This blog post is the first installment in a four-part blog series on family engagement. The lead author is Andrew Ferson, Director of Policy, Parent Institute for Quality Education. This blog post was made possible by contributors: Lisa Wilson, Educational Consultant; and Kimberly Sanchez, Director of Policy and Partnerships, Parent Institute for Quality Education. View the full series here.
As California strengthens and expands the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) , the state must ensure that Dual Language Learners (DLLs)—children from zero to age five whose first language is not English or who are developing two or more languages—are accurately identified and supported. A key component of this effort is engaging with the families of DLLs to better understand their diverse needs and ensure their children receive the educational support they require.
Over the past three years, the DLL Master Plan Advocates sought to aid the field by conducting a series of listening sessions with DLL families, hoping to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of their perspectives. In total, we held focus groups with over a dozen families in person and virtually across seven different languages–Spanish, Vietnamese, Khmer, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Farsi, Punjabi, and English, including a group of Black families whose home language was English.
This post will provide an overview of the major themes emerging from families in these listening sessions, serving as part one of a blog series that is intended to provide the early childhood education (ECE) field with a deeper understanding of the diverse set of families that engage with California’s ECE system. The state should consider these perspectives when advancing reforms to the CSPP and building the infrastructure necessary to continually seek input from families to forge strong partnerships between programs and communities.
Maintaining Cultural Connection and Stronger Family-School Partnerships
Overwhelmingly, families emphasized the importance of maintaining their home languages and culture in their children’s education. They wanted to be active participants in making that desire a reality for their children, working hard to supplement their education at home. However, a general lack of collaboration between families and ECE programs prevented them from fully achieving this goal. While families expressed willingness to share their children’s background with teachers to better support their development, a marked lack of bilingual staff made communication difficult. There was a noted inconsistency of resources and bilingual support in schools across many of the families we spoke with.
Families who were able to send their children to dual language programs found more success in achieving the goal of promoting their child’s heritage within their education. Parents highlighted classrooms where their teachers sing and give lessons in their home language, and that their school provides a library with books in different languages to take home and read to their children. There was also an appreciation of teachers that worked hard to encourage children to learn their home language and celebrate their culture, such as holidays, in school.
Greater Access to Bilingual Programs and Diverse Educational Experiences
Overall, families were looking to provide their children with enriched educational experiences, and wished for greater access to dual language programs. They spoke glowingly of well-resourced programs that provided students with a wide range of learning materials and opportunities serving a diverse student population. Not only did these programs have educational benefits, but parents also highlighted the social-emotional benefits that came with these programs. One parent even noted their willingness to drive an hour each way to their child’s ECE program because of its quality.
Unfortunately, many families highlighted the clear lack of access to high-quality ECE programs, and particularly dual language programs. Parents consistently shared that they see bilingualism as an asset, and that they want their children to know more than one language because it will set them up for success. Families emphasized that teaching children multiple languages fosters bravery, intelligence, and better cognitive flexibility, enriching their education experience overall. However, in addition to this lack of access, there was frustration over the lack of information. Families expressed confusion over not knowing how to enroll their children in dual language programs and difficulty in determining whether such programs were available in their communities.
The listening sessions underscored a strong desire among parents for educational environments that respect and incorporate their cultural and linguistic identities, and provide consistent support for dual-language learning. There was a clear call for more comprehensive strategies to address the gaps in dual-language education, including better access to information about available programs, increased availability of culturally relevant resources, and more inclusive policies to support linguistic diversity in schools. These discussions highlight the ongoing need to adapt educational frameworks to better support the integration and success of DLLs in a multicultural and multilingual society.
Footnote
California Department of Education. (2025, August 13). Child care and development programs.https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/op/cdprograms.asp