24 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JULY 24-30, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com they should have—and that they should have been looped in all along to what was happening to their former leaders. “They felt the weight of not just a classroom or a job—they felt the weight of an entire community,” Carmona says. ••••• In many ways, early childhood educators do carry the weight of an entire community. The premise behind Head Start and the California State Preschool Program is to give children in low-income families a chance to be prepared for kindergarten so that they can learn, play and thrive alongside their peers. “One of my goals is school readiness,” says Garcia, the new ELP director. “I want to make sure we strengthen and improve student achievement. Then my belief is these children will be able to make a smooth transition into kindergarten, and as they move through different grade levels.” Garcia immigrated to the U.S. at age 12, and says she already knew at that time she wanted to be a teacher. Her career took her into early childhood—over the years, she worked with Jaramillo and Valtierra—then community schools, before returning in this director role. “So far it has been very, very welcoming,” she says. Before the school year begins on Aug. 4, Garcia is working to hire teachers, fighting a longstanding shortage. Ironically, an expanding awareness about the value of early childhood education might be working against her; as more (and often better-paying) school districts adopt California’s transitional kindergarten program, both 4-year-old students and teachers are going there. That situation led Monterey County’s ELP team to seek less funding for Head Start in the 2025-26 school year. They’ve been approved for 20 centers serving up to 320 students, down from 514 students last year. That’s despite a current wait list of 356. Each classroom requires two teachers, plus assistant teachers (who sometimes serve two classrooms). They plan to have 120 staff members this year, down from 132 last year. They are also eliminating the position of assistant director, formerly held by Valtierra. “We don’t have the staff to serve [more] students,” Vela told the Policy Council in June. “This plan is a sacrifice right now, but hopefully it is going to set us up for the long term…Some of what we are doing is a gamble because we’ve never been in this territory before.” As more 4-year-olds enroll in transitional kindergarten, Head Start enrollment may shift to younger kids; but more 3-year-olds changes the formula, requiring more teachers. Two additional Early Head Start classrooms will serve infants and toddlers this year, and those classes are capped at eight students, unlike the 20-person classes of 3- and 4-year-olds. (An additional 96 students can enroll in state preschool slots in ELP this year.) As the program locally has faced challenges from within, Head Start is also in the crosshairs of the Trump administration. “We are still very worried that the program may be eliminated,” Vela said in June. “Every day we’re staying up on what is happening. Now more than ever, we need to demonstrate that our program is strong, that we do change lives.” Earlier this year, regional Head Start offices were abruptly eliminated; the person who used to answer questions and provide technical guidance to Monterey County’s ELP simply vanished overnight. On July 10, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that Head Start would no longer enroll students who do not have legal immigration status. (Valtierra says that should impact only about 1 percent of enrollment.) Despite the challenges, Garcia keeps bringing the focus back to the reason Head Start exists at all. “I cannot change the past; I want to move forward,” she says. “The staff deserves that, and the parents and the children. I want to focus on the future, and the future is our children.” “Now more than ever, we need to demonstrate that our program is strong, that we do change lives.” our ve he ng Visit Our New Bene t Shop! Open Every Day Except Monday Sunday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Come see the hidden gems, upscale goods, and nd your new favorites! 223 Grand Ave, Suite 1 Paci c Grove (831) 312-8991| www.POMDR.org BENEFIT SHOP Mimi Want to meet Mimi? Please ll out our online volunteer application. If you’d like sponsor our next ad, give us a call. 831-718-9122 | www.POMDR.org Miss Mimi is just a dream dog! This amazing little girl has nothing but love to share with the world! 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