Activism

Gov. Newsom Won’t Support Mandatory Kindergarten

SB 70 is the latest in a string of bills that Newsom has vetoed, referencing lower-than-expected state revenue. The California Department of Finance announced earlier this month that revenue for August was $816 million, or 6% below what state officials had forecasted.

Published

3 years ago

November 14, 2022

Oakland Post

Kindergarten helps to level the playing field for children who are less likely to receive high-quality childcare or preschool. (Photo: iStockphoto)

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Last week, the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom released a list of bills from the current legislative session that he signed and those he vetoed.

Among the bills vetoed was Senate Bill (SB) 70, which would have made attending one year of kindergarten mandatory beginning with the 2024-25 school year.

“While the author’s intent is laudable, SB 70 is estimated to have Prop 98 General Fund cost impacts of up to $268 million ongoing, which is not currently accounted for in the state’s fiscal plan.

“With our state facing lower-than-expected revenues over the first few months of this fiscal year, it is important to remain disciplined when it comes to spending, particularly spending that is ongoing.

“We must prioritize existing obligations and priorities, including education, health care, public safety and safety-net programs,” Newsom said in a release.

Existing California law does not require children to attend school until they are 6 years old, the age children typically begin first grade.

Children currently attending kindergarten, need to be 5 years old to be eligible, with some school districts offering transitional programs for kids as young as 4 years old.

In California, about 5 to 7 % of eligible students don’t enroll in kindergarten.

A similar bill to SB 70 was vetoed in 2014 by Gov. Jerry Brown, who said the decision should be left to parental discretion.

In his SB 70 veto message, Newson said that the Legislature has sent measures with potential costs of over $20 billion in one-time spending commitments and more than $10 billion in ongoing commitments to his desk. “Bills with significant fiscal impact, such as this measure, should be considered and accounted for as part of the annual budget process.

State Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), who introduced the bill, responded. “Any teacher who has been in the classroom as long as I have can describe to you in detail the long-term, devastating effects to a child who misses kindergarten,” she said. “I plan to reintroduce my mandatory kindergarten bill and fight for the funding next year. Our children are too important. We can either pay the education costs now or the far greater societal costs later,” said

California Black Media also reached out to California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond who supported SB 70 for comment but did not receive a response.

According to the National Education Association, kindergarteners who miss attending school 10% or more during the school year have lower academic performance when they reach the first grade.

Additionally, studies showed that children from lower-income families who attend kindergarten are less likely to be below grade level throughout their academic careers and earn 5% higher wages as adults.

Kindergarten helps to level the playing field for children who are less likely to receive high-quality childcare or preschool. Hispanic children with access to kindergarten are also 17% less likely to be below grade level for their age.

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.