CSU Channel Islands sets sights on building child care center

Mo Jazi
Ventura County Star

Thanks to $5 million in seed money, CSU Channel Islands could someday have a university-run child care center with the dual role of caring for students’ kids while serving as a training ground for early childhood education students. 

The funding was procured by Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, through legislation approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Irwin said the taxpayer funds come from $2 billion set aside by Newsom for early childhood education. 

A child care center at the Camarillo university is expected to cost $25 million, so the state funds could be considered seed money, Irwin said.

She said she proposed the funding after getting a plan from CSUCI administrators and faculty members.

“Everything is all in preliminary stages,” she said.

Annie White, assistant professor of early childhood studies, said the plan is being further developed.

“We are doing a need assessment looking at what is currently available in the community,” White said.

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White said the center would be a place where early childhood education students could put into practice what they learn in class through theory and research.

The child care center would be open to parents who are farmworkers, students, faculty members and members of public, according to school officials. 

White was excited about the prospect of having a university child care center.

“It would fulfill for us as a lab school, and also we will be able to meet our student parents’ need to find an alternative child care, which is very difficult, and often they have to travel long distances to care for their kids and get to their class,” White said. 

While there is now a child care center on CSUCI property — Carden Kids Academy Preschool leases space on the campus — the proposed child care center would be part of the university.

What other schools offer

CSUCI will join other schools in the region that have found solid demand for their child care centers. 

UC Santa Barbara Early Childhood Care and Education Services has two centers on campus, said Annette Muse, the centers’ director. 

“We serve 211 children each day and approximately 400 families annually,” she said, adding that the kids range in age from 3 months to 5 years old whose parents are university students or employees.

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Both centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and are open year-round. The centers have a waiting list of 247 children.

California Lutheran University has the Fredrickson Family Early Childhood Center, which serves CLU employees and community members. 

“Currently, we serve 61 children and have a waiting list of more than 100 families. The children of Cal Lutheran employees have priority in registration, and currently hold 34 of our spots,” said Kathryn Dean, preschool director. 

What the parents think

Arlene Gutierrez is spending her free time with her children Lorenzo and Aubrey Chargualaf.

CSUCI student parents like Arlene Gutierrez were enthusiastic about the prospect of a new child care center opening at the university.

“Thinking of my situation, it would benefit me a lot because going to school is an important thing for me and because I want to set up a good role model for my kids,” she said. 

Having a child care center on campus would ease some pressure on her.

“I can get myself ready for school and take them to the child care center on campus,” she said, “instead of having to leave the school to go and pick them up from one family member and take them to another family member and going back to campus.”

Stephanie Gutierrez, another student parent, has found it hard to fit certain classes she needs into her schedule because of trips to and from Santa Barbara to pick up and drop off her son at a child care center there. 

“What would benefit me from a child care center would be my options for classes would be more open,” she said. 

Mo Jazi is a breaking news reporter with The Star. Reach him at mo.najafianJazi@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236.