

Harris shares a poignant success story:

“My friend Karina was trying to teach her daughter Spanish... she put her in a preschool dual language program. Within a couple of days, she came home just speaking all kinds of Spanish... the system was giving that to her, and she really started to thrive.”
[24:20]

8. Strategies for Increasing Access and Equity

Harris outlines Catalyst California's initiatives to address the crisis:

“We're building what we call a whole child equity tool in California. It's a way to help us target, understand where do we have highest need communities... how do we identify and then target resources so that we can increase access to childcare...”
[27:51]

She also stresses the importance of rate reform:

“There's been a big conversation around rate reform, which means what is the actual cost of care? It includes salaries, diapers, child engagement... LA has done its own analysis as well.”
[30:08]

9. A Vision for the Future: Unified and Supported Systems

In her concluding remarks, Harris expresses a clear vision:

“When I think about the magic wand, I think about the clarity we have during the pandemic of how important child care was... my wand would make that crystal clear so that we can start having the solutions that are really actionable...”
[32:23]

Rivera encapsulates the episode's essence:

“Their goal is a more unified and accessible system, one that fosters the diversity of culture and language for LA's infants and toddlers. It's an ambitious goal, but I know there is a better way forward...”
[34:20]

Conclusion

This episode of No One is Coming to Save Us provides a compelling examination of LA County's childcare crisis, highlighting systemic issues, workforce challenges, and the urgent need for culturally responsive solutions. Through the expertise of Deborah Coleman and Vicki Ramos Harris, listeners gain a nuanced understanding of the barriers families face and the innovative strategies being implemented to create a more equitable and effective childcare system. The discussions underscore the critical intersection of policy, community support, and cultural inclusivity in shaping the future of early childhood education in Los Angeles.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Deborah Coleman [02:28]:

  “We have 480,804,000 children that are birthed through 36 months in LA county, but we only have licensed capacity... to care for 4% of those children.”

• Gloria Rivera [02:52]:

  “LA county only has enough child care spaces for 4% of infants and toddlers... parents are struggling to find any kind of child care.”

• Vicki Ramos Harris [15:08]:

  “In LA county, one out of three children under the age of six have access to childcare... one out of seven actually have access.”

• Vicki Ramos Harris [20:20]:

  “Defining and supporting quality and professional development really needs to include [dual language learners] in the center, not as we do this thing on the side.”

• Deborah Coleman [12:08]:

  “How do we create a system where every family has access to affordable, quality early care and education? How do we ensure we have a workforce of early educators that are well compensated and well qualified?”

• Vicki Ramos Harris [32:23]:

  “My wand would make that crystal clear so that we can start having the solutions that are really actionable... permanent funding streams at all three levels.”

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, providing readers with an in-depth understanding of LA's childcare challenges and the proactive measures being taken to address them. By focusing on the key discussions, insights, and quotes, the summary serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in the future of early childhood education in Los Angeles.