SB 192, as amended, Liu. Early learning and educational support services.
The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, requires the Superintendent to administer child care and development programs that offer a full range of services for eligible children from infancy to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs.
This bill would reorganize and recast those provisions as the Early Learning and Educational Support Act, and would require the Superintendent to develop standards for the implementation of high-quality early learning and educational support programs based on certain indicia of quality, including, but not limited to, program activities and services that meet the needs of children with exceptional needs and diverse abilities. The bill would require certain information to be given to parents who receive services from resource and referral programs and alternative payment programs. The bill would delete obsolete provisions, make other related and conforming changes, and make nonsubstantive changes.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The heading of Chapter 2 (commencing with
2Section 8200) of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education
3Code is amended to read:
4
Section 8200 of the Education Code is amended to
2read:
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the
4Early Learning and Educational Support Act.
begin insertSection 8201 of the end insertbegin insertEducation
Codeend insertbegin insert is amended to
6read:end insert
The purpose of this chapter is as follows:
8(a) To provide a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective
9system ofbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and
10educational supportend insert services for children from infancy to 13 years
11of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision,
12health, and support services through full- and part-time programs.
13(b) To encourage community-level coordination in support of
14begin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert
early learning and educational supportend insert
15 services.
16(c) To provide an environment that is healthy and nurturing for
17all children inbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and
18educational supportend insert programs.
19(d) To provide the opportunity for positive parenting to take
20place through understanding of human growth and development.
21(e) To reduce strain between parent and child in order to prevent
22abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
23(f) To enhance the cognitive development of children, with
24particular emphasis upon those children who
require special
25assistance, including bilingual capabilities to attain their full
26potential.
27(g) To establish a framework for the expansion ofbegin delete child care begin insert
early learning and educational supportend insert services.
28and developmentend delete
29(h) To empower and encourage parents and families of children
30who requirebegin delete child careend deletebegin insert early learning and educational supportend insert
31 services to take responsibility to review the safety of thebegin delete child careend delete
32 program or facility and to evaluate the ability of the program or
33facility to meet the needs of the child.
begin insertSection 8202 of the end insertbegin insertEducation
Codeend insertbegin insert is amended to
35read:end insert
It is the intent of the Legislature that:
37(a) All families have access tobegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early
38learning and educational supportend insert services, through resource and
39referral services, where appropriate, regardless of ethnic status,
40cultural background, or special needs. It is further the intent that
P4 1subsidizedbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and
2educational supportend insert
services be provided to persons meeting the
3eligibility criteria established under this chapter to the extent
4funding is made available by the Legislature and Congress.
5(b) The healthy physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth
6and development of children be supported.
7(c) Families achieve and maintain their personal, social,
8economic, and emotional stability through an opportunity to attain
9financial stability through employment, while maximizing growth
10and development of their children, and enhancing their parenting
11skills through participation inbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early
12learning and educational supportend insert programs.
13(d) Community-level coordination in support ofbegin delete child care and begin insert
early learning and educational supportend insert services be
14developmentend delete
15encouraged.
16(e) Families have a choice of programs that allow for maximum
17involvement in planning, implementation, operation, and evaluation
18ofbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and educational
19supportend insert programs.
20(f) Parents and families be fully informed of their rights and
21responsibilities to evaluate the quality and safety ofbegin delete child careend delete
22 programs, including, but not limited to, their right to inspect child
23care licensing files.
24(g) Planning for
expansion ofbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert
early
25learning and educational supportend insert programs be based on ongoing
26local needs assessments.
27(h) The Superintendentbegin delete of Public Instructionend delete, in providing
28funding tobegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and
29educational supportend insert agencies, promote a range of servicesbegin delete whichend delete
30begin insert thatend insert will allow parents the opportunity to choose the type of care
31most suited to their needs. The program scope may include the
32following:
33(1) Programs located in centers, family day care homes, or in
34the child’s own home.
35(2) Services provided part-day, full-day, and during nonstandard
36hours including weekend care, night and shift care, before and
37after school care, and care during holidays and vacation.
38(3) begin deleteChild care services end deletebegin insertServices end insertprovided for infantsbegin delete,end deletebegin insert and
39toddlers, andend insert preschoolbegin delete,end delete and
schoolage children.
P5 1(i) The Superintendentbegin delete of Public Instructionend delete be responsible for
2the establishment of a public hearing process or other public input
3process that ensures the participation of those agencies directly
4affected by a particular section or sections of this chapter.
Section 8203 of the Education
Code is amended to
7read:
The Superintendent shall develop standards for the
9implementation of high-quality early learning and educational
10support programs. Indicators of quality shall include, but not be
11limited to:
12(a) A physical environment that is safe and appropriate to the
13ages and developmental needs of the children and that meets
14applicable licensing standards.
15(b) Program activities and services that are age appropriate and
16meet the developmental needs of each child.
17(c) Program activities and services that meet the cultural and
18linguistic needs of children and families.
19(d) Family and community engagement.
20(e) Parent education.
21(f) Efficient and effective local program administration.
22(g) Staff that possesses the appropriate and required
23qualifications or experience, or both. The appropriate staff
24qualifications shall reflect the diverse linguistic and cultural
25makeup of the children and families in thebegin delete child care and begin insert early learning and educational supportend insert program.
26developmentend delete
27The use of intergenerational staff shall be encouraged.
28(h) Program activities and services that meet the needs of
29children with exceptional
needs and diverse abilities, and their
30families.
31(i) Support services for children, families, and providers of care.
32(j) Resource and referral services.
33(k) Alternative payment services.
34(l) Provision for nutritional needs of children.
35(m) Social services that include, but are not limited to,
36identification of child and family needs and referral to appropriate
37agencies.
38(n) Developmental and health services, as defined inbegin insert subdivision
39(m) ofend insert Section 8208, that include referral of children to appropriate
40agencies
for services.
Section 8203.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
3read:
(a) The Superintendent shall ensure that each contract
5entered into under this chapter to provide early learning and
6educational support services, or to facilitate the provision of those
7services, promotes children’s school readiness and subsequent
8school success through the delivery of appropriate high-quality
9educational services to the children served pursuant to the contract.
10(b) The Superintendent shall ensure that all contracts for direct
11begin delete classroom services programsend deletebegin insert early learning servicesend insert include a
12requirement that each provider maintain a developmental profile
13to
appropriately identify the emotional, social, physical, and
14cognitive growth of each child served in order to promote the
15child’s success in the public schools. To the extent possible, the
16department shall provide a developmental profile to all public and
17private providers using existing profile instruments that are most
18cost efficient. The provider of any program operated pursuant to
19a contract under Section 8262 shall be responsible for maintaining
20developmental profiles upon entry through exit from abegin delete direct begin insert program providing direct early
21classroom services programend delete
22learning servicesend insert.
23(c) This section is not subject to Part 34 (commencing with
24Section 62000) of Division 4 of Title 2.
Section 8204 of the Education
Code is amended to
27read:
In recognition of the demonstrated relationship between
29food and good nutrition and the capacity of children to develop
30and learn, it is the policy of this state that no child shall be hungry
31while in attendance in a child care and development facility as
32defined inbegin insert subdivision (h) ofend insert Section 8208 and that these facilities
33have an obligation to provide for the nutritional needs of children
34in attendance.
begin insertSection 8205 of the end insertbegin insertEducation
Codeend insertbegin insert is amended to
36read:end insert
It is the intent of the Legislature that in providingbegin delete child begin insert early learning and educational supportend insert programs
38developmentend delete
39the Superintendentbegin delete of Public Instructionend delete give priority to children
40of families that qualify under applicable federal statutes or
P7 1regulations as recipients of public assistance and other low-income
2and disadvantaged families. Federal reimbursement shall be
3claimed for any child receiving services under this chapter for
4whom federal funds are available.
begin insertSection 8206 of the end insertbegin insertEducation
Codeend insertbegin insert is amended to
6read:end insert
(a) Thebegin delete State Department of Educationend deletebegin insert departmentend insert is
8hereby designated as the single state agency responsible for the
9promotion, development, and provision of care of children in the
10absence of their parents during the workday or while engaged in
11other activitiesbegin delete whichend deletebegin insert thatend insert require assistance of a third party or
12parties. The department shall administer the federal Child Care
13and Development Fund.
14(b) For purposes of this section, “Child Care and Development
15Fund” has the same meaning as in Section 98.2 of Title 45 of the
16Code of Federal Regulations.
17(c) The department may create a list of high-quality early
18learning and educational support resources to demonstrate
19high-quality options available to parents. If the department creates
20a list of resources, the list shall be posted on the department’s
21Internet Web site and made available to both resource and referral
22programs and alternative payment programs.
Section 8208 of the Education
Code is amended to
25read:
As used in this chapter:
27(a) “Alternative payments” includes payments that are made by
28one child care agency to another agency or child care provider for
29the provision of early learning and educational support services,
30and payments that are made by an agency to a parent for the
31parent’s purchase of early learning and educational support
32services.
33(b) “Alternative payment program” means a local government
34agency or nonprofit organization that has contracted with the
35department pursuant to Section 8220.1 to provide alternative
36payments and to provide support services to parents and providers.
37(c) “Applicant or contracting agency” means a school district,
38
community college district, college or university, county
39superintendent of schools, county, city, public agency, private
40nontax-exempt agency, private tax-exempt agency, or other entity
P8 1that is authorized to establish, maintain, or operate services
2pursuant to this chapter. Private agencies and parent cooperatives,
3duly licensed by law, shall receive the same consideration as any
4other authorized entity with no loss of parental decisionmaking
5prerogatives as consistent with the provisions of this chapter.
6(d) “Assigned reimbursement rate” is that rate established by
7the contract with the agency and is derived by dividing the total
8dollar amount of the contract by the minimum child day of average
9daily enrollment level of service required.
10(e) (1) “Attendance” means the number of children present at
11a child care and development facility where services are
provided.
12(2) For purposes of reimbursement to directbegin delete classroom services begin insert early learning services,end insert attendance includes excused
13programs,end delete
14absences of children because of illness, quarantine, illness or
15quarantine of their parent, family emergency, or to spend time with
16a parent or other relative as required by a court of law or that is
17clearly in the best interest of the child.
18(3) For purposes of reimbursement to providers through an
19alternative paymentbegin delete servicesend delete
program, attendance includes any of
20the following:
21(A) The hours of service provided that are broadly consistent
22with certified hours of need.
23(B) For families with variable schedules, the actual days and
24hours of attendance up to the maximum certified hours.
25(C) In the case of license-exempt providers that provide
26part-time services, the actual days and hours of attendance.
27(4) For purposes of reimbursement to providers through an
28alternative paymentbegin delete servicesend delete program, contractors shall not be
29required to track absences.
30(f) “Capital outlay” means the amount paid for the renovation
31and repair
of child care and development facilities to comply with
32state and local health and safety standards, and the amount paid
33for the state purchase of relocatable child care and development
34facilities for lease to qualifying contracting agencies.
35(g) “Caregiver” means a person who provides direct care,
36supervision, and guidance to children in a child care and
37development facility.
38(h) “Child care and development facility” means a residence or
39building or part of a residence or building in which early learning
40and educational support services are provided.
P9 1(i) “Children at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation” means
2children who are so identified in a written referral from a legal,
3medical, or social service agency, or emergency shelter.
4(j) “Children
with exceptional needs” means either of the
5following:
6(1) Infants and toddlers under three years of age who have been
7determined to be eligible for early intervention services pursuant
8to the California Early Intervention Services Act (Title 14
9(commencing with Section 95000) of the Government Code) and
10its implementing regulations. These children include an infant or
11toddler with a developmental delay or established risk condition,
12or who is at high risk of having a substantial developmental
13disability, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 95014 of the
14Government Code. These children shall have active individualized
15family service plans, shall be receiving early intervention services,
16and shall be children who require the special attention of adults in
17a child care setting.
18(2) Children 3 to 21 years of age, inclusive, who have been
19determined to be eligible for special
education and related services
20by an individualized education program team according to the
21special education requirements contained in Part 30 (commencing
22with Section 56000) of Division 4 of Title 2, and who meet
23eligibility criteria described in Section 56026 and, Article 2.5
24(commencing with Section 56333) of Chapter 4 of Part 30 of
25Division 4 of Title 2, and Sections 3030 and 3031 of Title 5 of the
26California Code of Regulations. These children shall have an active
27individualized education program, shall be receiving early
28intervention services or appropriate special education and related
29services, and shall be children who require the special attention of
30adults in a child care setting. These children include children with
31intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments (including deafness),
32speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including
33blindness), serious emotional disturbance (also referred to as
34emotional disturbance), orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic
35brain injury, other
health impairments, or specific learning
36disabilities, who need special education and related services
37consistent with Section 1401(3)(A) of Title 20 of the United States
38Code.
39(k) “Closedown costs” means reimbursements for all approved
40activities associated with the closing of operations at the end of
P10 1each growing season forbegin delete migrant services
only.end delete
2learning programs serving migrant populations pursuant to Article
36 (commencing with Section 8230).end insert
4(l) “Cost” includes, but is not limited to, expenditures that are
5related to the operation of early learning and educational support
6programs. “Cost” may include a reasonable amount for state and
7local contributions to employee benefits, including approved
8retirement programs, agency administration, and any other
9reasonable program operational costs. “Cost” may also include
10amounts for licensable facilities in the community served by the
11program, including lease payments or depreciation, downpayments,
12and payments of principal and interest on loans incurred to acquire,
13rehabilitate, or construct licensable facilities, but these costs shall
14not exceed fair market rents existing in the community in which
15the
facility is located. “Reasonable and necessary costs” are costs
16that, in nature and amount, do not exceed what an ordinary prudent
17person would incur in the conduct of a competitive business.
18(m) “Developmental and health services” include, but are not
19limited to, all of the following:
20(1) Referral, whenever possible, to appropriate health care
21providers able to provide continuity of medical care.
22(2) Developmental and health screening and health treatment,
23including a full range of immunization recorded on the appropriate
24state immunization form to the extent provided by the Medi-Cal
25Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of
26Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code) and the Child
27Health and Disability Prevention Program (Article 6 (commencing
28with Section 124025) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of
Division 106 of
29the Health and Safety Code), but only to the extent that ongoing
30care cannot be obtained utilizing community resources.
31(3) Health education and training for children, parents, staff,
32and providers.
33(4) Followup treatment through referral to appropriate health
34care agencies or individual health care professionals.
35(n) “Directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert programs” means early
36learning and educational support programs that serve children from
37birth to 13 years of age, including, but not limited to, services for
38infants and toddlers, preschool age children, schoolage children,
39and children of migrant agricultural
worker families.
P11 1(o) “Directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert services” means direct
2begin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learning end insertprograms, family child care home
3education networks, and programs that serve severely disabled
4children, that are administered by the Superintendent pursuant to
5Article 5 (commencing with Section 8228).
6(p) “Early learning and educational support programs” means
7those programs that offer a full range of services designed to meet
8a wide variety of needs of children, from birth to 13 years of age,
9and
their families. Services provided by an applicant or contracting
10agency, may be for any part of the day that a parent is working, in
11training, seeking employment, incapacitated, or in need of respite.
12These services may include, but are not limited to, directbegin delete classroomend delete
13begin insert early learning services end insertand alternative paymentbegin delete services.end deletebegin insert
programs.end insert
14(q) “Elementary school,” as contained in former Section 425 of
15Title 20 of the United States Code (the National Defense Education
16Act of 1958, Public Law 85-864, as amended), includes early
17childhood education programs and all early learning and
18educational support programs, for the purpose of the cancellation
19provisions of loans to students in institutions of higher learning.
20(r) “Family child care home education network” means an entity
21organized under law that contracts with the department pursuant
22to Section 8245 to make payments to licensed family child care
23home providers and to provide educational and support services
24to those providers and to children and families eligible for
25state-subsidized early learning and educational support services.
26A family child care home education network may also be referred
27to as a family child
care home system.
28(s) “Higher educational institutions” means the Regents of the
29University of California, the Trustees of the California State
30University, the Board of Governors of the California Community
31Colleges, and the governing bodies of any accredited private
32nonprofit institution of postsecondary education.
33(t) “Intergenerational staff” means persons of various
34generations.
35(u) “Limited-English-speaking-proficient and
36non-English-speaking-proficient children” means children who
37are unable to benefit fully from an English-only early learning and
38educational support program as a result of either of the following:
39(1) Having used a language other than English when they first
40began to speak.
P12 1(2) Having a language other than English predominantly or
2exclusively spoken at home.
3(v) “Parent” means a biological parent, stepparent, adoptive
4parent, foster parent, caretaker relative, or any other adult living
5with a child who has responsibility for the care and welfare of the
6child.
7(w) “Program director” means a person who, pursuant to
8Sections 8244 and 8360.1, is qualified to serve as a program
9director.
10(x) “Proprietary agency” means an organization or facility
11providing early learning and educational support services, which
12is operated for profit.
13(y) “Resource and referral programs” means programs that
14provide information to parents, including referrals and coordination
15of community
resources for parents and public or private providers
16of care. Services frequently include, but are not limited to: technical
17assistance for providers, toy-lending libraries, equipment-lending
18libraries, toy- and equipment-lending libraries, staff development
19programs, health and nutrition education, and referrals to social
20services.
21(z) “Severely disabled children” are children with exceptional
22needs from birth to 21 years of age, inclusive, who require intensive
23instruction and training in programs serving pupils with the
24following profound disabilities: autism, blindness, deafness, severe
25orthopedic impairments, serious emotional disturbances, or severe
26intellectual disabilities. “Severely disabled children” also include
27those individuals who would have been eligible for enrollment in
28a developmental center for handicapped pupils under Chapter 6
29(commencing with Section 56800) of Part 30 of Division 4 of Title
302 as it read on January 1,
1980.
31(aa) “Short-term respite child care” means child care service to
32assist families whose children have been identified through written
33referral from a legal, medical, or social service agency, or
34emergency shelter as being neglected, abused, exploited, or
35homeless, or at risk of being neglected, abused, exploited, or
36homeless. Child care is provided for less than 24 hours per day in
37child care centers, treatment centers for abusive parents, family
38child care homes, or in the child’s own home.
