Needs Assessment [California Preschool Planning Toolkit, 2]

Having accurate and up-to-date information about the characteristics of the young children and families in the various parts of the county and about the early care and education (ECE) programs that already serve these children is essential to planning a County Preschool Initiative. It is the fundamental first step to the development of a county plan. This information will help target new preschool resources to the communities where they are needed and most likely to be used. This information will also help promote strategies for creating a preschool program that is based on realistic assessments of what is currently in place.

The assessment is designed for the following key purposes:

1. It identifies the existing capacity to provide preschool services by type of setting, and the number of new and upgraded per-child services needed by zip code;
2. It can be linked to a cost estimate for new and improved direct services by zip code;
3. It can be linked to GIS maps that provide a visual representation of supply and demand;
4. It provides the information needed to develop a phase-in plan by highlighting underserved areas and those with low Academic Performance Index (API) scores; and
5. It can inform planning for facilities renovation and construction, workforce development, and community outreach by identifying the capacity shortfall and usage patterns.

This section primarily focuses on Supply and Demand for direct preschool services.

This document is part of the California Preschool Planning Toolkit.