California is failing preschool

The debate over education funding in California usually focuses on K-12, community colleges and state universities. Preschool is an afterthought. Zocalo Public Square columnist Joe Mathews says that’s too bad, because studies show that pre-K education pays for itself through the benefits it delivers to society. As it stands, parents must shell out thousands of bucks a year to pay for preschool. But there may be relief on the horizon. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom seems committed to early-child development. Mathews says Newsom should dip into the state’s deep reserves to make universal preschool a reality.