Families in Walnut Creek, Concord and neighbouring cities choose from private preschools, home-based care, state-funded programs and transitional kindergarten. County data from May 2026 explains why availability differs so much between them.
Where the county’s figures come from
The Early Learning Leadership Group, a county-wide collaborative in Contra Costa, published a child care needs summary in May 2026. It draws on partner agencies and the Early Childhood Systems Map, and most figures cover fiscal year 2025-26.
The numbers
| Measure | Figure |
| Children aged 0 to 5 in publicly funded programs | 10,879 (some duplicated) |
| Children aged 0 to 5 in households under 200% of the federal poverty level | 24,974 |
| Estimated unmet need among low-income children | 14,095 |
| Share of eligible children served | About 44% at most |
| Licensed programs accepting any public assistance | 59% |
| Eligible families waiting for CocoKids assistance | 6,000 |
The summary says the served count may include duplicates, so 44% is an upper bound.
The infant and toddler gap
The summary cites an unmet need of 9,970 infant and toddler slots, but the figure comes from the 2017 countywide needs assessment and is not current. It adds that infant and toddler care costs more to provide than families can pay, and that transitional kindergarten expansion has reduced preschool-age enrolment, which helps subsidise infant and toddler care.
Transitional kindergarten
KTVU reported that California completed its universal TK rollout in the 2025-26 school year. Districts must offer TK to every child who turns 4 by September 1. It is free, and the state requires one adult for every 10 students.
In Contra Costa, the county summary counts 6,817 TK students, of whom an estimated 2,360 are in households under 200% of the poverty level.
What TK changes for preschool
For a child who qualifies, TK takes the place of the last year of private preschool. That leaves private and home-based preschools serving mostly 2- and 3-year-olds, and children whose birthdays fall after the September 1 cut-off. Centers may adjust programs in response, and parents can ask each one how they handle the year before TK.
Families who need full-day care still often need care before and after the TK day.
Evening, overnight and weekend needs
The county summary found only 36% of providers offer evening, overnight or weekend hours, mainly family child care homes. Parents on shift schedules in healthcare, retail or hospitality often find that centers close before their workday ends. A family with irregular hours might build a mix, such as a preschool for weekday mornings and a home-based provider for later hours.
Cost is part of the picture. Mixing providers can mean paying two registration fees, and the second provider may have separate sick-day and closure rules.
Subsidies and rates
The county summary says reimbursement rates for subsidised care haven’t been updated in years and don’t reflect Bay Area costs. Families may owe a co-pay on top of their income-based contribution. Parents who might qualify can ask CocoKids, the source of assistance the county summary names, about eligibility and wait times.
How families can compare programs
Parents seeking a Central Contra Costa Preschool can compare on a short list of facts:
- License status and most recent inspection date
- Ratios in the room at different times of day
- Teacher tenure and coursework
- Hours and the fee schedule
- Plans for children turning 4 before September 1
California Title 22 sets the baseline for centers: according to Palomar College’s summary, 1 teacher to 12 children aged 2 to 5 with a fully qualified teacher.
What the county summary leaves out
The summary doesn’t include licensed capacity, tuition or market rates, or any figures specific to Concord or Walnut Creek. Parents wanting those numbers will have to ask centers directly. The county figures describe pressure on subsidised care, and they say little about the private market that most Walnut Creek families use.
That gap makes direct comparison valuable. A parent who collects fees, hours and ratios from several centers builds a picture the county data can’t supply.
Timing the search
Because publicly funded and subsidised programs have waits, families who may qualify can join waitlists while they tour private options. Parents who pay privately can ask each center when it opens enrolment for the next school year.
The step that costs nothing is a phone call to three centers to ask the same five questions, with the answers written down for comparison.