39(ab) “Site supervisor” means a person who, regardless of his or
40her title, has operational program responsibility for an early
P13 1learning and educational support program at a single site. A site
2supervisor shall hold a permit or credential issued by the
3Commission on Teacher Credentialing that authorizes supervision
4of an early learning and educational support program operating in
5a single
site. The Superintendent may waive the requirements of
6this subdivision if the Superintendent determines that the existence
7of compelling need is appropriately documented.
8(ac) “Standard reimbursement rate” means that rate established
9by the Superintendent pursuant to Section 8265.
10(ad) “Startup costs” means those expenses an agency incurs in
11the process of opening a new or additional facility before the full
12enrollment of children.
13(ae) “California state preschool program services” means
14part-day and full-day educational programs and services designed
15to facilitate the transition to kindergarten for low-income or
16otherwise disadvantaged three- and four-year-old children.
17(af) “Support services” means those services that, when
18combined with early
learning and educational support services,
19help promote the healthy physical, mental, social, and emotional
20growth of children. Support services include, but are not limited
21to: protective services, parent training, provider and staff training,
22transportation, parent and child counseling, resource and referral
23services, and child placement counseling.
24(ag) “Teacher” means a person with the appropriate permit
25issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing who provides
26program supervision and instruction that includes supervision of
27a number of aides, volunteers, and groups of children.
28(ah) “Underserved area” means a county or subcounty area,
29including, but not limited to, school districts, census tracts, or ZIP
30Code areas, where the ratio of publicly subsidized early learning
31and educational support program services to the need for these
32services is low, as determined by the
Superintendent.
33(ai) “Workday” means the time that the parent requires
34temporary care for a child for any of the following reasons:
35(1) To undertake training in preparation for a job.
36(2) To undertake or retain a job.
37(3) To undertake other activities that are essential to maintaining
38or improving the social and economic function of the family, are
39beneficial to the community, or are required because of health
40problems in the family.
P14 1(aj) “Three-year-old children” means children who will have
2their third birthday on or before the date specified of the fiscal
3year in which they are enrolled in a California state preschool
4program, as follows:
5(1) November 1 of the 2012-13 fiscal year.
6(2) October 1 of the 2013-14 fiscal year.
7(3) September 1 of the 2014-15 fiscal year and each fiscal year
8thereafter.
9(ak) “Four-year-old children” means children who will have
10their fourth birthday on or before the date specified of the fiscal
11year in which they are enrolled in a California state preschool
12program, as follows:
13(1) November 1 of the 2012-13 fiscal year.
14(2) October 1 of the 2013-14 fiscal year.
15(3) September 1 of the 2014-15 fiscal year and each fiscal year
16thereafter.
17(al) “Local educational agency” means a school district, a county
18office of education, a community college district, or a school
19district on behalf of one or more schools within the school district.
Section 8208.1 of the
Education Code is amended to
22read:
Care exempt from licensure is a valid parental choice
24of care for all programs provided for under this part, and no
25provision of this part shall be construed to exclude or discourage
26the exercise of that choice.
Section 8208.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
29read:
Notwithstanding any other law, early learning and
31educational support programs, as defined in Section 8208, shall
32include, but not be limited to, respite child care.
Section 8209 of the Education
Code is amended to
35read:
(a) If a state of emergency is declared by the Governor,
37the Superintendent may waive any requirements of this code or
38regulations adopted pursuant to this code relating to early learning
39and educational support programs operated pursuant to this chapter
40only to the extent that enforcement of the regulations or
P15 1requirements would directly impede disaster relief and recovery
2efforts or would disrupt the current level of service in early learning
3and educational support programs.
4(b) If a state of emergency is declared by the Governor, the
5Superintendent may waive any requirements of this code or
6regulations adopted pursuant to this code relating to child nutrition
7programs in early learning and educational support programs
8
operated pursuant to this chapter only to the extent that enforcement
9of the regulations or requirements would directly impede disaster
10relief and recovery efforts or would disrupt the current level of
11service in early learning and educational support programs.
12(c) A waiver granted pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) shall not
13exceed 45 calendar days.
14(d) For purposes of this section, “state of emergency” includes
15fire, flood, earthquake, or a period of civil unrest.
16(e) If a request for a waiver pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b)
17is for an early learning and educational support program or child
18nutrition program that receives federal funds and the waiver may
19be inconsistent with the state plan or any federal law or regulations
20governing the program, the Superintendent shall seek and obtain
21approval of the waiver from
the appropriate federal agency before
22granting the waiver.
Section 8210 of the Education
Code is amended to
25read:
Funds appropriated for the purpose of this chapter may
27be used for resource and referral programs that may be operated
28by public or private nonprofit entities.
Section 8211 of the Education
Code is amended to
31read:
It is the intent of the Legislature that one hundred eighty
33thousand dollars ($180,000) be appropriated each fiscal year for
34allocation to resource and referral agencies operated by local
35educational agencies for the purpose of the resources and referral
36program set forth in this article.
Section 8212 of the Education
Code is amended to
39read:
For purposes of this article, resource and referral
2programs, established to serve a defined geographic area, shall
3provide the following services:
4(a) Identification of the full range of existing services through
5information provided by all relevant public and private agencies
6in the areas of service, and the development of a resource file of
7those services that shall be maintained and updated at least
8quarterly. These services shall include, but not be limited to, early
9learning and educational support programs, family day care homes,
10public and private day care programs, full-time and part-time
11programs, and infant, toddler, preschool, and extended care
12programs.
13The resource file shall include, but not
be limited to, the
14following information:
15(1) Type of program.
16(2) Hours of service.
17(3) Ages of children served.
18(4) Fees and eligibility for services.
19(5) Significant program information.
20(b) (1) Establishment of a referral process that responds to
21parental need for information and that is provided with full
22recognition of the confidentiality rights of parents. Resource and
23referral programs shall make referrals to licensed child day care
24facilities. Referrals shall be made to unlicensed care facilities only
25if there is no requirement that the facility be licensed. The referral
26process shall afford
parents maximum access to all referral
27information. This access shall include, but is not limited to,
28telephone referrals to be made available for at least 30 hours per
29week as part of a full week of operation. Every effort shall be made
30to reach all parents within the defined geographic area, including,
31but not limited to, any of the following:
32(A) Toll-free telephone lines.
33(B) Office space convenient to parents and providers.
34(C) Referrals in languages which are spoken in the community.
35Each resource and referral program shall publicize its services
36through all available media sources, agencies, and other appropriate
37methods.
38(2) (A) Provision of information to any person who requests a
39
referral of his or her right to view the licensing information of a
40licensed child day care facility required to be maintained at the
P17 1facility pursuant to Section 1596.859 of the Health and Safety
2Code and to access any public files pertaining to the facility that
3are maintained by the State Department of Social Services
4Community Care Licensing Division.
5(B) A written or oral advisement in substantially the following
6form will comply with the requirements of subparagraph (A):
7“State law requires licensed child day care facilities to make
8accessible to the public a copy of any licensing report pertaining
9to the facility that documents a facility visit or a substantiated
10complaint investigation. In addition, a more complete file regarding
11a child care licensee may be available at an office of the State
12Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing
13Division. You have the right to access any
public information in
14these files.”
15(c) Maintenance of ongoing documentation of requests for
16service tabulated through the internal referral process. The
17following documentation of requests for service shall be maintained
18by all resource and referral programs:
19(1) Number of calls and contacts to the care information and
20referral program or component.
21(2) Ages of children served.
22(3) Time category of care request for each child.
23(4) Special time category, such as nights, weekends, and swing
24shift.
25(5) Reason that the care is needed.
26This information shall be maintained in a manner
that is easily
27accessible for dissemination purposes.
28(d) Provision of technical assistance to existing and potential
29providers of all types of care services. This assistance shall include,
30but not be limited to:
31(1) Information on all aspects of initiating new care services
32including, but not limited to, licensing, zoning, program and budget
33development, and assistance in finding this information from other
34sources.
35(2) Information and resources that help existing providers to
36maximize their ability to serve the children and parents of their
37community.
38(3) Dissemination of information on current public issues
39affecting the local and state delivery of services.
P18 1(4) Facilitation of
communication between existing child care
2and child-related services providers in the community served.
3Services prescribed by this section shall be provided in order to
4maximize parental choice in the selection of care to facilitate the
5maintenance and development of care services and resources.
6(e) (1) A program operating pursuant to this article shall, within
7two business days of receiving notice, remove a licensed child day
8care facility with a revocation or a temporary suspension order, or
9that is on probation from the program’s referral list.
10(2) A program operating pursuant to this article shall, within
11two business days of receiving notice, notify all entities, operating
12a program under Article 3 (commencing with Section 8220) and
13Article 15.5 (commencing with Section 8350) in the program’s
14jurisdiction, of a
licensed child day care facility with a revocation
15or a temporary suspension order, or that is on probation.
Section 8212.3 of the
Education Code is amended to
18read:
(a) In addition to the services described in Section
208212, a resource and referral program, established to serve a
21defined geographic area, may provide short-term respite child care.
22“Short-term respite care,” for purposes of this article, means
23temporary child care services to do any of the following:
24(1) Provide services to families identified and referred by child
25protective agencies.
26(2) Relieve the stress caused by child abuse, neglect, or
27exploitation, or the risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
28(3) Assist parents who, because of serious illness or injury,
29homelessness, or family crisis,
including temporary absence from
30the home because of illness or injury, would be unable without
31assistance to provide the normal care and nurture expected of
32parents.
33(4) Provide temporary relief to parents from the care of children
34with exceptional needs.
35(b) Pursuant to the delivery of short-term respite child care
36services, priority shall be given for the provision of services to
37families identified and referred by child protective agencies, to
38relieve the stress caused by child abuse, neglect, or exploitation,
39or the risks thereof, as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
40subdivision (a). Priority shall be given to assist parents and to
P19 1provide temporary relief to parents, as described in paragraphs (3)
2and (4) of subdivision (a) to the extent that resources are available.
Section 8213 of the Education
Code is amended to
5read:
All resource and referral services shall be provided in a
7manner that is responsive to the diverse cultural, linguistic, and
8economic needs of a defined geographic area of service.
Section 8214 of the Education
Code is amended to
11read:
(a) Resource and referral services shall be provided to
13all persons requesting services and to all types of eligible providers,
14regardless of income level or other eligibility criteria. In addition
15to the services prescribed by this section, resource and referral
16may provide a wide variety of parent and provider support and
17educational services.
18(b) Information shall be provided to parents in the county of
19service at the time the family is determined eligible for services,
20and at recertification, by one of the following:
21(1) An alternative payment program.
22(2) A resource and referral program.
23(3) A partnership between the alternative payment program and
24the resource and referral program.
25(c) The information provided by the program or partnership
26shall be to assist parents in making informed choices about
27available types of care that would both offer a safe, caring, and
28age-appropriate early learning and educational support environment
29for children, as well as support the parents’ work activities,
30including, but not limited to, information about high-quality early
31learning and educational support options and resources specified
32in this subdivision. The program or partnershipbegin insert may utilize
33resources from a list posted on the department’s Internet Web site
34pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 8206 if this list is available.
35If the department does not create a list of resources pursuant to
36
subdivision (c) of Section 8206, the program or partnershipend insert may
37develop localbegin delete resources thatend deletebegin insert resources. These resourcesend insert shall
38include, but are not limited to, the following:
39(1) Information regarding how to select services that meet the
40needs of the parent and child.
P20 1(2) Information on licensing requirements and procedures for
2begin insert child care end insertcenters and familybegin insert child careend insert homes.
3(3) Trustline
requirements for homes and providers exempt from
4licensure.
5(4) A range of possible early learning and educational support
6options from which a parent may choose.
7(5) Information on available care subsidies and eligibility
8requirements.
9(6) Quality indicators, including provider or educator training,
10accreditation, staff stability, group size, ratio of children to staff,
11environments that support the healthy development of children,
12parent involvement, and communication between the parent and
13provider.
14(7) Information on quality rating and improvement systems,
15where available.
16(d) The program or partnership shall also provide parenting
17information to
parents.
Section 8215 of the Education
Code is amended to
20read:
(a) There is hereby established a project known as the
22California Child Care Initiative Project. It is the intent of the
23Legislature to promote and foster the project in cooperation with
24private corporations and local governments. The objective of the
25project is to increase the availability of quality programs in the
26state.
27(b) For purposes of this section, the California Child Care
28Initiative Project means a project to expand the role and functions
29of selected resource and referral agencies in activities including
30needs assessment, recruitment and screening of providers, technical
31assistance, and staff development and training, in order to aid
32communities in increasing their capability in the number of spaces
33available and
the quality of services offered.
34(c) The Superintendent shall allocate all state funds appropriated
35for the California Child Care Initiative Project for the purpose of
36making grants to those resource and referral agencies that have
37been selected as pilot sites for the project.
38(d) The project shall ensure that each dollar of state funds
39allocated pursuant to subdivision (c) is matched by two dollars
P21 1($2) from other sources, including private corporations, the federal
2government, or local governments.
3(e) The grants to the sites made available by the project shall
4be comprised of a combination of state funds and other funds
5pursuant to subdivision (d).
6(f) The Superintendent shall develop a database for the project.
Section 8216 of the Education
Code is amended to
9read:
When making referrals, every agency operating abegin delete direct begin insert program providing direct early
11classroom services programend delete
12learning servicesend insert or an alternative payment program and a resource
13and referral program shall provide at least four referrals, at least
14one of which shall be a provider over which the agency has no
15fiscal or operational control, as well as information to a family on
16the family’s ability to choose a license exempt provider.
Section 8220 of the Education
Code is amended to
19read:
Upon the approval of the department, funds appropriated
21for the purposes of this chapter may be used for alternative payment
22programs to allow for maximum parental choice. Various methods
23of reimbursement for parental costs for care may be utilized. All
24payment arrangements shall conform to the eligibility criteria and
25the parent fee schedule established pursuant to Sections 8263 and
268265.
27To provide for maximum parental choice, alternative payment
28programs may include the following:
29(a) A subsidy that follows the family from one provider to
30another within a given alternative payment program.
31(b) Choices, whenever possible, among hours of
service
32including before and after school, evenings, weekends, and split
33shifts.
34(c) Early learning and educational support services according
35to parental choice, including use of family day care homes, begin deletegeneralend delete
36 center based programs, and other state-funded programs to the
37extent that those programs exist in the general service area and are
38in conformity with the purposes and applicable laws for which
39those programs were established, but excluding California state
40preschool program services.
Section 8220.1 of the
Education Code is amended to
3read:
(a) The department shall contract with local contracting
5agencies for alternative payment programs so that services will be
6provided throughout the state. The department shall expand existing
7alternative payment programs and fund new alternative payment
8programs to the extent that funds are provided by the Legislature.
9(b) Funding for the new programs pursuant to this section shall
10be allocated to programs which meet all of the following
11requirements:
12(1) Applicants shall conform to the requirements of this article.
13(2) Applicants shall demonstrate that an alternative payment
14program is an
appropriate method of delivering services within
15the county or service area at the level requested in the application
16by doing either of the following:
17(A) Demonstrating the availability of sufficient licensed or
18license-exempt providers.
19(B) Providing a plan for the development of sufficient licensed
20providers working in cooperation with the local resource and
21referral agency.
22(3) Applicants shall demonstrate the administrative viability of
23the alternative payment agency and its capacity to meet
24performance requirements.
25(4) Existing alternative payment programs receiving funds for
26expansion into a new service area shall be funded at a documented
27rate appropriate to that community and may contract separately as
28appropriate.
29(c) On and after July 1, 2014, the Superintendent shall streamline
30the delivery of alternative payment programs through the
31begin delete simplificationend deletebegin insert consolidationend insert of contracts that serve special
32populations, including, but not limited to, migrant populations.
33Contractors shall continue to serve the same populations specified
34in their 2013-14 contracts, unless they receive prior approval from
35the department.
Section 8220.3 is added to the Education Code, to
38read:
begin deleteAlternative end deletebegin insertCommencing with the 2014-15 fiscal year
40and each fiscal year thereafter, alternative end insertpaymentbegin delete contractorsend delete
P23 1begin insert programsend insert serving only migrant populations pursuant to a 2013-14
2contract shallbegin delete onlyend delete enrollbegin insert only end insertchildren of migrant agricultural
3worker families, as
defined in subdivision (a) of Section 8231, that
4move from place to place for the purpose of agricultural work.
Section 8220.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
7read:
(a) To offer maximum support for parents and
9providers, alternative payment programs shall have access to
10resource and referral services. Funding shall be adequate to
11purchase care at the same rate that a private client is charged for
12the same service as well as to provide locally designed support
13services for parents and providers.
14(b) Alternative payment programs shall provide professional
15and technical assistance and information to providers.
Section 8220.6 is added to the Education Code, to
18read:
(a) Information shall be provided to parents in the
20county of service at the time the family is determined eligible for
21services, and at recertification, by one of the following:
22(1) An alternative payment program.
23(2) A resource and referral program.
24(3) A partnership between the alternative payment program and
25the resource and referral program.
26(b) The information provided by the program or partnership
27shall be to assist parents in making informed choices about
28available types of care that would both offer a safe, caring, and
29age-appropriate early
learning and educational support environment
30for children, as well as support the parents’ work activities,
31including, but not limited to, information about high-quality early
32learning and educational support options and resources specified
33in this subdivision. The program or partnership maybegin insert utilize
34resources from a list posted on the department’s Internet Web site
35pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 8206 if this list is available.
36If the department does not create a list of resources pursuant to
37subdivision (c) of Section 8206, the program or partnership may end insert
38 develop localbegin delete resources thatend deletebegin insert resources. These resourcesend insert
shall
39include, but are not limited to, the following:
P24 1(1) Information regarding how to select services that meet the
2needs of the parent and child.
3(2) Information on licensing requirements and procedures for
4begin insert child care end insertcenters and familybegin insert child careend insert homes.
5(3) Trustline requirements for homes and providers exempt from
6licensure.
7(4) A range of possible early learning and educational support
8options from which a parent may choose.
9(5) Information on available care
subsidies and eligibility
10requirements.
