California can do better. All children should be able to access high-quality care and education starting at birth, and paying for this care should not cause financial hardship for families. California's current ECE system, however, is unable to realize this goal. Building on the Learning Policy Institute report Understanding California’s Early Care and Education System, this report analyzes how ECE programs operate at the county level and describes challenges and promising practices for administration of ECE, access to care, the ECE workforce, program quality, and data systems. It concludes with actions policymakers can take to improve access to high-quality ECE for California children. (author abstract)