Preschool Participation for Low-Income Children and Low-Income Children of Immigrants in Silicon Valley: Part I, A Demographic Profile

R E S E A R C H R E P O R T Preschool Participation for Low-Income Children and Low-Income Children of Immigrants in Silicon Valley Part I, A Demographic Profile Devlin Hanson Gina Adams Heather Koball January 2016 C E N T E R O N L A B O R , H U MA N S E R V I C E S , A N D P O PU L A T I O N A B O U T T H E U R B A N I N S T I T U T E The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. A B O U T T H E H E I S I N G-S I M O N S F O U N D A T I O N Established in 2007 by Mark Heising and Elizabeth Simons, the Heising-Simons Foundation is dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions in the environment, supporting groundbreaking research in science, and enhancing the education of our youngest learners. Learn more at heisingsimons.org. Copyright © Month Year. Urban Institute. Permission is granted for reproduction of this file, with attribution to the Urban Institute. Cover image from photo credit here. Copyright © January 2016. Urban Institute. Permission is granted for reproduction of this file, with attribution to the Urban Institute. Cover image © Fh Photo/Shutterstock.com. Contents Acknowledgments iv Executive Summary v Introduction 1 Understanding the Data and Definitions of Terms 3 Findings 5 Understanding the Unique Nature of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties 5 What Do We Know about Preschool Enrollment, Immigrant Status, and Family Characteristics for Low-Income Children in Silicon Valley? 7 What Can We Learn from Different Communities within Silicon Valley? 13 Conclusion 17 Appendix A. Additional Insights about the American Community Survey Approach 19 Appendix B. Maps of Preschool Enrollment and Population Characteristics in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties 21 Notes 32 References 33 About the Authors 35 Statement of Independence 36 IV A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S Acknowledgments We thank the Heising-Simons Foundation for sponsoring the research on which this report is based. We are grateful to them and to all our funders, who make it possible for Urban to advance its mission. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders. Funders do not determine our research findings or the insights and recommendations of our experts. Further information on the Urban Institute’s funding principles is available at www.urban.org/support. The authors are also grateful to Chhandasi Pandya Patel for her insights and support and to Julia Gelatt, Lisa Kaufman, Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, Jessica Mihaly, Erica Greenberg, and Molly Michie for their thoughtful comments on earlier versions of this paper. We would also like to thank the staff of the child care resource and referral agencies and County Offices of Education, who provided us with a list of child care centers and early childhood programs in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, as well as the many stakeholders there who shared their insights and participated in our initial presentation of findings in December 2014. Thank you also to our colleagues at the Urban Institute who provided graphics and editorial support: Fiona Blackshaw, Elizabeth Forney, Carl Hedman, David Hinson, Devlan O’Connor, and Jon Schwabish. E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y V Executive Summary Many policymakers across the country have prioritized improving access to and participation in high-quality early care and education programs, particularly for low-income children. Despite the wide body of evidence demonstrating the benefits of early care and education for low income children, they are much less likely to be enrolled in preschool than other children. Silicon Valley, which includes San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, has higher preschool enrollment than the rest of the United States. Yet, the area’s disparity in preschool enrollment between low-income children—those living in families with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level—and higher-income children is substantial. Specifically, only one-quarter (26 percent) of low-income 3-year-olds in Silicon Valley are enrolled in preschool programs, compared with more than half (52 percent) of higher-income 3-year-olds. And while the disparity is smaller among 4-year olds, only three-fifths (61 percent) of low-income children in this age group are enrolled, compared with three-quarters (74 percent) of higher-income 4-year-olds. Generally, enrollment for lower-income children is lower in Santa Clara than in San Mateo. These realities lend urgency to examining the participation patterns of children from low-income families in Silicon