11(6) Quality indicators, including provider or educator training,
12accreditation, staff stability, group size, ratio of children to staff,
13environments that support the healthy development of children,
14parent involvement, and communication between the parent and
15provider.
16(7) Information on quality rating and improvement systems,
17where available.
18(c) The program or partnership shall also provide parenting
19information to parents.
Section 8222 of the Education
Code is amended to
22read:
(a) Payments made by alternative payment programs
24shall not exceed the applicable market rate ceiling. Alternative
25payment programs may expend more than the standard
26reimbursement rate for a particular child. However, the aggregate
27payments for services purchased by the agency during the contract
28year shall not exceed the assigned reimbursable amount as
29established by the contract for the year. An agency shall not make
30payments in excess of the rate charged to full-cost families. This
31section does not preclude alternative payment programs from using
32the average daily enrollment adjustment factor for children with
33exceptional needs as provided in Section 8265.5.
34(b) Alternative payment programs shall reimburse licensed
35
providers in accordance with a biennial market rate survey pursuant
36to Section 8447, at a rate not to exceed the ceilings established
37pursuant to Section 8357.
38(c) An alternative payment program shall reimburse a licensed
39provider for care of a subsidized child based on the rate charged
40by the provider to nonsubsidized families, if any, for the same
P25 1services, or the rates established by the provider for prospective
2nonsubsidized families. A licensed provider shall submit to the
3alternative payment program a copy of the provider’s rate sheet
4listing the rates charged, and the provider’s discount or scholarship
5policies, if any, along with a statement signed by the provider
6confirming that the rates charged for a subsidized child are equal
7to or less than the rates charged for a nonsubsidized child.
8(d) An alternative payment program shall maintain a copy of
9the rate sheet and the
confirmation statement.
10(e) A licensed provider shall submit to the local resource and
11referral agency a copy of the provider’s rate sheet listing rates
12charged, and the provider’s discount or scholarship policies, if
13any, and shall self-certify that the information is correct.
14(f) Each licensed provider may alter rate levels for subsidized
15children once per year and shall provide the alternative payment
16program and resource and referral agency with the updated
17information pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (e), to reflect any
18changes.
19(g) A licensed provider shall post in a prominent location
20adjacent to the provider’s license at the child care facility the
21provider’s rates and discounts or scholarship policies, if any.
22(h) An alternative payment program
shall verify provider rates
23no less frequently than once a year by randomly selecting 10
24percent of licensed providers serving subsidized families. The
25purpose of this verification process is to confirm that rates reported
26to the alternative payment programs reasonably correspond to
27those reported to the resource and referral agency and the rates
28actually charged to nonsubsidized families for equivalent levels
29of services. It is the intent of the Legislature that the privacy of
30nonsubsidized families shall be protected in implementing this
31subdivision.
32(i) The department shall develop regulations for addressing
33discrepancies in the provider rate levels identified through the rate
34verification process in subdivision (h).
Section 8223 of the Education
Code is amended to
37read:
The reimbursement for alternative payment programs
39shall include the cost of care paid to providers plus the
40administrative and support services costs of the alternative payment
P26 1program. The total cost for administration and support services
2shall not exceed an amount equal to 17.5 percent of the total
3contract amount. The administrative costs shall not exceed the
4costs allowable for administration under federal requirements.
Section 8225 of the Education
Code is amended to
7read:
When making referrals, every agency operating abegin delete direct begin insert program providing direct early
9classroom services programend delete
10learning servicesend insert or a resource and referral program and an
11alternative payment program shall provide at least four referrals,
12at least one of which shall be a provider over which the agency
13has no fiscal or operational control, as well as information to a
14family on the family’s ability to choose a license exempt provider.
Section 8226 of the Education
Code is amended to
17read:
(a) When making referrals, every program operating
19pursuant to this article shall provide information to any person
20who requests a referral of his or her right to view the licensing
21information of a licensed child day care facility required to be
22maintained at the facility pursuant to Section 1596.859 of the
23Health and Safety Code and to access any public files pertaining
24to the facility that are maintained by the State Department of Social
25Services Community Care Licensing Division.
26(b) A written or oral advisement in substantially the following
27form will comply with the requirements of subdivision (a):
28“State law requires licensed child day care facilities to make
29accessible to the
public a copy of any licensing report pertaining
30to the facility that documents a facility visit or a substantiated
31complaint investigation. In addition, a more complete file regarding
32a child care licensee may be available at an office of the State
33Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing
34Division. You have the right to access any public information in
35these files.”
36(c) Every program operating pursuant to this article shall, within
37two days of receiving notice, remove from the program’s referral
38list the name of any licensed child day care facility with a
39revocation or a temporary suspension order or that is on probation.
P27 1(d) A program operating pursuant to this article shall, within
2two business days of being notified of a revocation or a temporary
3suspension order for a licensed child day care facility, do both of
4the following:
5(1) Terminate payment to the facility.
6(2) Notify each parent and the facility in writing that payment
7has been terminated and the reason for the termination.
8(e) A program operating pursuant to this article shall, upon being
9notified that a licensed child day care facility has been placed on
10probation, provide written notice to each parent utilizing the facility
11that the facility has been placed on probation and that the parent
12has the option of selecting a different provider or remaining with
13the facility without risk of subsidy payments to the provider being
14terminated. The Legislature urges each agency operating pursuant
15to this section to provide the written notice required by this
16subdivision in the primary language of the parent, to the extent
17feasible.
Section 8227 of the Education
Code is amended to
20read:
(a) To the extent that funding is made available for this
22purpose through the annual Budget Act, the alternative payment
23agency in each county shall design, maintain, and administer a
24system to consolidate local child care waiting lists so as to establish
25a countywide centralized eligibility list. In those counties with
26more than one alternative payment agency, the agency that also
27administers the resource and referral program shall have the
28responsibility of developing, maintaining, and administering the
29countywide centralized eligibility list. In those counties with more
30than one alternative payment agency and more than one resource
31and referral program, the department shall establish a process to
32select the agency to develop, maintain, and administer the
33countywide centralized
eligibility list.
34(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), in those counties in which
35a countywide centralized eligibility list exists, as of the date that
36the act adding this section is enacted, the entity administering that
37list may receive funding, instead of the entity specified under
38subdivision (a).
39(c) Each centralized eligibility list shall include all of the
40following:
P28 1(1) Family characteristics, including ZIP Code of residence,
2ZIP Code of employment, monthly income, and size.
3(2) Child characteristics, including birth date and whether the
4child has special needs.
5(3) Service characteristics, including reason for need, whether
6full-time or part-time service is requested, and whether
after hours
7or weekend care is requested.
8(d) Information collected for the centralized eligibility list shall
9be reported to the Superintendent on an annual basis on the date
10and in the manner determined by the department.
11(e) (1) To be eligible to enter into an agreement with the
12department to provide subsidized care, a contractor shall participate
13in and use the centralized eligibility list.
14(2) A contractor with a campusbegin delete child care and developmentend delete
15begin insert
early learning and educational support end insertprogram operating pursuant
16to Section 66060, a program operating on a seasonal basis
17providing services to a migrant population pursuant to Section
188230, or a program serving severely disabled children pursuant to
19subdivision (d) of Section 8250 and who has a local site waiting
20list shall submit eligibility list information to the centralized
21eligibility list administrator for any parent seeking subsidized
22services for whom these programs are not able to provide early
23learning and educational support services. A contractor or program
24described in this paragraph may utilize any waiting lists developed
25at its local site to fill vacancies for its specific population. Families
26enrolled from a local site waiting list shall be enrolled pursuant to
27Section 8263.
Article 5 (commencing with Section 8228) is added
30to Chapter 2 of Part 6 of
Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education
31Code, to read:
32
(a) The Superintendent shall administer early learning
36and educational support programs through directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early
37learning end insertservices, including, but not limited to, directbegin delete classroomend delete
38begin insert early learningend insert programs pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with
39Section 8230) and Article 7 (commencing with Section 8235),
40family child care home education networks pursuant to Article 8.5
P29 1(commencing with Section 8245), and services for childrenbegin delete with
pursuant to
2special needsend deletebegin delete Article 9 (commencing with Section begin insert subdivision (d) of Section 8250.end insert
38250).end delete
4(b) Contractors providing directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert
5 services pursuant to this article shall comply with the administrative
6requirements set forth in Article 10 (commencing with Section
78255).
The Superintendent, with funds appropriated for this
9purpose, shall administer programs through directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early
10learning end insertservices. These programs shall include, but not be limited
11to, all of the following:
12(a) Age and developmentally appropriate activities for children.
13(b) Supervision.
14(c) Parenting education and parent engagement.
15(d) Developmental and health services.
16(e) Nutrition.
17(f) Family support services that include, but are not limited to,
18assessment of child and family needs and referral to appropriate
19human services organizations.
20(g) Training, professional development, and career advancement
21opportunities, documentation of which shall be provided to the
22department.
(a) Subdivision (b) shall apply to the award of funding
24for direct classroom services programs if upon appropriation by
25the Legislature moneys are made available for that purpose in any
26fiscal year.
27(b) (1) When funding is made available, priority for funding
28shall be given to programs operating classrooms located in the
29attendance area of elementary schools ranked in deciles 1 to 3,
30inclusive, of the Academic Performance Index pursuant to Section
3152056.
32(2) In an application for funds pursuant to this subdivision, an
33agency shall furnish the Superintendent with an estimate of the
34number
and ages of children that it plans to serve in the following
35fiscal year with those expansion funds. The agency also shall
36furnish documentation that indicates the basis of those estimates.
37(3) In awarding contracts for expansion, the Superintendent
38shall take into account the geographic criteria established pursuant
39to Section 8279.2, and the headquarters preferences and eligibility
P30 1criteria relating to fiscal or programmatic noncompliance
2established pursuant to Section 8261.
3(c) This section does not prevent eligible children who are
4currently receiving services from continuing to receive those
5services in future years pursuant to this chapter.
The heading of Article 6 (commencing with Section
88230) of Chapter 2 of Part 6
of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 9Education Code is amended to read:
10
Section 8230 of the Education
Code is amended to
15read:
Contractors serving migrant populations shall comply
17with the requirements set forth in this article. In addition, the
18Superintendent shall support and encourage the state-level
19coordination of all agencies that offer services to migrant
20populations and state-level coordination of existing health funds
21for migrants.
Section 8231 of the Education Code is amended to
23read:
(a) For the purpose of this chapter, a “migrant
25agricultural worker family” means a family with at least one parent
26that has earned at least 50 percent of his or her income from
27employment in fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work
28during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of
29application for early learning and educational support services.
30(b) For purposes of this article, priority for enrollment shall be
31given to children of migrant agricultural worker families in the
32following priority order:
33(1) The family moves from place to place.
34(2) The family has qualified under paragraph (1) within the past
35five years and is currently dependent for its income on agricultural
36employment, but is currently settled near agricultural areas.
37(3) The family resides in a rural agricultural area and is
38dependent upon seasonal agricultural work.
P31 1(4) Eligibility and priority for services for the federally funded
2Migrant Child Development Program shall be in accordance with
3the applicable federal regulations.
4(c) If a contractor serving migrant populations, upon prioritizing
5migrant families for enrollment and complying with this section,
6is unable to reach the anticipated level of enrollment as provided
7in
the contract for services, the contractor may use any funds
8remaining to enroll children from otherwise eligible families
9pursuant to the priorities set forth in Section 8263.
begin insertSection 8231 of the end insertbegin insertEducation
Codeend insertbegin insert is amended to
11read:end insert
(a) For the purpose of this article, a “migrant agricultural
13worker family” means a family that has earned at least 50 percent
14of its total gross income from employment in fishing, agriculture,
15or agriculturally related work during the 12-month period
16immediately preceding the date of application for child care and
17development services.
18(b) Children of migrant agricultural worker families shall be
19enrolled in child development programs on the basis of the
20following priorities:
21(1) The family moves from place to place.
22(2) The family has qualified under paragraph (1) within the past
23five years and is
currently dependent for its income on agricultural
24employment, but is currently settled near agricultural areas.
25(3) The family resides in a rural agricultural area and is
26dependent upon seasonal agricultural work.
27(4) Eligibility and priority for services for the federally funded
28begin delete Migrant Child Development Programend deletebegin insert migrant child care and
29development programend insert shall be in accordance with the applicable
30federal regulations.
31(c) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2014,
32and as of that date is repealed, unless a later
enacted statute, that
33is enacted before July 1, 2014, deletes or extends that date.
Section 8231 is added to the Education Code, to read:
(a) For the purpose of this chapter, a “migrant
36agricultural worker family” means a family with at least one parent
37that has earned at least 50 percent of his or her income from
38employment in fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work
39during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of
40application for early learning and educational support services.
P32 1(b) For purposes of this article, priority for enrollment shall be
2given to children of migrant agricultural worker families in the
3following priority order:
4(1) The family moves from place to place.
5(2) The family has qualified under paragraph (1) within
the
6past five years and is currently dependent for its income on
7agricultural employment, but is currently settled near agricultural
8areas.
9(3) The family resides in a rural agricultural area and is
10dependent upon seasonal agricultural work.
11(4) Eligibility and priority for services for the federally funded
12migrant child care and development program shall be in
13accordance with the applicable federal regulations.
14(c) If a contractor serving migrant populations, upon prioritizing
15migrant families for enrollment and complying with this section,
16is unable to reach the anticipated level of enrollment as provided
17in the contract for services, the contractor may use any funds
18remaining to enroll children from otherwise eligible families
19pursuant to the priorities set forth in Section 8263.
20(d) This section is operative on July 1, 2014.
Section 8232 of the Education
Code is amended to
23read:
The Superintendent shall develop appropriate quality
25indicators for contractors that serve migrant populations, including
26those prescribed in Section 8203, and the following:
27(a) Social services.
28(1) Bilingual liaison between migrant parents and the center or
29family child care home, or both.
30(2) Liaison between the agency and the relevant community
31agencies and organizations, including health and social services.
32(3) Identification and documentation of family needs and
33followup referrals as appropriate.
34(b) Staffing.
35(1) Bilingual health personnel shall be available to each program
36site of an agency that serves migrant populations.
37(2) Professional and nonprofessional staff shall reflect the
38linguistic and cultural background of the children being served.
39(3) Whenever possible, migrants shall be recruited, trained, and
40hired inbegin insert directend insert early learningbegin delete and educational supportend delete programs.
P33 1Documentation of training and career ladder opportunities and of
2recruitment and hiring efforts shall be provided to the department.
3Staff training shall include principles and practices of early learning
4and educational support for the
age groups of children being served.
5(c) Developmental and health services in agencies that serve
6migrant populations shall include health and dental screening and
7followup treatment. Health records for all migrant children shall
8follow the child.
Section 8233 of the Education
Code is amended to
11read:
(a) Cost for migrant population services may exceed
13the standard reimbursement rate established by the Superintendent.
14In no case shall the reimbursement exceed the cost of the services.
15State-funded programs may be eligible for Chapter I federal funds
16to supplement state funding. These funds shall not be contingent
17upon the provision of additional child days or enrollment.
18(b) The Superintendent shall annually reimburse agencies that
19provide services for seasonal migrant populations pursuant to this
20article for approvable startup and closedown costs. Reimbursement
21for both startup and closedown costs shall not exceed 15 percent
22of the agency’s total contract amount.
23(c) Agencies that provide services for seasonal migrant
24populations shall submit reimbursement claims for startup costs
25with their first monthly reports, and reimbursement claims for
26closedown costs with their final reports.
The heading of Article 7 (commencing with Section
298235) of Chapter 2 of Part 6
of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 30Education Code is amended to read:
31
Section 8235 of the Education
Code is amended to
36read:
(a) Contractors providing California state preschool
38program services forbegin insert three-year-oldend insert children described in
39subdivision (aj) of Section 8208, and four-year-old children, as
40described in subdivision (ak) of Section 8208, shall adhere to the
P34 1requirements set forth in Article 5 (commencing with Section
28228) in educational development, health services, social services,
3nutritional services, parent education and parent participation,
4evaluation, and staff development. These programs shall include,
5but are not limited to, part-day age and developmentally appropriate
6programs designed to facilitate the transition to kindergarten for
7three- and four-year-old children.
8(b) Preschool services for which federal reimbursement is not
9available shall be funded as prescribed by the Legislature in the
10Budget Act, and unless otherwise specified by the Legislature,
11shall not use federal funds made available through Title XX of the
12federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1397).
13(c) Three- and four-year-old children are eligible for part-day
14California state preschool program services if the family meets at
15least one of the criteria specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision
16(a) of Section 8263.
17(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a contractor providing
18part-day California state preschool program services may provide
19services to children in families whose income is no more than 15
20percent above the income eligibility threshold, as described in
21Sections 8263 and 8263.1, after all eligible three- and four-year-old
22children have been enrolled.
No more than 10 percent of children
23enrolled, calculated throughout the participating program’s entire
24contract, may be filled by children in families above the income
25eligibility threshold.
26(e) A part-day California state preschool program shall operate
27for a minimum of (1) three hours per day, excluding time for
28home-to-school transportation, and (2) a minimum of 175 days
29per year, unless the contract specifies a lower number of days of
30operation.
31(f) Any agency described in subdivision (c) of Section 8208 as
32an “applicant or contracting agency” is eligible to contract to
33operate a California state preschool program.
34(g) Part-day preschool services shall be reimbursed on a per
35capita basis, as determined by the Superintendent, and contingent
36on funding being provided for the part-day preschool services in
37the
annual Budget Act.
38(h) Federal Head Start funds used to provide services to families
39receiving California state preschool services shall be deemed
40nonrestricted funds.
Section 8236 of the Education
Code is amended to
3read:
(a) (1) Contractors providing California state preschool
5program services pursuant to this article shall give first priority to
6three- or four-year-old neglected or abused children who are
7recipients of child protective services, or who are at risk of being
8neglected, abused, or exploited upon written referral from a legal,
9medical, or social service agency. If an agency is unable to enroll
10a child in this first priority category, the agency shall refer the
11child’s parent or guardian to local resource and referral services
12so that services for the child can be located.
