Early Education – Entering School Ready to Learn and Succeed
Early Education focuses on children (0–5) and caregivers of all backgrounds. We offer high quality Early Education programs and resources.
Participants learn about new ideas, skills, and possibilities. Our safe spaces help little ones explore, play, connect, and grow.
Learn more about the City of San José's early learning strategy, including its quality standards, improvement plan, and master plan.
Program Stats & Outcomes
The City—primarily through the Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services and Library Departments—provides several programs designed to meet the needs of children ages 0-5 and their caregivers.
Library's Early Education Services
The Library's Impact
The Library's Early Education Services unit offers more than 4,500 free programs and activities targeted at children 0-5 years of age and their caregivers at twenty-five (25) library locations throughout San José, with a total attendance of more than 167,000 in program participation, each year.
Note: Numbers in these charts are from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. Data will be updated annually.
Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services
PRNS's Impact
On an annual basis, Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services (PRNS) serves more than 1,500 children ages 3-5 through programs such as the San José Recreation Preschool, The Hatchery at Emma Prusch Park, Camp San José Junior, and vendor-led sports and performing arts activities.
Outcomes
- SJRP allocated and distributed $342,353 in scholarships with 75% of the cost covered by City of San José funds and 25% covered by American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.
- The remaining 77 students received tuition scholarships which covered at least 25% of their program cost.
- Conducted pre/post assessment of participating children and noticed an increase in the following categories, upper-case recognition, lower-case recognition, letter sounds recognition, name writing ability.
- Conducted Early Education Quality Standards assessments.
- Developed and adopted policies, practices, and protocols through a racial equity lens to increase access to early education and recreation programs to diverse families. and meet the social-emotional, cognitive, physical, and developmental needs of children.
Note: Numbers in these charts are from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. Data will be updated annually.
