By Harry Gibbons
The funds will be used to add classes and are predicted to help enroll more than 8,300 children.
Nancy Remley is with the Department. She said the new money is an important step to help make up for previous deep cuts to childcare.
“The state has eliminated funding for high quality child development programs to the tune of almost a billion dollars. So this was one step by the administration and the legislature to begin to restore that lost funding," said Remley.
The new California budget is the first in six years not to include cuts to childcare. Previous cuts forced by the financial crisis have totaled about $122 million for preschool programs alone.
The increased state support comes as President Obama pushes for a nationwide increase in funding and access to preschool.