13(2) Notwithstanding Section 8263, after children in the first
14priority category set forth in paragraph (1) are enrolled, each
15agency funded pursuant to Section 8235 shall give
priority to
16eligible four-year-old children before enrolling eligible
17three-year-old children. Each agency shall certify to the
18Superintendent that enrollment priority is being given to eligible
19four-year-old children.
20(b) For contractors that provide part-day preschool services that
21are operating with funding that was initially allocated in a prior
22fiscal year, at least one-half of the children enrolled at a preschool
23site shall be four-year-old children. Any exception to this
24requirement shall be approved by the Superintendent. The
25Superintendent shall inform the Department of Finance of any
26exceptions that have been granted and the reasons for granting the
27exceptions.
28(c) The following provisions apply to the award of new funding
29for the expansion of the California state preschool program services
30that is appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose in any fiscal
31year:
32(1) In an application for those expansion funds, an agency shall
33furnish the Superintendent with an estimate of the number of
34four-year-old and three-year-old children that it plans to serve in
35the following fiscal year with those expansion funds. The agency
36also shall furnish documentation that indicates the basis of those
37estimates.
38(2) In awarding contracts for expansion pursuant to this
39subdivision, the Superintendent, after taking into account the
40geographic criteria established pursuant to Section 8279.3, and the
P36 1headquarters preferences and eligibility criteria relating to fiscal
2or programmatic noncompliance established pursuant to Section
38261, shall give priority to applicant agencies that, in expending
4the expansion funds, will be serving the highest percentage of
5four-year-old children.
6(d) This section does
not preclude a local educational agency
7from subcontracting with an appropriate public or private agency
8to operate a California state preschool program and to apply for
9funds made available for the purposes of this section. If a school
10district chooses not to operate or subcontract for a California state
11preschool program, the Superintendent shall work with the county
12office of education and other eligible agencies to explore possible
13opportunities in contracting or alternative subcontracting to provide
14a California state preschool program.
15(e) This section does not prevent eligible children who are
16currently receiving services from continuing to receive those
17services in future years pursuant to this chapter.
Section 8236.1 of the
Education Code is amended to
20read:
The department shall annually monitor funding used
22in directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert programs for infants and
23toddlers, and hours of service provided in California state preschool
24program services, and shall annually report to the Department of
25Finance and to the Legislature a statewide summary identifying
26the estimated funding used for infants and toddlers, and the number
27of preschool age children receiving part-day preschool and
28wraparound services, as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 8239.
29The annual report shall include a comparison to the prior year on
30a county-by-county basis.
Section 8238.4 of the
Education Code is amended to
33read:
(a) A family literacy supplemental grant shall be made
35available and distributed to qualifying California state preschool
36classrooms, as determined by the Superintendent, at a rate of two
37thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per class. The
38Superintendent shall distribute the family literacy supplemental
39grant funds according to the following priorities:
P37 1(1) First priority shall be assigned to contractors providing
2California state preschool program services that contract to receive
3this funding before July 1, 2012. These programs shall receive this
4funding until their contract is terminated or the California state
5preschool program no longer provides family literacy services.
6(2) Second priority
shall be assigned to contractors providing
7California state preschool program services operating classrooms
8located in the attendance area of elementary schools in deciles 1
9to 3, inclusive, based on the most recently published Academic
10Performance Index pursuant to Section 52056. The Superintendent
11shall use a lottery process in implementing this paragraph.
12(b) A family literacy supplemental grant distributed pursuant
13to this section shall be used for purposes specified in Section 8238.
14(c) Implementation of this section is contingent upon funding
15being provided for family literacy supplemental grants for
16California state preschool program services in the annual Budget
17Act or other statute.
Section 8239 of the Education
Code is amended to
20read:
The Superintendent shall encourage state preschool
22program applicants or contracting agencies to offer full-day
23services through a combination of part-day preschool slots and
24wraparound services. In order to facilitate a full day of services,
25all of the following shall apply:
26(a) Part-day preschool services provided pursuant to this section
27shall operate between 175 and 180 days.
28(b) Wraparound services provided pursuant to this section shall
29operate a minimum of 246 days per year unless the contract
30specified a lower minimum days of operation. Wraparound services
31may operate a full day for the remainder of the year after the
32completion of the part-day preschool program services. Services
33shall be provided in accordance with
Article 1 (commencing with
34Section 8200) and Article 5 (commencing with Section 8228).
35(c) Part-day preschool services combined with wraparound
36services shall be reimbursed at no more than the full-day standard
37reimbursement rate, with adjustment factors, pursuant to Section
388265 and as determined in the annual Budget Act.
39(d) Three- and four-year-old children are eligible for wraparound
40services to supplement the part-day preschool services if the family
P38 1meets the eligibility criteria specified in paragraph (1) of
2subdivision (a) of Section 8263, and the parents meet at least one
3of the criteria specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of
4Section 8263.
5(e) Fees shall be assessed and collected for families with children
6in part-day preschool programs, or families receiving wraparound
7services, or both, pursuant
to subdivisions (g) and (h) of Section
88263.
9(f) For purposes of this section, “wraparound services” means
10additional funding beyond the part-day California state preschool
11program services provided pursuant to subdivision (a), to meet a
12family’s need for services while the parent participates in an
13approved work or work-related activity. These services shall be
14provided consistent with the early learning and educational support
15programs provided pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section
168200) and Article 5 (commencing with Section 8228).
The heading of Article 8 (commencing with Section
198240) of Chapter 2 of Part 6
of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 20Education Code is amended to read:
21
Section 8240 of the Education
Code is amended to
26read:
(a) The Superintendent, with funds appropriated for this
28purpose, shall administer generalbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early
29learning and educational support end insertprograms.
30Generalbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and
31educational supportend insert programs shall include:
32(1) Age and developmentally appropriate activities for children.
33(2) Supervision.
34(3) Parenting education and parent involvement.
35(4) Social services that include, but are not limited to,
36identification of child and family needs and referral to appropriate
37agencies.
38(5) Health services.
39(6) Nutrition.
P39 1(7) Training and career ladder opportunities, documentation of
2which shall be provided to the department.
3(b) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2014, and,
4as of January 1, 2015, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute
5that is enacted before January 1, 2015, deletes or
extends the dates
6on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
Section 8240 is added to the Education Code, to read:
(a) Directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert programs shall serve
10children from birth to 13 years of age, including, but not limited
11to, services for all of the following:
12(1) Infants and toddlers.
13(2) Preschool age children.
14(3) Schoolage children.
15(4) Migrant children.
16(b) The Superintendent shall streamline
the delivery of direct
17begin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert programs through thebegin delete simplificationend delete
18begin insert consolidationend insert of contracts that serve children described in
19subdivision (a). This shall include, but is not limited to, services
20for both of the following special populations:
21(1) Preschool age children.
22(2) Migrant children.
23(c) (1) Contractors shall continue to serve the same populations
24specified in their 2013-14 contracts, unless
they receive prior
25approval from the department.
26(2) Contractors that provide services to migrant populations
27shall comply with Article 6 (commencing with Section 8230).
28(3) Contractors that provide services to California state preschool
29program populations shall comply with Article 7 (commencing
30with Section 8235).
31(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2014.
Section 8244 of the Education
Code is amended to
34read:
(a) (1) Any entity operating programs funded pursuant
36to this chapter that provide directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert services
37to children at two or more sites, including through more than one
38contract or subcontract funded pursuant to this chapter, shall
39employ a program director.
P40 1(2) Programs providing direct services to children, for the
2purposes of this section, are directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert
early learningend insert
3 services begin deleteprogramsend delete pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section
48228), migrant services pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with
5Section 8230), California state preschool programs pursuant to
6Article 7 (commencing with Section 8235), directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early
7learningend insert services for childrenbegin delete with special needs programs pursuant begin insert pursuant to
8to Article 9 (commencing with Section 8250),end delete
9subdivision (d) of Section 8250,end insert infant care and development
10services programs pursuant to Article 17 (commencing with
Section
118390), and any of these programs operated through family child
12care homes.
13(b) (1) For purposes of this section, the following definitions
14shall apply:
15(A) “Administrative responsibility” means awareness of the
16financial and business circumstances of the program, and, in
17appropriate cases, supervision of administrative and support
18personnel and the knowledge and authority to direct or modify
19administrative practices and procedures to ensure compliance to
20administrative and financial standards imposed by law.
21(B) “Program director” means a person who, regardless of his
22or her title, has programmatic and administrative responsibility
23for an early learning and educational support program that provides
24direct services to children at two or more sites.
25(C) “Programmatic responsibility” means overall supervision
26of curriculum and instructional staff, including instructional aides,
27and the knowledge and authority to direct or modify program
28practices and procedures to ensure compliance to applicable quality
29and health and safety standards imposed by law.
30(2) Administrative and programmatic responsibility also includes
31the responsibility to act as the representative for the early learning
32and educational support program to the department. With respect
33to programs operated through family child care homes,
34administrative and programmatic responsibility includes ensuring
35that quality services are provided in the family child care homes.
36(c) The program director also may serve as the site supervisor
37at one of the sites, provided that he or she both fulfills the duties
38of a
day care center director, as set forth in Section 101215.1 of
39Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, and meets the
P41 1qualifications for a site supervisor as set forth in subdivision (ab)
2of Section 8208.
3(d) The Superintendent may waive the qualifications for program
4director described in Sections 8360.1 and 8360.3 upon a finding
5of one of the following circumstances:
6(1) The applicant is making satisfactory progress toward
7securing a permit issued by the Commission on Teacher
8Credentialing authorizing supervision of an early learning and
9educational support program operating in two or more sites or
10fulfilling the qualifications for program directors in programs
11serving severely disabled children, as specified in Section 8360.3.
12(2) The place of employment is so remote from institutions
13offering the necessary
coursework as to make continuing education
14impracticable and the contractor has made a diligent search but
15has been unable to hire a more qualified applicant.
16(e) The Superintendent, upon good cause, may by rule identify
17and apply grounds in addition to those specified in subdivision (d)
18for granting a waiver of the qualifications for program director.
The heading of Article 9 (commencing with Section
218250) of Chapter 2 of Part 6
of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 22Education Code is amended to read:
23
Section 8250 of the Education
Code is amended to
28read:
(a) The Superintendent shall ensure that eligible children
30with exceptional needs are given equal access to all early learning
31and educational support programs. Available federal and state
32funds for children with exceptional needs above the standard
33reimbursement amount shall be used to assist agencies in
34developing and supporting appropriate programs for these children.
35(b) To provide children with exceptional needs with additional
36access to early learning and educational support programs, the
37Superintendent shall establish alternate appropriate placements,
38such as self-contained programs and innovative programs using
39the least restrictive environment. These programs shall be started
40as expansion funds become available and
shall be expanded
P42 1throughout the implementation of the plan. The Superintendent
2shall utilize existing program models and input from program
3specialists to develop new program criteria and guidelines for
4programs serving children with exceptional needs. These programs
5may serve children with exceptional needs up to 21 years of age.
6(c) Any child with exceptional needs served in early learning
7and educational support programs shall be afforded all rights and
8protections guaranteed in state and federal laws and regulations
9for individuals with exceptional needs.
10(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the
11Superintendent may develop unique reimbursement rates for, and
12make reimbursements to, early learning and educational support
13programs that received state funding for the 1980-81 fiscal year
14and serve severely disabled children, as defined in subdivision (z)
15of
Section 8208, when all of the following conditions exist:
16(1) Eligibility for enrollment of a severely disabled child in the
17program is the sole basis of the child’s need for service.
18(2) Services are provided to severely disabled children from
19birth to 21 years of age.
20(3) No fees are charged to the parents of the severely disabled
21children receiving the services.
22(e) The Superintendent shall include providers in all personnel
23development for persons providing services for children with
24exceptional needs.
Section 8250.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
27read:
A contractor providing services pursuant to a direct
29begin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert servicesbegin delete contract, a migrant services begin insert contractend insert or an alternative payment
30contract,end deletebegin delete child careend delete contract is
31subject to the requirements of the federal Americans with
32Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.).
Section 8251 of the Education
Code is amended to
35read:
(a) Allbegin delete direct classroom services programsend deletebegin insert contractors
37administering direct early learning servicesend insert shall include plans or
38programs, or both, for the care of the children when they are sick.
39These plans shall be age appropriate and parents shall be included
40in the planning and evaluation. The Superintendent shall
P43 1disseminate information regarding effective sick child care models
2to all early learning and educational support programs.
3(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to allow the
4practice of medicine without a
license.
Section 8252 of the Education
Code is amended to
7read:
(a) The department and the local county welfare
9department shall enter into contracts that establish the procedures
10for serving and referring a child in need of care as part of the
11provision of protective services pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing
12with Section 16500) of Part 4 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
13Institutions Code. The department, in consultation with the State
14Department of Social Services, may contract with another
15appropriate community agency that provides services or referrals,
16or both, for the prevention or intervention of child abuse or neglect
17if no such contract for child care services exists between the
18department and the county welfare department.
19(b) The contracts shall specify the resource and referral
program
20or operating agency or agencies providing early learning and
21educational support pursuant to this chapter in the county that the
22local contracting agency shall contact to secure care for a child
23needing protective services. If an operating agency is unable to
24enroll the child, the local contracting agency described in
25subdivision (a) with the assistance of the providers of local
26resources and referral services shall locate services for the family.
27Payments for these located services in the absence of other funds
28shall be made by the local contracting agency.
29(c) The need for services funded pursuant to this section shall
30be reviewed by the local contracting agency no less than every
31three months.
Section 8255 of the Education
Code is amended to
34read:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the
36effectiveness of early learning and educational support programs
37can be increased through improved state administration, technical
38assistance to provider agencies, and monitoring.
39(b) It is the intent of the Legislature:
P44 1(1) That the department develop clear, consistent, and
2appropriate regulations for early learning and educational support
3programs to replace policy guidelines that are not subject to the
4public hearing process, often inconsistent, and without the force
5of law.
6(2) That the department make better use of staff with direct field
7
experience in early learning and educational support programs.
8(3) That better criteria be developed for the awarding,
9evaluating, and renewal of early learning and educational support
10contracts.
11(4) That improvements be made in the method of reimbursing
12providers.
13(5) That increased effort be made to provide program operators
14with technical assistance in meeting their contractual obligations.
Section 8257 of the Education
Code is amended to
17read:
The department shall do all of the following in
19administering this chapter:
20(a) Apply sanctions against contracting agencies that have
21serious licensing violations, as defined and reported by the State
22Department of Social Services pursuant to Section 1544 of the
23Health and Safety Code.
24(b) Provide 90 days’ written notification to any contractor whose
25agreement is being terminated, except if there is imminent danger
26to the health and welfare of children if agency operation is not
27terminated more promptly. Notwithstanding Article 18
28(commencing with Section 8400), the department shall establish
29procedures for placing a contractor whose agreement is being
30terminated into receivership.
Action to initiate receivership shall
31be at the discretion of the department, and may be taken against a
32contractor whose agreement is being terminated either immediately
33or within 90 days. The receiver shall not be a department employee.
34The receiver shall have sufficient experience in the administration
35of early learning and educational support programs to ensure
36compliance with the terms of the receivership.
Section 8258 of the Education
Code is amended to
39read:
(a) A person employed by the department in a
2policymaking position in the area of early learning and educational
3support programs shall not serve as a member of the board of
4directors, advisory council, or advisory committee for any agency
5receiving funds pursuant to this chapter.
6(b) A retired, dismissed, separated, or formerly employed person
7of the department employed under the State Civil Service Act or
8otherwise appointed to serve in the department shall not enter into
9a contract pursuant to Section 8262 in which he or she engaged in
10any of the negotiations, transactions, planning, arrangements, or
11any part of the decisionmaking process relevant to the contract
12while employed in any capacity by the department. The
prohibition
13contained in this subdivision shall apply to the person only during
14the two-year period beginning on the date the person left state
15employment.
16(c) For a period of 12 months following the date of his or her
17retirement, dismissal, or separation from state service, a person
18employed under state civil service or otherwise appointed to serve
19in the department shall not enter into a contract pursuant to Section
208262 if he or she was employed by the department in a
21policymaking position in the area of early learning and educational
22support programs within the 12-month period before his or her
23retirement, dismissal, or separation.
24(d) For a period of 12 months following the date of his or her
25retirement, dismissal, or separation from state service, no person
26employed under state civil service or otherwise appointed to serve
27in the department may be employed by a contractor
pursuant to
28Section 8262 if he or she engaged in any of the negotiations,
29transactions, planning, arrangements, or any part of the
30decisionmaking process relevant to the contract while employed
31in any capacity by the department.
Section 8261 of the Education
Code is amended to
34read:
(a) The Superintendent shall adopt rules and regulations
36pursuant to this chapter. The rules and regulations shall include,
37but not be limited to, provisions which do all of the following:
38(1) Provide clear guidelines for the selection of agencies when
39early learning and educational support contracts are let.
P46 1(2) Provide for a contract monitoring system to ensure that
2agencies expend funds received pursuant to this chapter in
3accordance with the provisions of their contracts.
4(3) Specify adequate standards of agency performance.
5(4) Establish reporting requirements for service reports,
6including provisions for varying the frequency with which these
7reports are to be submitted on the basis of agency performance.
8(5) Specify standards for withholding payments to agencies that
9fail to submit required fiscal reports.
10(6) Set forth standards for department site visits to contracting
11agencies, including, but not limited to, specification as to the
12purpose of the visits, the personnel that will perform these visits,
13and the frequency of these visits that shall be as frequently as staff
14and budget resources permit. By September 1 of each year, the
15department shall report to the Senate Education, Senate Health
16and Human Services, Assembly Education, and Assembly Human
17Services Committees on the number of visits conducted during
18the previous fiscal year pursuant to this paragraph.
19(b) The Superintendent shall consult with the State Department
20of Social Services with respect to rules and regulations adopted
21relative to the disbursal of federal funds under Title XX of the
22federal Social Security Act.
23(c) For purposes of expediting the implementation of state or
24federal legislation to expandbegin delete child careend deletebegin insert early learning and
25educational supportend insert services, the Superintendent may waive (1)
26the regulations regarding the point qualifications for, and the
27process and scoring of, interviews of contract applicants pursuant
28to Section 18002 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations,
29or (2) the time limitations for scheduling and notification of appeal
30hearings and their results
pursuant to Section 18003 of Title 5 of
31the California Code of Regulations. The Superintendent shall
32ensure that the appeal hearings provided for in Section 18003 of
33Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations are conducted in a
34timely manner.
