Nearly 150 local early educators were recognized on May 16, 2026, for completing workforce pathways through the Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) Career Development Initiative (CDI). 

The fourth annual year-end reflections event, themed “Rise Together: Learning, Teaching, Becoming,” shined a spotlight on this critical teacher pipeline created by the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) and nearly 20 cross-sector partners, including higher education institutions, school districts and preschool providers.

“Each year, we commemorate the completion of another CDI journey. But more importantly, we celebrate new callings and milestones on career journeys,” said Luis Bautista, executive director of LACOE’s Head Start and Early Learning Division. “Thanks to our partners at West L.A. College, East L.A. College, and all the school districts and nonprofit providers, we break down barriers together and empower these wonderful educators to rise.”

This year’s event honored the diverse journeys participants have taken to enter the early education workforce. Among the graduates were more than 70 individuals completing the Assistant Teacher Pathway, including Head Start parents and three 2025 high school graduates among 21 young people who completed the inaugural Youth and Young Adult Pathway cohort.

“In 2024, I was accepted into the Assistant Teacher Pathway program. That moment marked a before and after in my life, because I was not just entering a program, I was entering a path I once believed was not meant for me. With the support, guidance, and trust of the LACOE team, I was able to complete that first step successfully,” shared Verónica Ortega, Teacher Pathway graduate and keynote speaker. “When you support programs like this, you are not just supporting a student—you are supporting a mother, a daughter, a whole family. You are breaking cycles that for generations seemed impossible to change.”

This year’s ceremony recognized 58 educators who have met the rigorous qualifications to serve as preschool or transitional kindergarten (TK) teachers, as well as 16 Head Start staff and parents who earned the Family Development Credential.

“It has been gratifying to watch this program grow from 40 Head Start parents starting on the Assistant Teacher Pathway four years ago to now offer a clear career progression through a variety of fully supported pathways,” said Sonja Robinson, assistant director for workforce development and professional learning. “With the recently launched Bachelor of Arts Pathway in collaboration with Pacific Oaks College, we can support teacher retention through brighter career prospects to the benefit of educators, young children and families throughout LA County.”

Since 2022, LACOE’s UPK-CDI pathways program has demonstrated a proven track record of addressing the early educator shortage in L.A. County. More than 140 graduates of the Assistant Teacher Pathway have successfully entered preschool classrooms, with many advancing into leadership roles. Several participants were featured on an episode of PBS KVIE’s “Inside California Education” last fall, underscoring the program’s regional impact.

Click here for the PBS episode “A Head Start in Teaching” or here for an EdSource podcast interview with a program graduate.