As children head back to school this month, many families are gearing up to make difficult decisions. What happens when a child can’t get to class because of unreliable transportation? Or when parents must choose between paying for groceries, the utility bill, and school supplies for their kids? Children from low-income families face barriers to their education before they even step foot in the classroom.
In Community Action’s promise to address the causes and conditions of poverty, eliminating barriers to education plays a major role. A quality early education is one of the greatest indicators of economic mobility, allowing kids to have a better shot at success. Community Action Agencies support early childhood education through programs like Head Start, Early Head Start, and others. Beyond achieving just early education outcomes, these programs provide nutrition assistance, healthcare, and other wraparound support to low-income families.
In 2024, Community Action Marin’s (CAM) Head Start and Early Head Start programs led to 83% of enrolled students showing improvement in language and literacy and 80% showing improvement in social and emotional development. At the same time, 100% of children received hearing and vision screenings, and more than half received medical and dental exams.
In 2025-2026, the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) served 5,706 children and 5,224 families through their Children and Family Services, including Head Start. They also provided 260,000 meals to enrolled children and 3,689 medical screenings.
Early childhood programs also create more employment opportunities for parents by meeting their need for childcare. A lack of childcare options for migrant and seasonal farmworkers sometimes leaves parents with no choice but to bring infants, toddlers, and children to work where they may be exposed to pesticides, hazardous equipment, and extreme heat. This isn’t just unsafe, it hinders work productivity. The Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO) offers a Migrant and Seasonal Head Start program for families as they seek employment in the agricultural sector, providing high quality preschool while meeting migrant and seasonal farmworker families’ unique childcare needs.
Community Action doesn’t stop at early childhood. In San Francisco, Urban Services YMCA provides after-school and youth development programs for low-income families. They coordinate in collaboration with San Francisco Unified School District, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and other city departments to provide academic support, job development skills, and opportunities for civic engagement for youth.
In Los Angeles County, Foothill Unity Center operates a “Back to School” event every August. This year, they reached 1,100 students, providing school supplies, clothing, health resources, access to community services, and more. Opportunities like these from the Community Action network help kids walk into the classroom with one less barrier to face.
Community Action Agencies understand that the causes and conditions of poverty are not isolated; they’re interconnected. By addressing the needs of the whole family while eliminating barriers to education, CAAs support multi-generational pathways to economic mobility. Reliable transportation keeps kids learning in class, utility assistance means parents don’t have to choose between their child’s education and their safety, and preschool means parents can get back to work to support their families and their own economic mobility. This August, see how your local CAA can help your family by checking out our locator map.