35(d) (1) Early learning and educational support programs
36operated under contract from funds made available pursuant to the
37federal Child Care and Development Fund, shall be administered
38according to Division 19 (commencing with Section 17906) of
39Chapter 1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, unless
40provisions of these regulations conflict with federal regulations.
P47 1If state and federal regulations conflict, the federal regulations
2shall apply unless a waiver of federal regulations is authorized.
3(2) For purposes of this section, “Child Care and Development
4Fund” has the same meaning as in Section 98.2 of
Title 45 of the
5Code of Federal Regulations.
Section 8261.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
8read:
For purposes of meeting state and federal reporting
10requirements and for the effective administration of early learning
11and educational support programs, the Superintendent is authorized
12to require the collection and submission of social security numbers
13of heads of households, and other information as required, from
14public and private agencies contracting with the department
15pursuant to this chapter, including local educational agencies.
Section 8262 of the Education
Code is amended to
18read:
Notwithstanding Sections 14616 and 14780 of the
20Government Code, the Superintendent may enter into and execute
21local contractual agreements with any public or private entity or
22agency for the delivery of early learning and educational support
23services or the furnishing of property, facilities, personnel, supplies,
24equipment, and administrative services related to the delivery of
25early learning and educational support services. Before entering
26into or executing a local agreement, the department shall obtain
27annual approval from the Department of General Services and the
28Department of Finance as to the form and general content thereof.
29The agreements may only be made for the delivery of early learning
30and educational support services, or the furnishing of property,
31facilities, personnel, supplies, equipment, or
administrative services
32related thereto, which conform with the provisions of this chapter.
Section 8263 of the Education
Code is amended to
35read:
(a) The Superintendent shall adopt rules and regulations
37on eligibility, enrollment, and priority of services needed to
38implement this chapter. In order to be eligible for federal and state
39subsidized early learning and educational support services, families
40shall meet at least one requirement in each of the following areas:
P48 1(1) A family is (A) a current aid recipient, (B) income eligible,
2(C) homeless, or (D) one whose children are recipients of protective
3services, or whose children have been identified as being abused,
4neglected, or exploited, or at risk of being abused, neglected, or
5exploited.
6(2) A family needs the child care services (A) because the child
7is identified by a legal, medical, or
social services agency, or
8emergency shelter as (i) a recipient of protective services or (ii)
9being neglected, abused, or exploited, or at risk of neglect, abuse,
10or exploitation, or (B) because the parents are (i) engaged in
11vocational training leading directly to a recognized trade,
12paraprofession, or profession, (ii) employed or seeking
13employment, (iii) seeking permanent housing for family stability,
14or (iv) incapacitated.
15(b) Except as provided in Article 15.5 (commencing with Section
168350), priority for federal and state subsidized early learning and
17educational support services is as follows:
18(1) (A) First priority shall be given to neglected or abused
19children who are recipients of child protective services, or children
20who are at risk of being neglected or abused, upon written referral
21from a legal, medical, or social services agency. If an agency
is
22unable to enroll a child in the first priority category, the agency
23shall refer the family to local resource and referral services to
24locate services for the child.
25(B) A family who is receiving child care on the basis of being
26a child at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, as defined in
27subdivision (i) of Section 8208, is eligible to receive services
28pursuant to subparagraph (A) for up to three months, unless the
29family becomes eligible pursuant to subparagraph (C).
30(C) A family may receive child care services for up to 12 months
31on the basis of a certification by the county child welfare agency
32that child care services continue to be necessary or, if the child is
33receiving child protective services during that period of time, and
34the family requires child care and remains otherwise eligible. This
35time limit does not apply if the family’s referral is recertified by
36the
county child welfare agency.
37(2) Second priority shall be given equally to eligible families,
38regardless of the number of parents in the home, who are income
39eligible. Within this priority, families with the lowest gross monthly
40income in relation to family size, as determined by a schedule
P49 1adopted by the Superintendent, shall be admitted first. If two or
2more families are in the same priority in relation to income, the
3family that has a child with exceptional needs shall be admitted
4first. If there is no family of the same priority with a child with
5exceptional needs, the same priority family that has been on the
6waiting list for the longest time shall be admitted first. For purposes
7of determining order of admission, the grants of public assistance
8recipients shall be counted as income.
9(3) The Superintendent shall set criteria for and may grant
10specific waivers of the
priorities established in this subdivision for
11agencies that wish to serve specific populations, including children
12with exceptional needs or children of prisoners. These new waivers
13shall not include proposals to avoid appropriate fee schedules or
14admit ineligible families, but may include proposals to accept
15members of special populations in other than strict income order,
16as long as appropriate fees are paid.
17(c) Notwithstanding any other law, in order to promote
18continuity of services, a family enrolled in a state or federally
19fundedbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and educational
20supportend insert program whose services would otherwise be terminated
21because the family no longer meets the program income, eligibility,
22or need criteria may continue to
receivebegin delete child developmentend delete services
23in another state or federally fundedbegin delete child care and developmentend delete
24begin insert early learning and educational supportend insert program if the contractor
25is able to transfer the family’s enrollment to another program for
26which the family is eligible before the date of termination of
27services or to exchange the family’s existing enrollment with the
28enrollment of a family in another program, provided that both
29families satisfy the eligibility requirements for the program in
30which they are being enrolled. The transfer of enrollment may be
31to another program within the same administrative agency or to
32another agency that administers state or federally fundedbegin delete child begin insert
early learning and educational supportend insert
33care and developmentend delete
34 programs.
35(d) In order to promote continuity of services, the Superintendent
36may extend the 60-working-day period specified in subdivision
37(a) of Section 18086.5 of Title 5 of the California Code of
38Regulations for an additional 60 working days if he or she
39determines that opportunities for employment have diminished to
40the degree that one or both parents cannot reasonably be expected
P50 1to find employment within 60 working days and granting the
2extension is in the public interest. The scope of extensions granted
3pursuant to this subdivision shall be limited to the necessary
4geographic areas and affected persons, which shall be described
5in the Superintendent’s order granting the extension. It is the intent
6of the Legislature that extensions granted pursuant to this
7subdivision improve services in areas with high unemployment
8rates and areas with disproportionately high numbers of
seasonal
9agricultural jobs.
10(e) A physical examination and evaluation, including
11age-appropriate immunization, shall be required before, or within
12six weeks of, enrollment. A standard, rule, or regulation shall not
13require medical examination or immunization for admission to an
14early learning and educational support program of a child whose
15parent or guardian files a letter with the governing board of the
16program stating that the medical examination or immunization is
17contrary to his or her religious beliefs, or provide for the exclusion
18of a child from the program because of a parent or guardian having
19filed the letter. However, if there is good cause to believe that a
20child is suffering from a recognized contagious or infectious
21disease, the child shall be temporarily excluded from the program
22until the governing board of the program is satisfied that the child
23is not suffering from that contagious or infectious disease.
24(f) Regulations formulated and promulgated pursuant to this
25section shall include the recommendations of the State Department
26of Health Care Services relative to health care screening and the
27provision of health care services. The Superintendent shall seek
28the advice and assistance of these health authorities in situations
29where service under this chapter includes or requires care of
30children who are ill or children with exceptional needs.
31(g) (1) The Superintendent shall establish a fee schedule for
32families utilizing early learning and educational support services
33pursuant to this chapter, including families receiving services under
34paragraph (1) of subdivision (b). Families receiving services under
35subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) may be
36exempt from these fees for up to three months. Families receiving
37services under subparagraph (C) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision
38(b) may be exempt from these fees for up to 12 months. The
39cumulative period of time of exemption from these fees for families
P51 1receiving services under paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) shall not
2exceed 12 months.
3(2) The income of a recipient of federal supplemental security
4income benefits pursuant to Title XVI of the federal Social Security
5Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1381 et seq.) and state supplemental program
6benefits pursuant to Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act
7(42 U.S.C. Sec. 1381 et seq.) and Chapter 3 (commencing with
8Section 12000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
9Institutions Code shall not be included as income for purposes of
10determining the amount of the family fee.
11(h) (1) The family fee schedule shall provide, among other
12things, that a contractor or provider may require parents to provide
13diapers. A
contractor or provider offering field trips either may
14include the cost of the field trips within the service rate charged
15to the parent or may charge parents an additional fee. Federal or
16state money shall not be used to reimburse parents for the costs of
17field trips if those costs are charged as an additional fee. A
18contractor or provider that charges parents an additional fee for
19field trips shall inform parents, before enrolling the child, that a
20fee may be charged and that no reimbursement will be available.
21(2) A contractor or provider may charge parents for field trips
22or require parents to provide diapers only under the following
23circumstances:
24(A) The provider has a written policy that is adopted by the
25agency’s governing board that includes parents in the
26decisionmaking process regarding both of the following:
27(i) Whether or not, and how much, to charge for field trip
28expenses.
29(ii) Whether or not to require parents to provide diapers.
30(B) The maximum total of charges per child in a contract year
31does not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25).
32(C) A child shall not be denied participation in a field trip due
33to the parent’s inability or refusal to pay the charge. Adverse action
34shall not be taken against a parent for that inability or refusal.
35(3) Each contractor or provider shall establish a payment system
36that prevents the identification of children based on whether or
37not their parents have paid a field trip charge.
38(4) Expenses incurred and income received for field trips
39pursuant to
this section shall be reported to the department. The
P52 1income received for field trips shall be reported specifically as
2restricted income.
3(i) The Superintendent shall establish guidelines for the
4collection of employer-sponsored child care benefit payments from
5a parent whose child receives subsidized early learning and
6educational support services. These guidelines shall provide for
7the collection of the full amount of the benefit payment, but not
8to exceed the actual cost of early learning and educational support
9services provided, notwithstanding the applicable fee based on the
10fee schedule.
11(j) The Superintendent shall establish guidelines according to
12which the director or a duly authorized representative of the early
13learning and educational support program will certify children as
14eligible for state reimbursement pursuant to this section.
15(k) Public funds shall not be paid directly or indirectly to an
16agency that does not pay at least the minimum wage to each of its
17employees.
Section 8263.2 of the
Education Code is amended to
20read:
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, effective July 1,
222011, the department shall reduce the maximum reimbursable
23amounts of the contracts for the Preschool Education Program, the
24General Child Care Program, the Migrant Day Care Program, the
25Alternative Payment Program, the CalWORKs Stage 3 Program,
26and the Allowance for Handicapped Program by 11 percent or by
27whatever proportion is necessary to ensure that expenditures for
28these programs do not exceed the amounts appropriated for them,
29including any reductions made subsequent to the adoption of the
30annual Budget Act. The department may consider the contractor’s
31performance or whether the contractor serves children in an
32underserved area, as defined in subdivision (ah) of Section 8208,
33when determining contract reductions, provided that the aggregate
34reduction to each program
specified in this subdivision is 11
35percent or by whatever proportion is necessary to ensure that
36expenditures for these programs do not exceed the amounts
37appropriated for them, including any reductions made subsequent
38to the adoption of the annual Budget Act.
39(b) Notwithstanding any other law, effective July 1, 2011,
40families shall be disenrolled from subsidized services, consistent
P53 1with the priorities for services specified in subdivision (b) of
2Section 8263. Families shall be disenrolled in the following order:
3(1) Families whose income exceeds 70 percent of the state
4median income (SMI) adjusted for family size, except for families
5whose children are receiving child protective services or are at
6risk of being neglected or abused.
7(2) Families with the highest income below 70 percent of the
8SMI, in relation to
family size.
9(3) Families that have the same income and have been enrolled
10in services the longest.
11(4) Families that have the same income and have a child with
12exceptional needs.
13(5) Families whose children are receiving child protective
14services or are at risk of being neglected or abused, regardless of
15family income.
Section 8263.3 of the
Education Code is amended to
18read:
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, and in addition to
20any reductions applied pursuant to Section 8263.2, effective July
211, 2012, the department shall reduce the maximum reimbursable
22amounts of the contracts for the General Child Care Program, the
23Migrant Day Care Program, the Alternative Payment Program, the
24CalWORKs Stage 3 Program, and the Allowance for Handicapped
25Program by 8.7 percent or by whatever proportion is necessary to
26ensure that expenditures for these programs do not exceed the
27amounts appropriated for them, as adjusted for any reductions in
28appropriations made subsequent to the adoption of the annual
29Budget Act. The department may consider the contractor’s
30performance or whether the contractor serves children in an
31underserved area, as defined in subdivision (ah) of Section 8208,
32when determining contract
reductions, provided that the aggregate
33reduction to each program specified in this subdivision is 8.7
34percent or whatever proportion is necessary to ensure that
35expenditures for these programs do not exceed the amounts
36appropriated for them, as adjusted for any reductions in
37appropriations made subsequent to the adoption of the annual
38Budget Act.
39(b) Notwithstanding any other law, effective July 1, 2012,
40families shall be disenrolled from subsidized services, consistent
P54 1with the priorities for services specified in subdivision (b) of
2Section 8263. Families shall be disenrolled in the following order:
3(1) Families with the highest income in relation to family size.
4(2) Families that have the same income and have been enrolled
5in services the longest.
6(3) Families that have the same income and have a child with
7exceptional needs.
8(4) Families whose children are receiving child protective
9services or are at risk of being neglected or abused, regardless of
10family income.
Section 8263.4 of the
Education Code is amended to
13read:
(a) The preferred placement for children who are 11
15or 12 years of age and who are otherwise eligible for subsidized
16early learning and educational support services shall be in a before
17or after school program.
18(b) Children who are 11 or 12 years of age shall be eligible for
19subsidized services only for the portion of care needed that is not
20available in a before or after school program provided pursuant to
21Article 22.5 (commencing with Section 8482) or Article 22.6
22(commencing with Section 8484.7). Contractors shall provide each
23family of an eligible 11- or 12-year-old child with the option of
24combining care provided in a before or after school program with
25subsidized care in another setting, for those hours within a day
26when the before or after school program
does not operate, in order
27to meet the needs of the family.
28(c) Children who are 11 or 12 years of age, who are eligible for
29and who are receiving subsidized services, and for whom a before
30or after school program is not available, shall continue to receive
31subsidized services.
32(d) A before or after school program shall be considered not
33available when a parent certifies in writing, on a form provided
34by the department that is translated into the parent’s primary
35language pursuant to Sections 7295.4 and 7296.2 of the
36Government Code, the reason or reasons why the program would
37not meet the needs of the family. The reasons why a before or after
38school program shall be considered not available shall include,
39but not be limited to, any of the following:
P55 1(1) The program does not provide services when needed during
2the
year, such as during the summer, school breaks, or intersession.
3(2) The program does not provide services when needed during
4the day, such as in the early morning, evening, or weekend hours.
5(3) The program is too geographically distant from the child’s
6school of attendance.
7(4) The program is too geographically distant from the parents’
8residence.
9(5) Use of the program would create substantial transportation
10obstacles for the family.
11(6) Any other reason that makes the use of before or after school
12care inappropriate for the child or burdensome on the family.
13(e) If an 11- or 12-year-old child who is enrolled in a
subsidized
14early learning and educational support program becomes ineligible
15for subsidized care under subdivision (b) and is disenrolled from
16the before or after school program, or if the before or after school
17program no longer meets the needs of the family, the child shall
18be given priority to return to the subsidized early learning and
19educational support services upon the parent’s notification of the
20contractor of the need for child care.
21(f) This section does not apply to an 11- or 12-year-old child
22with a disability, including a child with exceptional needs who has
23an individualized education program as required by the federal
24Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400
25et seq.), Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
26U.S.C. Sec. 794), or Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000) of
27Division 4 of Title 2.
28(g) The savings generated each
contract year by the
29implementation of the changes made to this section by Chapter 78
30of the Statutes of 2005 shall remain with eachbegin delete alternative payment early learning and educational support
31program,end deletebegin delete center, or otherend delete
32begin insert services end insertcontractor for the provision of services, except for care
33provided by programs pursuant to Article 15.5 (commencing with
34Section 8350). Each contractor shall report annually to the
35department the amount of savings resulting from this
36implementation, and the department shall report annually to the
37Legislature the amount of savings statewide resulting from that
38implementation.
Section 8264 of the Education
Code is amended to
3read:
By July 1, 1981, and annually thereafter, the State
5Department of Health Care Services shall provide a mechanism
6for the delivery of health screening and followup services for
7children enrolled in early learning and educational support
8programs for whom there are no appropriate health services
9accessible by referral.
Section 8264.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
12read:
The Superintendent may waive or modify requirements
14in order to enablebegin delete direct classroom services programsend deletebegin insert contractors
15administering direct early learning servicesend insert to serve combinations
16of eligible children in areas of low population. The programs for
17which the Superintendent may grant waivers shall include, but
18need not be limited to, California state preschool full-day program
19services, services provided by the California School Age Families
20Education Program (Article 7.1 (commencing with Section 54740)
21of Chapter 9 of Part 29 of Division 4 of Title 2), infant and toddler
22services, migrant services, andbegin delete general direct classroom services begin insert
direct early learning programs operating pursuant to
23programs.end delete
24Article 8 (commencing with Section 8240).end insert
Section 8264.6 of the
Education Code is amended to
27read:
The Superintendent may provide outreach services and
29technical assistance to new applicants or contracting agencies and
30to those providing services during nontraditional times, in
31underserved geographic areas, and for children with specific service
32needs, including infants and toddlers under three years of age.
Section 8264.7 of the
Education Code is amended to
35read:
(a) The Superintendent shall establish rules and
37regulations for the staffing of all directbegin delete classroom services begin insert early learning servicesend insert under contract with the
38programsend delete
39department.
P57 1(b) Priority shall be given by the department to the employment
2of persons in directbegin delete classroom services programsend deletebegin insert early learning
3servicesend insert
with ethnic backgrounds that are similar to those of the
4child for whom services are provided.
5(c) For purposes of staffing directbegin delete classroom services programs,end delete
6begin insert early learning services, end insertthe role of a teacher in child supervision
7means direct supervision of the children as well as supervision of
8aides and groups of children.
