EMERYVILLE—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg D-Sacramento today announced that the California Department of Education has allocated $67 million to add 7,500 preschool slots for low-income Californians.

“This is a great investment in our future. The expansion of high-quality preschool gives more children the opportunity to obtain the emotional and social skills they need to become lifelong learners,” Torlakson said. “It will help them succeed in school, at the workplace, and in their communities.”

These funds are part of the $264 million that will be spent on expanding early childhood education this budget year, which includes adding a total of 11,500 preschool slots and 1,000 slots with priority given to infants and toddlers. Eventually, the state will be creating preschool opportunities for an additional 31,500 young children.

via Preschool Expansion Slots – Year 2014 CA Dept of Education.