California took a major step forward in supporting early childhood education with the passage of two important bills: AB 1123 (Muratsuchi) and AB 753 (Garcia). These new laws have powerful implications for educators, families, and most importantly, young children across the state. Both aim to strengthen the early learning workforce and make sure early childhood education voices are included in important state decisions.
Below is a closer look at each bill, what changes they bring, and their potential impacts ahead.
Understanding AB 1123: New Voices in Teacher Credentialing
For too long, the voices of early childhood educators have been underrepresented in the policymaking spaces that govern their profession. AB 1123 changes the makeup of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) – the commission is the governing board that oversees standards for educator preparation programs and decides teacher credential and permit requirements. Until now, early childhood educators and field experts had no voting power on the commission leaving the entire ECE field without an official voice on the actions that affect the field. Moving forward, one public representative seat will be replaced with an early childhood education faculty member from a California college or university. As well one of six allocated teacher positions can now be designated for an active teacher working in a state-funded preschool or pre-K program
The Impact of AB 1123 and Why It Matters
In the 60-year history of the CTC, the ECE field has never had voting representation despite decades of policies affecting the field. Now, early educators will have a true voice and impact on the commission. The new ECE representative on the CTC will help govern policies around teacher preparation and credentialing, and will help better align and integrate California’s Universal Pre-K and ECE mixed delivery system with the rest of the TK-12 system. While AB 1123 directly impacts Title 5 preschool and pre-K teachers’ workforce requirements, the entire work of the CTC will be strengthened by this addition. ECE experts will help shape standards for children’s most critical years of development and learning.
This inclusion of an ECE voting member on the commission is more than symbolic. By diversifying the CTC, AB 1123 ensures that those who understand the realities of early education can help shape the rules around teacher training and licensing, and brings in valuable expertise from the field of higher education. “The work of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and the early education workforce (ECE) that it oversees will be strengthened, benefiting ECE professionals, California’s families, children and generations to come” said Child Care Resource Center President, Donna Sneeringer.
AB 1123 was authored by Assembly Education Committee Chair Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) and sponsored by PEACH, Head Start California, and Child Care Resource Center. The bill became law on October 1st, 2025. Changes take effect starting January 1, 2026.
Understanding AB 753: Addressing California’s Child Care Workforce Crisis
If you’ve tried to find child care recently, you’ve probably noticed waitlists, reduced hours, or even closed classrooms. AB 753 addresses this head on by essentially creating a new pathway for entry level ECE professionals, also known as Assistant Teachers, to gain on the job support and experience while advancing up the teacher permit ladder. AB 753 allows those still working towards their Associate Teacher Permit qualifications to start working in a preschool or child care setting as an Assistant Teacher with expanded duties for up to two years under an additional authorization from the CTC. This “earn while you learn” approach supports aspiring educators and gives programs more flexibility to serve families. Additionally, this law addresses critical staffing shortages in early childhood by reducing barriers to entry and advancement for new educators, supporting the expansion of high-quality early learning programs, and ensuring more children have access to care and learning.
The Impact of AB 753 and Why It Matters
AB 753 impacts early childhood educators, child care providers, families, and the broader educational workforce by providing immediate solutions to staffing challenges and enhancing access to quality early education – supporting both workforce growth and quality standards.
“Child Care Resource Center applauds Governor Newsom for signing AB 753, which urgently responds to the early care and education (ECE) workforce shortage that has left classrooms dark and unable to serve children and families. This law increases access for families while creating positive impacts on the child care workforce pipeline. Now, early-career ECE professionals can remain in the classroom and earn an essential income while gaining valuable experience and advancing their training, as California transitions to new standards for ECE teachers. We are deeply grateful for Assemblymember Robert Garcia’s unwavering leadership as author of AB 753, and to all of our organizational and systems partners that made this law possible,” said Donna Sneeringer.
AB 753, authored by Assemblymember Robert Garcia, was signed as an urgency measure, meaning it took effect immediately upon being signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 1st, 2025. This law was co-sponsored by Child Care Resource Center, Child Action, Inc, Early Edge California, Kidango, and UNITE-LA. Child Care Resource Center Government Relations Director, LaWanda Wesley, and Child Care Resource Center Senior Government Relations Specialist, Juliet Terry, offered testimony at key hearings in support of the bill. Testimony included data from CCRC’s service areas, child care wait lists, staffing shortages, and how AB 753 would help.
CCRC’s A Perfect Storm policy brief served as an inspiration and evidence base for AB753 by highlighting critical vulnerabilities in the state’s early care and education system—particularly staffing, sustainability, and access. AB 753 is inspired by those vulnerabilities and responds with a policy designed to reduce credentialing barriers, keep classrooms open, and thereby improve access. In this way, the brief serves as both evidence and motivation for the legislative change. Click here to learn more.
The passage of AB 753 into law is making headlines. Many news outlets, including KQED, are actively discussing the implications of this bill, highlighting the broader conversations it has sparked.
AB 1123 and AB 753: Strengthening California’s Early Education System
AB 1123 and AB 753 are part of California’s effort to improve early learning by making the system more inclusive, more flexible, and better aligned with the needs of today’s families and educators. Together, they help elevate the role of preschool teachers and grow the next generation of early childhood professionals. Both bills demonstrate a commitment to creating a more just and effective framework that benefits individuals and communities alike, setting a precedent for future legislative efforts aimed at early child care reform.
To learn more about CCRC’s advocacy efforts and additional co-sponsored bills, please visit our Legislative Corner.