9(d) Family child care homes shall operate pursuant to
10adult-to-child ratios prescribed in Chapter 7 (commencing with
11Section 86001) of Division 6 of Title 22 of the California Code of
12Regulations.
13(e) Approval by the Superintendent of any ongoing or new
14programs seeking to operate under the
ratios and standards
15established by the Superintendent under this chapter shall be based
16upon the following considerations:
17(1) The type of facility in which care is being or is to be
18provided.
19(2) The ability of the Superintendent to implement a funding
20source change.
21(3) The proportion of nonsubsidized children enrolled or to be
22enrolled by the agency.
23(4) The most cost-effective ratios possible for the type of
24services provided or to be provided by the agency.
25(f) The Superintendent shall apply for waivers of federal
26requirements as are necessary to carry out this section.
Section 8264.8 of the Education Code is repealed.
Section 8264.8 is added to the
Education Code, to
31read:
(a) Early learning and educational support programs
33shall maintain at least the following minimum ratios in all direct
34begin deleteclassroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert services except for family child care
35home education networks operating pursuant to Article 8.5
36(commencing with Section 8245):
37(1) Infants, birth to 18 months old--1:3 adult-to-child ratio,
381:18 teacher-to-child ratio.
39(2) Toddlers, 18 months up to their third birthday--1:4
40adult-to-child ratio, 1:16 teacher-to-child ratio.
P58 1(3) Preschool, at least 30 months to kindergarten eligibility--1:8
2adult-to-child ratio, 1:24 teacher-to-child ratio.
3(4) Schoolage, enrolled in kindergarten to their 13th
4birthday--1:14 adult-to-child ratio, 1:28 teacher-to-child ratio.
5(b) Compliance with the ratios established by subdivision (a)
6shall be determined based on actual attendance.
Section 8265 of the Education
Code is amended to
9read:
(a) The Superintendent shall implement a plan that
11establishes reasonable standards and assigned reimbursement rates,
12which vary with the length of the program year and the hours of
13service.
14(1) Parent fees shall be used to pay reasonable and necessary
15costs for providing additional services.
16(2) When establishing standards and assigned reimbursement
17rates, the Superintendent shall confer with applicant agencies.
18(3) The reimbursement system, including standards and rates,
19shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.
20(4) The Superintendent may establish any regulations he or she
21deems advisable concerning conditions of service and hours of
22enrollment for children in the programs.
23(b) The standard reimbursement rate shall be three thousand
24five hundred twenty-three dollars ($3,523) per unit of average
25daily enrollment for a 250-day year, increased by the cost-of-living
26adjustment granted by the Legislature beginning July 1, 1980.
27(c) The plan shall require agencies having an assigned
28reimbursement rate above the current year standard reimbursement
29rate to reduce costs on an incremental basis to achieve the standard
30reimbursement rate.
31(d) The plan shall provide for adjusting reimbursement on a
32case-by-case basis, in order to maintain service levels for agencies
33currently at a rate less than the standard reimbursement
rate.
34Assigned reimbursement rates shall be increased only on the basis
35of one or more of the following:
36(1) Loss of program resources from other sources.
37(2) Need of an agency to pay the same rates as those prevailing
38in the local community.
39(3) Increased costs directly attributable to new or different
40regulations.
P59 1(4) Documented increased costs necessary to maintain the prior
2year’s level of service and ensure the continuation of threatened
3programs. Agencies funded at the lowest rates shall be given first
4priority for increases.
5(e) The plan shall provide for expansion ofbegin delete early learning and begin insert
direct early learning servicesend insert at no
6educational support programsend delete
7more than the standard reimbursement rate for that fiscal year.
8(f) The Superintendent may reduce the percentage of reduction
9for a public agency that satisfies any of the following:
10(1) Serves more than 400 children.
11(2) Has in effect a collective bargaining agreement.
12(3) Has other extenuating circumstances that apply, as
13determined by the Superintendent.
Section 8266 of the Education
Code is amended to
16read:
(a) Notwithstanding Section 8265, the assigned
18reimbursement rate of a directbegin delete classroom servicesend deletebegin insert early learningend insert
19 program (1) contracting with the department, (2) operating under
20licensing standards for child care and development facilities
21specified by Section 1500 et seq. of the Health and Safety Code
22and by Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, and (3) with
23less than a majority of subsidized children enrolled in the facility,
24shall be equivalent to the fee paid for the same service by families
25of nonsubsidized children.
26(b) It
is not the intent of the Legislature to preclude an agency
27with a contract with the department from adjusting the fees charged
28to nonsubsidized children during the contract year. In no event
29shall the assigned reimbursement rate exceed the standard
30reimbursement rate established pursuant to Section 8265.
31(c) An agency subject to this section shall provide
32documentation to the department that subsidized children, as
33necessary and appropriate, shall receive supportive services through
34county welfare departments, resource and referral programs, or
35other existing community resources, or all of them.
Section 8266.1 of the
Education Code is amended to
38read:
Commencing with the 1995-96 fiscal year and each
40fiscal year thereafter, for the purposes of this chapter,
P60 1reimbursement rates shall be adjusted by the following
2reimbursement factors for directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert services
3begin delete programsend delete with a standard reimbursement rate, but shall not apply
4to the resource and referral programs set forth in Article 2
5(commencing with Section 8210), the alternative payment programs
6set forth in Article 3 (commencing with Section 8220),begin insert
orend insert the
7part-day California state preschool programs set forth in Article 7
8(commencing with Sectionbegin delete 8235), the schoolage community child
9care services programs set forth in Article 22 (commencing with
10Section 8460), or to the schoolage parent and infant development
11
programs:end delete
12(a) For directbegin delete classroom services program providersend deletebegin insert early
13learning servicesend insert serving children for less than four hours per day,
14the reimbursement factor is 55 percent of the standard
15reimbursement rate.
16(b) For directbegin delete classroom services program providersend deletebegin insert early
17learning servicesend insert serving children for not less than four hours per
18day, and less than six and one-half hours per
day, the
19reimbursement factor is 75 percent of the standard reimbursement
20rate.begin delete For providers operating under the At Risk Child Care Program
21set forth in Article 15.5 (commencing with Section 8350) and
22serving children for not less than four hours per day, and less than
23seven hours per day, the reimbursement factor is 75 percent of the
24standard reimbursement rate.end delete
25(c) For directbegin delete classroom services program providersend deletebegin insert early
26learning servicesend insert serving children for not less than six and one-half
27hours per day, and less than 101⁄2 hours per day, the reimbursement
28factor is 100
percent of the standard reimbursement rate.begin delete For
29providers operating under the At Risk Child Care Program set
30forth in Article 15.5 (commencing with Section 8350) and serving
31children for not less than seven hours per day, and less than 10
32hours per day, the reimbursement factor is 100 percent of the
33standard reimbursement rate.end delete
34(d) For directbegin delete classroom services program providersend deletebegin insert
early
35learning servicesend insert serving children for 101⁄2 hours or more per day,
36the reimbursement factor is 118 percent of the standard
37reimbursement rate.
Section 8272 of the Education
Code is amended to
40read:
(a) The rules, regulations, and guidelines adopted by
2the Superintendent pursuant to Sections 8261 and 8269 shall permit
3reimbursement for interest paid by contractors on private sector
4debt financing for the purchase, lease-purchase, repair, or
5renovation ofbegin delete child care and developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and
6educational supportend insert facilities owned or leased by contractors
7providing early learning and educational support services.
8(b) The Superintendent shall adopt regulations requiring
9contractors to demonstrate that the amount of interest paid
in a
10year on private sector debt financing for the purposes identified
11in subdivision (a) does not exceed the value obtained by the state
12in the use of the facilities during the year for the early learning
13and educational support services program. The regulations shall
14include, but not be limited to, the following methods of making
15this demonstration:
16(1) Amortization of a loan or lease-purchase contract on a
17straight-line basis for the purchase price of a portable building,
18including any transportation charges, installation charges, loan
19fees, taxes, points, or other fees associated with the purchase, over
20a period of 15 years or more.
21(2) Amortization of a loan or lease-purchase contract on a
22straight-line basis for the purchase price of a permanent building
23and real estate, including any loan fees, taxes, points, or other fees
24associated with the purchase, over a period of 15
years or more.
25(3) Evidence acceptable to the Superintendent that loan
26payments for the purchase of a portable building or permanent
27building and real estate, including principal and interest, do not
28exceed the fair market rental cost that the contractor would have
29paid if the property was not purchased.
30(c) Loans or lease-purchase agreements amortized over the
31number of years designated in subdivision (b), but due in a fewer
32number of years, shall not be disallowed because of the shorter
33due date.
Section 8275 of the Education
Code is amended to
36read:
(a) The Superintendent may reimburse approvable
38startup costs of agencies or facilities in an amount not to exceed
3915 percent of the expansion or increase of each agency’s total
40contract amount. Under no circumstances shall reimbursement for
P62 1startup costs result in an increase in the agency’s total contract
2amount. These funds shall be available for all of the following:
3(1) The employment and orientation of necessary staff.
4(2) The setting up of the program and facility.
5(3) The finalization of rental agreements and the making of
6necessary deposits.
7(4) The purchase of a reasonable inventory of materials and
8supplies.
9(5) The purchase of an initial premium for insurance.
10(b) Agencies shall submit claims for startup costs with their first
11quarterly reports.
12(c) The Legislature recognizes that allowances for startup costs
13are necessary for the establishment and stability of new early
14learning and educational support programs.
Section 8276.7 of the
Education Code is amended to
17read:
Unless specifically exempted by the Legislature, the
19administrative cost for all state-funded early learning and
20educational support programs and all federal programs
21administered by the state shall not exceed 15 percent of the funds
22provided for those programs. Eighty-five percent of these funds
23shall be used to provide direct services in accordance with rules
24and regulations, or contractual funding terms and conditions
25prescribed by the Superintendent.
Section 8277 of the Education
Code is amended to
28read:
(a) The Superintendent shall establish regulations for
30the allocation of capital outlay funds provided pursuant to Sections
318277.1 to 8277.4, inclusive, to benefit children most needing early
32learning and educational support programs. The first priority for
33all capital outlay shall be given to facilities located in geographic
34areas with no other available enrollment slots in existing subsidized
35and nonsubsidized child care and development facilities. This
36capital outlay funding shall be used solely for purposes of
37renovation and repair of existing buildings.
38(b) The Superintendent shall establish qualifications for
39determining the eligibility of contracting agencies and day care
40homes to apply for capital outlay
funds.
Section 8277.8 of the
Education Code is amended to
3read:
(a) In the event that a school district elects to
5discontinue its contract forbegin delete child developmentend deletebegin insert early learning and
6educational supportend insert services, the facilities owned by the school
7district and constructed through the provisions of the local tax
8override for early learning and educational support program
9purposes shall be made available to the local contractor whose bid
10is accepted for continuation of the services.
11(b) The rent for the facilities shall not exceed the prevailing
12rental rate for such
facilities.
Section 8278.3 of the
Education Code is amended to
15read:
(a) (1) The Child Care Facilities Revolving Fund is
17hereby established in the State Treasury to provide funding for the
18renovation, repair, or improvement of an existing building to make
19the building suitable for licensure for early learning and educational
20support services and for the purchase of new relocatable child care
21facilities for lease to school districts and contracting agencies that
22provide early learning and educational support services pursuant
23to this chapter. The Superintendent may transfer state funds
24appropriated for child care facilities into this fund for allocation
25to school districts and contracting agencies, as specified, for the
26purchase, transportation, and installation of facilities for
27replacement and expansion of capacity. School districts and
28contracting agencies using facilities
made available by the use of
29these funds shall be charged a leasing fee, either at a fair market
30value for those facilities or at an amount sufficient to amortize the
31cost of purchase and relocation, whichever amount is lower, over
32a 10-year period. Upon full repayment of the purchase and
33relocation costs, title shall transfer from the State of California to
34the school district or contracting agency. The Superintendent shall
35deposit all revenue derived from the lease payments into the Child
36Care Facilities Revolving Fund.
37(2) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code,
38all moneys in the fund, including moneys deposited from lease
39payments, are continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal
40years, to the Superintendent for expenditure pursuant to this article.
P64 1(b) On or before August 1 of each fiscal year, the Superintendent
2shall submit to the Department of Finance
and the Legislative
3Analyst’s Office a report detailing the number of funding requests
4received and their purpose, the types of agencies that received
5funding from the Child Care Facilities Revolving Fund, the
6increased capacity that these facilities generated, a description of
7the manner in which the facilities are being used, and a projection
8of the lease payments collected and the funds available for future
9use.
10(c) A school district or county office of education that provides
11begin delete child careend deletebegin insert servicesend insert
pursuant to the California School Age Families
12Education Program (Article 7.1 (commencing with Section 54740)
13of Chapter 9 of Part 29 of Division 4 of Title 2) is eligible to apply
14for and receive funding pursuant to this section.
Section 8279.1 of the
Education Code is amended to
17read:
(a) The Legislature recognizes that early learning and
19educational support programs have made valuable contributions
20towards ensuring that public assistance recipients will be able to
21accept and maintain employment or employment-related training.
22Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that the Superintendent
23ensure that counties comply with the requirements of Section 8279.
24(b) The Superintendent shall ensure each county’s compliance
25with Section 8279 by not issuing funds to a local contractor within
26a county until the Superintendent has received written certification
27from that county that the level of expenditure for services provided
28by the county has been maintained at the 1970-71 fiscal year level
29pursuant to
Section 8279. Funding provided by a county to a local
30contractor shall not adversely affect the reimbursement received
31by the agency from the Superintendent pursuant to Section 8265,
328265.5, or 8266.
Section 8279.3 of the
Education Code is amended to
35read:
(a) The department shall disburse augmentations to
37the base allocation for the expansion of early learning and
38educational support programs to promote equal access to these
39services across the state.
P65 1(b) The Superintendent shall use the formula developed pursuant
2to subdivision (c) and the priorities identified by local planning
3councils, unless those priorities do not meet the requirements of
4state or federal law, as a guide in disbursing augmentations
5pursuant to subdivision (a).
6(c) The Superintendent shall develop a formula for prioritizing
7the disbursement of augmentations pursuant to this section. The
8formula shall give priority to allocating funds to
underserved areas.
9The Superintendent shall develop the formula by using the
10definition of “underserved area” in subdivision (ah) of Section
118208 and direct impact indicators of need for early learning and
12educational support services in the county or subcounty areas. For
13purposes of this section, “subcounty areas” include, but are not
14limited to, school districts, census tracts, or ZIP Code areas that
15are deemed by the Superintendent to be most appropriate to the
16type of program receiving an augmentation. Direct impact
17indicators of need may include, but are not limited to, the teenage
18pregnancy rate, the unemployment rate, area household income,
19or the number or percentage of families receiving public assistance,
20eligible for Medi-Cal, or eligible for free or reduced-price school
21meals, and any unique characteristics of the population served by
22the type of program receiving an augmentation.
23(d) To promote equal access to services, the
Superintendent
24shall include in guidelines developed for use by local planning
25councils pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 8499.5 guidance
26on identifying underserved areas and populations within counties.
27This guidance shall include reference to the direct impact indicators
28of need described in subdivision (c).
Section 8279.4 of the
Education Code is amended to
31read:
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
33(a) There is a serious shortage of quality child day care facilities
34throughout the state.
35(b) It is in the interest of the state’s children and families, and
36the state’s economic growth, to encourage the expansion of existing
37child day care facilities by assisting communities and interested
38government and private entities to finance child day care facilities.
39(c) In addition to regional resource centers described in
40Provision 7(d) of Item 6110-196-0001 of the Budget Act of 1999,
P66 1which focus on developing care capacity in underserved areas of
2the state, there is a need
to access capital for facilities on a
3systematic basis, especially to use limited public sector funds to
4leverage a greater private sector role in financing child day care
5facilities. The Legislature finds and declares that a financial
6intermediary could fill this role and support the regional resource
7centers and other local entities that work with potential providers
8by functioning as a centralized repository of training, best practices,
9and expertise on facilities financing.
Section 8279.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
12read:
(a) The Superintendent shall contract with a nonprofit
14organization to serve as a financial intermediary. The nonprofit
15organization shall have staff who have expertise in financing and
16capital expansion, are knowledgeable about the early learning and
17educational support field, and have the ability to develop and
18implement a plan to increase the availability of financing to
19renovate, expand, and construct child day care facilities, both in
20centers and family child care homes.
21(b) The financial intermediary selected by the Superintendent
22shall undertake activities designed to increase funds available from
23the private and public sectors for the financing of child day care
24facilities. These activities shall include, but are not
limited to, all
25of the following:
26(1) Soliciting capital grants and program-related investments
27from foundations and corporations.
28(2) Building partnerships with foundations and corporations.
29(3) Developing lending commitments, linked deposits, and other
30financing programs with conventional financial institutions.
31(4) Coordinating private sources of capital with existing public
32sector sources of financing for child day care facilities, including,
33but not limited to, the Department of Housing and Community
34Development and the California Infrastructure and Economic
35Development Bank.
36(5) Coordinating financing efforts with the technical assistance
37provided by the regional resource centers
described in Provision
387(d) of Item 6110-196-0001 of the Budget Act of 1999, and other
39local entities that work with potential providers.
P67 1(c) This section shall only be implemented to the extent that
2funds are appropriated for this purpose in the annual Budget Act.
Section 8279.7 of the
Education Code is amended to
5read:
(a) The Legislature recognizes the importance of
7providing high-quality early learning and educational support
8services. It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to assist
9counties in improving the retention and professional growth of
10qualified instructional employees who work directly with children
11who receive state-subsidizedbegin delete early learning and educational supportend delete
12begin insert direct early learning end insertservices.
13(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature, in amending this
14section during the 2009-10 Regular Session, to address the unique
15challenges of the County of Los Angeles, in
which an estimated
1660,000 low-income children receive subsidized care in
17nonstate-funded child care settings and an additional 50,000
18eligible children are waiting for subsidized services.
