West Sacramento, CA

The UP for West Sacramento (UP4WS) initiative is a collaborative partnership between the City of West Sacramento, the local school districts, First 5 Yolo, First 5 California, and community-based organizations to provide high-quality preschool and child care for all children ages zero to five in the City of West Sacramento. Originally created by a universal preschool task force initiated in 2003, the UP4WS program now serves over 500 children annually in high-quality preschool. Children who attend UP4WS show consistent gains in all assessed domains, with impressive language and literacy growth among English language learners whose growth in these areas mirrors that of their native English-speaking peers. The program includes high-quality standards and elevated teacher pay to professional wage levels and low student-teacher ratios. A partnership with UC Davis School of Education has supported the provision of high-quality preschool based on the latest knowledge about learning and brain development.