Parents and preschool educators converged on the Los Angeles Convention Center Oct. 16-17 to attend LAUP’s Universal Preschool Conference & Education Expo to celebrate and advance the cause of early childhood education.

The event, which was attended by about 1,500 people, offered valuable information related to preschool education through educational workshops, seminars and exhibits. LAUP organized the event, which was co-hosted by Preschool California, Pre-K Now and First 5 LA.

“This Expo made it possible for the early childhood education community to come together under one roof to learn more about efforts to increase accessibility and quality at preschools for the benefit of children,” said Gary Mangiofico, CEO of LAUP. “There’s no question that early education is an important topic that needs to be addressed, and this Expo provided a forum for such a discussion.”

The Expo focused exclusively on the impact of early education. It brought together the preschool community to discuss, share, explore and learn more about the best methods and resources available to better prepare children for kindergarten and beyond. It also highlighted the fact that access to high-quality preschool improves the educational attainment of children.

The event featured a luncheon panel discussion comprised of Assemblyman Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, Chairman of the California Assembly Appropriations Committee; Catherine Atkin, President of Preschool California; and Don Attore, political strategist at Hein, Cherry and Attore, Inc.

De Leon said that early education lays the foundation for a child’s success in school, and noted efforts to expand preschool opportunities for children must be considered because of the educational benefits involved. He noted students who attend preschool benefit greatly from such an experience, noting education has become an essential commodity in an increasingly competitive global economy.

“If you have little or no education, you’ll be punished in the most severe way,” he explained. “It (education) makes a huge difference, trust me.”

Early childhood education is a topic of importance in California and the nation, where many children are unable to attend quality and affordable preschools despite proven benefits showing kids who attend are better prepared for kindergarten and enjoy long-lasting benefits in life. Research shows that quality preschool lays a strong foundation that helps prepare children for future success.

“One of the most important decisions a parent has to make is choosing a quality preschool for their children,” said Dr. Celia C. Ayala, COO of LAUP. “A quality preschool program helps develop a child’s life skills, and promotes success as he or she moves into kindergarten and beyond.” 

The Expo received strong support from the business community, which realizes the important role preschools play in forging an educated workforce that will be needed to help the U.S. thrive in a competitive business environment.

LAUP’s presenting sponsors of the event are BP America, Inc. and Lakeshore Learning Materials. The Expo Gold Event Sponsors are The Boeing Company, Kaiser Permanente, Scholastic and U.S. Bank. The Expo Silver Event Sponsor is CM School Supply, and the Expo Bronze Event Sponsor is Kaplan Early Learning Company. LAUP’s Media Sponsor is KMEX-TV, Ch. 34, Univision.