19(c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the funds
20appropriated for the purposes of this section by paragraph (11) of
21Schedule (b) of Item 6110-196-0001 of Section 2.00 of the Budget
22Act of 2000 (Chapter 52 of the Statutes of 2000), and that are
23described in subdivision (i) of Provision 7 of that item, and any
24other funds appropriated for purposes of this section, shall be
25allocated to local planning councils based on the percentage of
26state-subsidized, directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert
early learningend insert services funds
27received in that county, and shall be used to address the retention
28of qualified instructional employees in state-subsidized centers.
29(2) Of the funds identified in paragraph (1), funds qualified
30pursuant to subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, may also be used
31to address the retention and professional growth of qualified
32persons working in licensed early learning and educational support
33programs and that serve a majority of children who receive
34subsidized directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert services pursuant to
35this chapter, including, but not limited to, family day care homes
36as defined in Section 1596.78 of the Health and Safety Code. To
37qualify for use pursuant to this paragraph, the
funds shall meet all
38of the following requirements:
39(A) The funds are allocated for use in the County of Los
40Angeles.
P68 1(B) The funds are appropriated in the annual Budget Act.
2(C) The funds are unexpended after addressing the retention of
3qualified employees in state-subsidized centers and family child
4care home education networks.
5(d) The department shall develop guidelines for use by local
6planning councils in developing county plans for the expenditure
7of funds allocated pursuant to this section. These guidelines shall
8be consistent with the department’s assessment of the current needs
9of the subsidized workforce, and shall be subject to the approval
10of the Department of Finance. Any county plan developed pursuant
11to these guidelines shall be approved
by the department before the
12allocation of funds to the local planning council.
13(e) Funds provided to a county for the purposes of this section
14shall be used in accordance with the plan approved pursuant to
15subdivision (d). A county with an approved plan may retain up to
161 percent of the county’s total allocation made pursuant to this
17section for reimbursement of administrative expenses associated
18with the planning process.
19(f) The Superintendent shall provide an annual report, no later
20than April 10 of each year, to the Legislature, the Department of
21Finance, and the Governor that includes, but is not limited to, a
22summary of the distribution of the funds by county and a
23description of the use of the funds.
Section 8282 of the
Education Code is amended to
26read:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the state
28makes a substantial, annual investment in preschool, infant and
29toddler, and schoolage early learning and educational support
30programs for eligible families. It is in the best interests of children
31and their families, and the taxpayers of California, to have
32information about the development and learning abilities of
33children developed in these settings, health and other information
34transferred to, or otherwise available to, the pupil’s elementary
35school.
36(b) When a child in a state-funded preschool or infant and
37toddler program will be transferring to a local public school, the
38preschool or infant and toddler program shall provide the parent
39or guardian with information
from the previous year deemed
40beneficial to the pupil and the public school teacher, including,
P69 1but not limited to, development issues, social interaction abilities,
2health background, and diagnostic assessments, if any. The
3preschool or infant and toddler program may, with the permission
4of the parent or guardian, transfer this information to the pupil’s
5elementary school.
6(c) Any child who has participated in a state subsidized
7California state preschool program that maintains results-based
8standards, including the desired results accountability system, may
9have the performance information transferred to any subsequent
10or concurrent public school setting. Any transferred information
11shall be in summary form and only accomplished with the
12permission of the parent or guardian.
Section 8320 of the Education
Code is amended to
15read:
The governing board of any school district or a county
17superintendent of schools with the approval of the county board
18of education is authorized to establish and maintain early learning
19and educational support programs upon the approval of, and subject
20to the regulations of the Superintendent.
Section 8321 of the Education
Code is amended to
23read:
(a) The county superintendent of schools in each county,
25with the approval of the county board of education and the
26Superintendent, shall have the authority to establish and maintain
27directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early learningend insert servicesbegin delete programsend delete in the same
28manner and to the same extent as governing boards of school or
29community college districts, except that nothing in this section
30shall be construed as vesting in the county superintendents of
31schools any authority to alone effect the levy and collection of any
32county, school, or
other local taxes for the support of any direct
33begin delete classroom services programs.end deletebegin insert early learning services.end insert
34(b) The establishment and maintenance of any directbegin delete classroom
35services
programend delete
36superintendent of schools shall be undertaken, subject to the prior
37approval of both the county board of education and the
38Superintendent, upon the application of one or more school districts
39under his or her jurisdiction.
Section 8324 of the Education
Code is amended to
3read:
The employees of school districts or community college
5districts, or county superintendents of schools in directbegin delete classroom begin insert early learning servicesend insert under this division shall
6services programsend delete
7have the same rights and privileges as are granted to employees
8of the same agencies in children’s centers.
Section 8327 of the Education
Code is amended to
11read:
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the
13governing board of a school district or community college district,
14county superintendent of schools, or other unit of local general
15purpose government may enter into agreements with any city, city
16and county, or other public agency, or with a private foundation,
17nonprofit corporation, or proprietary agency for the furnishing to,
18or use by, the governing board, county superintendent of schools,
19or other unit of local general purpose government in carrying out
20the provisions of this chapter, of property, facilities, personnel,
21supplies, equipment, and other necessary items and such city,
22county, city and county, other public agency, or private foundation
23or nonprofit corporation, is authorized to enter into the
agreements.
Section 8328 of the Education
Code is amended to
26read:
(a) The governing board of any school district or the
28county superintendent of schools shall establish in the county
29treasury a fund to be known as the “child development fund” into
30which shall be paid all funds received by the district or the county
31for, or from the operation of, early learning and educational support
32services under this chapter. The costs incurred in the maintenance
33and operation of services shall be paid from the fund, with
34accounting to reflect specific funding sources.
35(b) Funds of a district derived from the receipt of district taxes
36or derived from moneys apportioned to the district for the support
37of schools of the district, in addition to state moneys appropriated
38for the support of services, fees,
and federal funds, may be
39expended for, or in connection with these services.
Section 8329 of the Education
Code is amended to
3read:
The governing board of any school district maintaining
5an early learning and educational support program may include in
6its budget the amount necessary to initiate, operate, and maintain
7a program pursuant to this chapter and the board of supervisors
8shall levy a school district tax necessary to raise that amount. The
9tax shall be in addition to any other school district tax authorized
10by law to be levied.
The heading of Article 15.2 (commencing with
13Section 8335) of Chapter 2 of
Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 14Education Code is amended to read:
15
Section 8335.1 of the
Education Code is amended to
21read:
Before implementing the local subsidy plan, the City
23and County of San Francisco, in consultation with the department,
24shall develop an individualized county subsidy plan for the city
25and county that includes the following four elements:
26(a) An assessment to identify the city and county’s goal for its
27subsidized care system. The assessment shall examine whether
28the current structure of subsidized care funding adequately supports
29working families in the city and county and whether the city and
30county’s goals coincide with the state’s requirements for funding,
31eligibility, priority, and reimbursement. The assessment shall also
32identify barriers in the state’s subsidy system that inhibit the city
33and county from meeting its goals. In conducting the
assessment,
34the city and county shall consider all of the following:
35(1) The general demographics of families who are in need of
36care, including employment, income, language, ethnic, and family
37composition.
38(2) The current supply of available subsidized care.
P72 1(3) The level of need for various types of subsidized services
2including, but not limited to, infant care, after-hours care, and care
3for children with exceptional needs.
4(4) The city and county’s self-sufficiency income level.
5(5) Income eligibility levels for subsidized care.
6(6) Family fees.
7(7) The cost of providing care.
8(8) The regional market rates, as established by the department,
9for different types of care.
10(9) The standard reimbursement rate or state per diem for centers
11operating under contracts with the department.
12(10) Trends in the county’s unemployment rate and housing
13affordability index.
14(b) Development of a local policy to eliminate state-imposed
15regulatory barriers to the city and county’s achievement of its
16desired outcomes for subsidized care.
17(1) The local policy shall do all of the following:
18(A) Prioritize lowest income families first.
19(B) Follow the family fee schedule established pursuant to
20subdivision (f) of Section 8263 for those families that are income
21eligible, as defined by Section 8263.1.
22(C) Meet local goals that are consistent with the state’s goals.
23(D) Identify existing policies that would be affected by the city
24and county’s subsidy plan.
25(E) (i) Authorize any agency that provides early learning and
26educational support services in the city and county through a
27contract with the department to apply to the department to amend
28existing contracts in order to benefit from the local policy once it
29is adopted.
30(ii) The department shall approve an application to amend an
31existing contract if the subsidy plan is approved pursuant to
32subdivision
(b) of Section 8335.3, or modified pursuant to
33subdivision (c) of Section 8335.3.
34(iii) The contract of a department contractor who does not elect
35to request an amendment to its contract remains operative and
36enforceable.
37(2) (A) The city and county shall, by the end of the first fiscal
38year of operation under the approved subsidy plan, demonstrate
39an increase in the aggregate child days of enrollment in the county
P73 1as compared to the enrollment in the final quarter of the 2004-05
2fiscal year.
3(B) The amount of the increase shall be at least equal to the
4aggregate child days of enrollment in the final quarter of the
52004-05 fiscal year for all contracts amended as provided in
6subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1), under which the contractor
7receives an increase in its reimbursement rate, multiplied
by 2
8percent.
9(3) The local policy may supersede state law concerning subsidy
10programs with regard only to the following factors:
11(A) Eligibility criteria including, but not limited to, age, family
12size, time limits, income level, inclusion of former and current
13CalWORKs participants, and special needs considerations, except
14that the local policy may not deny or reduce eligibility of a family
15that qualifies for care pursuant to Section 8353. Under the local
16policy, a family that qualifies for care pursuant to Section 8354
17shall be treated for purposes of eligibility and fees in the same
18manner as a family that qualifies for subsidized care on another
19basis pursuant to the local policy.
20(B) Fees including, but not limited to, family fees, sliding scale
21fees, and copayments for those families that are not income
eligible,
22as defined by Section 8263.1.
23(C) Reimbursement rates.
24(D) Methods of maximizing the efficient use of subsidy funds,
25including, but not limited to, multiyear contracting with the
26department for directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert
early learningend insert services, and
27interagency agreements that allow for flexible and temporary
28transfer of funds among agencies.
29(c) Recognition that all funding sources utilized by direct service
30contractors that provide early learning and educational support
31services in the city and county are eligible to be included in the
32subsidy plan of the city and county.
33(d) Establishment of measurable outcomes to evaluate the
34success of the plan to achieve the city and county’s goals and to
35overcome any barriers identified in the state’s subsidy system. The
36State Department of Social Services shall have an opportunity to
37review and comment on the proposed measurable outcomes before
38they are submitted to the local planning council for approval
39pursuant to Section 8335.3.
Section 8335.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
3read:
The City and County of San Francisco may implement
5an individualized subsidy plan until July 1, 2014, at which date
6the city and county shall terminate the plan. Between July 1, 2014,
7and July 1, 2016, the city and county shall phase out the
8individualized county subsidy plan and, as of July 1, 2016, shall
9implement the state’s requirements for subsidies. A child enrolling
10for the first time for subsidized care in the city and county after
11July 1, 2014, shall not be enrolled in the pilot program established
12pursuant to this article and is subject to existing state laws and
13regulations regarding eligibility and priority.
The heading of Article 15.3 (commencing with
16Section 8340) of Chapter 2 of
Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 17Education Code is amended to read:
18
Section 8341 of the
Education Code is amended to
23read:
Before implementing the local subsidy plan, the County
25of San Mateo, in consultation with the department, shall develop
26an individualized county subsidy plan that includes the following
27four elements:
28(a) An assessment to identify the county’s goal for its subsidized
29care system. The assessment shall examine whether the current
30structure of subsidized care funding adequately supports working
31families in the county and whether the county’s goals coincide
32with the state’s requirements for funding, eligibility, priority, and
33reimbursement. The assessment shall also identify barriers in the
34state’s subsidy system that inhibit the county from meeting its
35goals. In conducting the assessment, the county shall consider all
36of the following:
37(1) The general demographics of families who are in need of
38care, including employment, income, language, ethnic, and family
39composition.
40(2) The current supply of available subsidized care.
P75 1(3) The level of need for various types of subsidized services
2including, but not limited to, infant care, after-hours care, and care
3for children with exceptional needs.
4(4) The county’s self-sufficiency income level.
5(5) Income eligibility levels for subsidized care.
6(6) Family fees.
7(7) The cost of providing care.
8(8) The regional market rates, as established by the department,
9for different types of care.
10(9) The standard reimbursement rate or state per diem for centers
11operating under contracts with the department.
12(10) Trends in the county’s unemployment rate and housing
13affordability index.
14(b) Development of a local policy to eliminate state-imposed
15regulatory barriers to the county’s achievement of its desired
16outcomes for subsidized care.
17(1) The local policy shall do all of the following:
18(A) Prioritize lowest income families first.
19(B) Follow the family fee schedule established pursuant to
20subdivision (f) of
Section 8263 for those families that are income
21eligible, as defined by Section 8263.1.
22(C) Meet local goals that are consistent with the state’s goals.
23(D) Identify existing policies that would be affected by the
24county’s subsidy plan.
25(E) (i) Authorize any agency that provides early learning and
26educational support services in San Mateo County through a
27contract with the department to apply to the department to amend
28existing contracts in order to benefit from the local policy once it
29is adopted.
30(ii) The department shall approve an application to amend an
31existing contract if the subsidy plan is approved pursuant to
32subdivision (b) of Section 8342, or modified pursuant to
33subdivision (c) of Section 8342.
34(iii) The contract of a department contractor who does not elect
35to request an amendment to its contract remains operative and
36enforceable.
37(2) (A) The County of San Mateo shall, by the end of the first
38fiscal year of operation under the approved subsidy plan,
39demonstrate an increase in the aggregate child days of enrollment
P76 1in the county as compared to the enrollment in the final quarter of
2the 2002-03 fiscal year.
3(B) The amount of the increase shall be at least equal to the
4aggregate child days of enrollment in the final quarter of the
52002-03 fiscal year for all contracts amended as provided in
6subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1), under which the contractor
7receives an increase in its reimbursement rate, multiplied by 2
8percent.
9(3) The local policy may supersede state law concerning subsidy
10programs with regard only to the following factors:
11(A) Eligibility criteria including, but not limited to, age, family
12size, time limits, income level, inclusion of former and current
13CalWORKs participants, and special needs considerations, except
14that the local policy may not deny or reduce eligibility of a family
15that qualifies for care pursuant to Section 8353. Under the local
16policy, a family that qualifies for care pursuant to Section 8354
17shall be treated for purposes of eligibility and fees in the same
18manner as a family that qualifies for subsidized care on another
19basis pursuant to the local policy.
20(B) Fees including, but not limited to, family fees, sliding scale
21fees, and copayments for those families that are not income eligible,
22as defined by Section 8263.1.
23(C) Reimbursement rates.
24(D) Methods of maximizing the efficient use of subsidy funds,
25including, but not limited to, multiyear contracting with the
26department for directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert
early learningend insert services, and
27interagency agreements that allow for flexible and temporary
28transfer of funds among agencies.
29(c) Recognition that all funding sources utilized by direct service
30contractors that provide early learning and educational support
31services in San Mateo County are eligible to be included in the
32subsidy plan of the county.
33(d) Establishment of measurable outcomes to evaluate the
34success of the plan to achieve the county’s goals and to overcome
35any barriers identified in the state’s subsidy system. The State
36Department of Social Services shall have an opportunity to review
37and comment on the proposed measurable outcomes before they
38are submitted to the local planning council for approval pursuant
39to Section 8342.
Section 8341.5 of the
Education Code is amended to
3read:
To ensure that the annual and final reports required
5pursuant to Section 8343 provide useful comparative information,
6the Legislative Analyst and the Senate Office of Research shall
7review the evaluation design, the baseline data, and the data
8collection proposed in the subsidy plan of the county before the
9plan is submitted to the local planning council for approval.
Section 8342 of the
Education Code is amended to
12read:
(a) The plan shall be submitted to the local planning
14council for approval. Upon approval of the plan by the local
15planning council, the county board of supervisors shall hold at
16least one public hearing on the plan. Following the hearing, if the
17county board of supervisors votes in favor of the plan, the plan
18shall be submitted to the Child Development Division of the
19department for review.
20(b) Within 30 days of receiving the plan, the Child Development
21Division shall review and either approve or disapprove the plan.
22(c) Within 30 days of receiving any modification to the plan,
23the Child Development Division shall review and either approve
24or disapprove that
modification to the plan.
25(d) The Child Development Division may disapprove only those
26portions of the plan or modifications to the plan that are not in
27conformance with this article or that are in conflict with federal
28law.
Section 8343 of the
Education Code is amended to
31read:
(a) Upon approval of the plan by the Child Development
33Division, the County of San Mateo shall annually prepare and
34submit to the Legislature, the State Department of Social Services,
35and the department a report that summarizes the success of the
36pilot project and the county’s ability to maximize the use of funds
37and to improve and stabilize care in the county.
38(b) On or before December 31, 2008, the County of San Mateo
39shall submit a final report to the Legislature, the State Department
P78 1of Social Services, and the department summarizing the impact of
2the plan on the care needs of working families.
Section 8344 of the
Education Code is amended to
5read:
The County of San Mateo may implement its
7individualized county subsidy plan until January 1, 2014, at which
8date the County of San Mateo shall terminate the plan. Between
9January 1, 2014, and January 1, 2016, the County of San Mateo
10shall phase out the individualized county subsidy plan and, as of
11January 1, 2016, shall implement the state’s requirements for
12subsidies. A child enrolling for the first time for subsidized care
13in San Mateo County after January 1, 2014, shall not be enrolled
14in the pilot program established pursuant to this article and is
15subject to existing state laws and regulations regarding care
16eligibility and priority.
The heading of Article 15.5 (commencing with
19Section 8350) of Chapter 2 of
Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 20Education Code is amended to read:
21
Section 8350 of the
Education Code is amended to
26read:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
28article to ensure that recipients of aid under Chapter 2 (commencing
29with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
30Institutions Code, or any successor program, and former recipients
31who have left aid for employment, are connected as soon as
32possible to local resources, make stable arrangements for services,
33and continue to receive subsidized services after they no longer
34receive aid as long as they require those services and meet the
35eligibility requirements set forth in Sections 8263 and 8263.1.
36(b) This article establishes three stages of child care services
37through which a recipient of aid under Chapter 2 (commencing
38with Section 11200) of Part 3 of
Division 9 of the Welfare and
39Institutions Code, or any successor program, will pass. Further, as
40families’ needs are met by county welfare departments and later
P79 1by other local early learning and educational support contractors,
2it is the intent of the Legislature that families experience no break
3in their services due to a transition between the three stages of
4child care services.
Section 8352 of the
Education Code is amended to
7read:
(a) As soon as appropriate, a county welfare department
9shall refer families needing services to the local resource and
10referral program funded pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with
11Section 8210). Resource and referral program staff shall colocate
12with a county welfare department’s case management office for
13aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3
14of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or any successor
15program, or arrange other means of swift communication with
16parents and case managers of this aid. The local resource and
17referral program shall assist families to establish stable
18arrangements as soon as possible. These arrangements may include
19licensed and license-exempt care.
20(b) Information shall be provided to parents in the county of
21service at the time the family is determined eligible for services,
22and at recertification, by one of the following:
23(1) An alternative payment program.
24(2) A resource and referral program.
25(3) A partnership between the alternative payment program and
26the resource and referral program.
27(c) The information provided by the program or partnership
28shall be to assist parents in making informed choices about
29available types of care that would both offer a safe, caring, and
30age-appropriate early learning and educational support environment
31for children, as well as support the parents’ work activities,
32including, but not limited to, information about high-quality early
33learning and
educational support options and resources specified
34in this subdivision. The program or partnership maybegin insert utilize
35resources from a list posted on the department’s Internet Web site
36pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 8206 if this list is available.
37If the department does not create a list of resources pursuant to
38subdivision (c) of Section 8206, the program or partnership may end insert
39 develop localbegin delete resources thatend deletebegin insert resources. These resourcesend insert shall
40include, but are not limited to, the following:
P80 1(1) Information regarding how to select services that meet the
2needs of the parent and child.
3(2) Information on licensing requirements and procedures for
4begin insert child care end insert centers and familybegin insert child careend insert homes.
5(3) Trustline requirements for homes and providers exempt from
6licensure.
7(4) A range of possible early learning and educational support
8options from which a parent may choose.
9(5) Information on available care subsidies and eligibility
10requirements.
11(6) Quality indicators, including provider or educator training,
12accreditation, staff stability, group size, ratio of children to staff,
13environments that support the
healthy development of children,
14parent involvement, and communication between the parent and
15provider.
16(7) Information on quality rating and improvement systems,
17where available.
18(d) The program or partnership shall also provide parenting
19information to parents.
20(e) A program operating pursuant to this article shall, within
21two business days of being notified of a revocation or a temporary
22suspension order for a licensed child day care facility, do both of
23the following:
24(1) Terminate payment to the facility.
25(2) Notify each parent and the facility in writing that payment
26has been terminated and the reason for the termination.
27(f) A program operating pursuant to this article shall, upon being
28notified that a licensed child care facility has been placed on
29probation, provide written notice to each parent utilizing the facility
30that the facility has been placed on probation and that the parent
31has the option of selecting a different provider or remaining with
32the facility without risk of subsidy payments to the provider being
33terminated. The Legislature urges each agency operating pursuant
34to this section to provide the written notice required by this
35subdivision in the primary language of the parent, to the extent
36feasible.
Section 8353 of the
Education Code is amended to
39read:
(a) The second stage of child care begins when the
2county determines that the recipient’s work or approved work
3activity is stable or when a recipient is transitioning off of aid and
4care is available through a local stage two program. Second stage
5child care may be provided to a family who elects to receive a
6lump-sum diversion payment or diversion services under Section
711266.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code when a funded space
8is not immediately available for the family in third stage. The local
9stage two agency shall assist in moving families to stage three as
10quickly as feasible. Former CalWORKs recipients are eligible to
11receive services in stage one and stage two for up to a total of no
12more than 24 months after they leave cash aid, or until they are
13otherwise ineligible within
that 24-month period. Family size and
14income for purposes of determining eligibility and calculating the
15family fee shall be determined pursuant to Sections 8263 and
168263.1. A family leaving cash aid under the CalWORKs program
17shall receive up to two years of care, if otherwise eligible, as
18needed to continue the family’s employment. The provision of the
19two-year time limit is not intended to limit eligibility for care under
20Section 8354.
21(b) The second stage shall be administered by agencies
22contracting with the department. These contractors may be either
23agencies that have an alternative payment contract pursuant to
24Section 8220.1 or county welfare departments that choose to
25administer this stage in order to continue to provide services for
26recipients or former recipients of aid. If the county chooses to
27contract with the department to provide alternative payment
28services, this contract shall not displace, or result in the reduction
29of an
existing contract of, a current alternative payment program.
Section 8354 of the
Education Code is amended to
32read:
(a) The third stage of child care begins when a funded
34space is available. CalWORKs recipients are eligible for the third
35stage of child care. Persons who received a lump-sum diversion
36payment or diversion services and former CalWORKs participants
37are eligible if they have an income that does not exceed 70 percent
38of the state median income pursuant to Section 8263.1. The third
39stage shall be administered by programs contracting with the
P82 1department. Parents’ eligibility for services will be governed by
2Section 8263 and regulations adopted by the department.
3(b) In order to move welfare recipients and former recipients
4from their relationship with county welfare departments to
5relationships with institutions providing services to working
6families, it is the intent of
the Legislature that families that are
7former recipients of aid, or are transitioning off aid, receive their
8assistance in the same fashion as other low-income working
9families. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that families
10no longer rely on county welfare departments to obtain subsidies
11beyond the time they are receiving other services from the welfare
12department.
13(c) A county welfare department shall not administer the third
14stage of child care for CalWORKs recipients except to the extent
15to which it delivered those services to families receiving, or within
16one year of having received, Aid to Families with Dependent
17Children before the enactment of this section.
18(d) This article does not preclude county welfare departments
19from operating an alternative payment program under contract
20with the department to serve families referred by child protective
21
services.
Section 8355 of the
Education Code is amended to
24read:
Child care during the third stage may be funded with
26moneys dedicated to current and former recipients of aid under
27Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division
289 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or any successor program,
29including the federal funds appropriated to alternative payment
30program contractors in the 1996-97 fiscal year using the Budget
31Act’s Section 28 process as described in subdivision (b). Nothing
32shall prevent services provided under stage three from being funded
33with moneys from other federal or state sources. Nothing in this
34article shall preclude current and former recipients of aid under
35Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division
369 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or any successor program,
37from receiving services pursuant to other provisions
of this chapter.
Section 8356 of the
Education Code is amended to
40read:
It is the intent of the Legislature that the department
2work with Head Start and California state preschool programs to
3generate extended-day and evening care for recipients of aid under
4Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division
59 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or any successor program,
6through recruiting and training parents to be licensed and
7license-exempt care providers and shall facilitate connections
8between Head Start and California state preschool program
9contractors and certificate administrators, including counties and
10other alternative payment programs, so that funds available for
11Sections 8351, 8353, and 8354 cover the cost of this care.
Section 8357 of the
Education Code is amended to
14read:
(a) The cost of services provided under this article shall
16be governed by regional market rates. Recipients of services
17provided pursuant to this article shall be allowed to choose the
18services of licensed providers or providers who are, by law, not
19required to be licensed, and the cost of that care shall be reimbursed
20by counties or agencies that contract with the department if the
21cost is within the regional market rate. For purposes of this section,
22“regional market rate” means care costing no more than 1.5 market
23standard deviations above the mean cost of care for that region.
24The regional market rate ceilings shall be established at the 85th
25percentile of the 2005 regional market rate survey for that region.
26(b) Reimbursement to license-exempt providers shall
not exceed
2760 percent of the family child care home rate established pursuant
28to subdivision (a), effective July 1, 2011.
29(c) Reimbursement to providers shall not exceed the fee charged
30to private clients for the same service.
31(d) Reimbursement shall not be made for services if care is
32provided by parents, legal guardians, or members of the assistance
33unit.
34(e) A provider located on an Indian reservation or rancheria and
35exempted from state licensing requirements shall meet applicable
36tribal standards.
37(f) For purposes of this section, “reimbursement” means a direct
38payment to the provider of services, including license-exempt
39providers. If care is provided in the home of the recipient, payment
40may be made to the parent as the employer, and the parent
shall
P84 1be informed of his or her concomitant legal and financial reporting
2requirements. To allow time for the development of the
3administrative systems necessary to issue direct payments to
4providers, for a period not to exceed six months from the effective
5date of this article, a county or an alternative payment agency
6contracting with the department may reimburse the cost of services
7through a direct payment to a recipient of aid rather than to the
8provider.
9(g) Counties and alternative payment programs shall not be
10bound by the rate limits described in subdivision (a) if there are,
11in the region, no more than two providers of the type needed by
12the recipient of services provided under this article.
13(h) Notwithstanding any other law, reimbursements to providers
14based upon a daily rate may only be authorized under either of the
15following circumstances:
16(1) A family has an unscheduled but documented need of six
17hours or more per occurrence, such as the parent’s need to work
18on a regularly scheduled day off, that exceeds the certified need
19for care.
20(2) A family has a documented need of six hours or more per
21day that exceeds no more than 14 days per month. In no event shall
22reimbursements to a provider based on the daily rate over one
23month’s time exceed the provider’s equivalent full-time monthly
24rate or applicable monthly ceiling.
25(3) This subdivision shall not limit providers from being
26reimbursed for services using a weekly or monthly rate, pursuant
27to subdivision (c) of Section 8222.
Section 8358 of the
Education Code is amended to
30read:
(a) The department and the State Department of Social
32Services shall design a form for license-exempt providers to use
33for certifying health and safety requirements to the extent required
34by federal law. Until the form is adopted, the information required
35pursuant to Section 11324 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
36shall continue to be maintained by the county welfare department
37or contractor, as appropriate.
38(b) The department and the State Department of Social Services
39shall do both of the following:
P85 1(1) Design a standard process for complaints by parents about
2the provision of care that is exempt from licensure.
3(2) Design, in consultation with local planning councils, a single
4application for all early learning and educational support programs
5and all families.
6(c) (1) County welfare departments and alternative payment
7programs shall encourage all providers who are licensed or who
8are exempt from licensure and who are providing care under
9Section 8351, 8353, or 8354, to secure training and education in
10basic child development.
11(2) Provider job training provided to CalWORKs recipients that
12is funded by either the department or the State Department of
13Social Services shall include information on becoming a licensed
14provider.
15(d) The department shall increase consumer education and
16consumer awareness activities so that parents will have the
17
information needed to seek high-quality services. High-quality
18services shall include both licensed and license-exempt care.
Section 8358.5 of the
Education Code is amended
21to read:
Notwithstanding any other confidentiality requirement,
23the government or private agency administering subsidized care
24services shall share information necessary for the administration
25of the programs pursuant to this article and the CalWORKs
26program pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200)
27of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, for
28the time period for which the person receives services.
Section 8359.1 of the
Education Code is amended
31to read:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
33article to provide sufficient funding through an appropriation in
34the annual Budget Act to fund the estimated cost of providing care
35for all individuals who are anticipated to need care to participate
36in the welfare-to-work programs and to transition to work.
37(b) Funding for purposes of implementing this article shall be
38appropriated in the annual Budget Act.
The heading of Article 16 (commencing with Section
38360) of Chapter 2 of
Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 4Education Code is amended to read:
5
Section 8360 of the
Education Code is amended to
11read:
(a) Early learning and educational support programs
13shall include a career ladder for instructional staff. The governing
14board of each contracting agency shall be encouraged to provide
15instructional staff and aides with salary increases for the successful
16completion of early childhood education or child development
17unit-based coursework and degrees.
18(b) Any person who meets the following criteria is eligible to
19serve in an instructional capacity in an early learning and
20educational support program:
21(1) Any person serving as a teacher in an early learning and
22educational support program providing directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert
early
23learningend insert services shall possess a permit or credential issued by the
24Commission on Teacher Credentialing, including, but not limited
25to, one of the following:
26(A) An associate teacher permit, or higher, authorizing service
27in the care, development, and instruction of children in early
28learning and educational support programs.
29(B) A multiple subject credential with an authorization to teach
30prekindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, in a self-contained
31classroom.
32(C) An elementarybegin delete or a single subjectend delete
credentialbegin delete in home .
33economicsend deletebegin delete Teachers with an elementary or single subject credential
34mustend delete
35(D) A single subject credential in home economics.
end insert
36begin insert(2)end insertbegin insert end insertbegin insert Any teacher qualifying under subparagraph (B), (C), or
37(D) of paragraph (1) mustend insert also have completed 12 semester units
38in early childhood education or child development, or both, or
39have two years’ experience in early childhood education or an
40early learning and
educational support program.
5 P87 1(2)
end delete
2begin insert(3)end insert Persons who are 18 years of age and older may be employed
3as aides and may be eligible for salary increases upon the
4completion of additional semester units in early childhood
5education or child development.
Section 8360.1 of the Education Code is repealed.
Section 8360.1 is added to the
Education Code, to
10read:
Except as waived under Sectionbegin delete 8242 and except as begin insert 8244,end insert any entity operating early learning and
12stated in Section 18203 of Title 5 of the California Code of
13Regulations regarding program directors in schoolage community
14services programs,end delete
15educational support programs providing directbegin delete classroomend deletebegin insert early
16learningend insert services to children, pursuant to Article 5 (commencing
17with Section 8228), at two or more sites, shall employ a program
18director who possesses a
permit or credential issued by the
19Commission on Teacher Credentialing authorizing supervision of
20begin delete a child care and developmentend deletebegin insert an early learning and educational
21supportend insert program, including, but not limited to:
22(a) An administrative credential.
23(b) A children’s center supervision permit.
24(c) A program director permit.
25(d) A waiver issued by the Superintendent pursuant to Section
268244.
Section 8360.2 of the
Education Code is amended
29to read:
Not later than 95 days after the governing board of a
31public agency sets the date a person employed by that board shall
32begin service in a position requiring a permit or credential, that
33person shall file, on or before that date, with the county
34superintendent of schools a valid permit issued on or before that
35date, authorizing him or her to serve in a position for which he or
36she was employed. Upon renewal of that permit, that person shall
37file that renewal with the county superintendent of schools no later
38than 95 days after the renewal.
The heading of Article 17 (commencing with Section
28390) of Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 3Education Code is amended to read:
4
Section 8390 of the Education Code is amended to
8read:
The Superintendent may, with funds appropriated for
10that purpose, enter into agreements with school districts or
11community college districts or county superintendents of schools
12for the establishment and maintenance of early learning and
13educational support programs for infants, and the training of pupils
14in their roles as parents, as part of the high school program.
Section 8392 of the Education Code is amended to
16read:
Infant early learning and educational support services
18include, but are not limited to, the following:
19(a) Supervision and group care, providing for the physical and
20emotional needs of the infant in a manner that conveys concern
21and engenders trust.
22(b) Educational stimulation from the earliest development stages
23onward.
24(c) Development and health screening and treatment.
Section 8394 of the Education Code is amended to
26read:
(a) In school districts maintaining more than one high
28school, the governing board, after soliciting the opinions of pupil
29parents and other interested persons, shall determine the location
30of the infant center.
31(b) Infant centers shall be located within high school buildings
32or within that proximity to high school buildings as would ensure
33convenient access by pupil parents and other pupils.
Section 8395 of the Education Code is amended to
35read:
To the extent funds are available, federal reimbursement
37shall be claimed for any child receiving services in the infant early
38learning and educational support program.
Section 8397 of the Education Code is amended to
40read:
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, infants whose parent
2or parents are high school pupils may attend infant centers while
3their parents attend high school.
4(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the Superintendent may
5enter into an agreement pursuant to Section 8390 permitting infants
6whose parent or parents are pupils in grades 7 and 8 to attend infant
7centers while their parents attend school.
Section 8400 of the
Education Code is amended to
10read:
It has come to the attention of the Legislature that:
12(a) Existing law does not provide for an administrative appeal
13procedure to review and resolve disputes between the department
14and the over 750 local contracting agencies that contract with the
15department to provide early learning and educational support
16services to low-income families in California.
17(b) All disputes are currently resolved in the already
18overburdened California courts resulting in a time-consuming and
19costly process for both the contract agency and the department.
20Extensive funds have been expended by the department for those
21purposes.
22(c) The
presence of public and private agencies, small as well
23as large, in the subsidizedbegin delete careend deletebegin insert early learning and educational
24supportend insert delivery system provides client families with a range of
25desirable services, and cost-effective service mechanisms.
26(d) The presence of an efficient administrative appeal procedure
27will ensure program stability and encourage retention in the
28delivery system of a range of service-providing agencies.
Section 8401 of the
Education Code is amended to
31read:
It is the intent of the Legislature to authorize an appeal
33process for the resolution of disputes between the department and
34local agencies that contract with the department pursuant to Section
358262 to provide early learning and educational support services
36or to furnish property, facilities, personnel, supplies, equipment,
37and administrative services.
Section 8402 of the
Education Code is amended to
40read:
The department shall provide an independent appeal
2procedure to each contracting agency providing early learning and
3educational support services pursuant to Section 8262. Before
4filing an appeal petition, the contracting agency shall have
5submitted all previously required standard monthly or quarterly
6reporting forms to the department. The appeal procedure shall be
7conducted by the Office of Administrative Hearings and shall be
8provided upon petition of the contracting agency in any of the
9following circumstances:
10(a) Termination or suspension of a contracting agency’s contract.
11(b) Denial of more than 4 percent or twenty-five thousand dollars
12($25,000), whichever is less, of a local
contracting agency’s
13contracted payment for services schedule.
14(c) Demand for remittance of an overpayment of more than 4
15percent or twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), whichever is
16less, of a local contracting agency’s annual contract.
Section 8406.7 of the
Education Code is amended
19to read:
(a) Any agency that evidences chronic fiscal or
21program violations of a felony nature may have its contract
22suspended or terminated immediately if there is documented
23evidence of these violations, and upon review and recommendation
24of the general counsel of the department. A fiscal or programmatic
25violation constituting a breach of contract includes one or more
26of the following:
27(1) Fraud, or conspiracy to defraud.
28(2) Misuse of state funds in violation of the State of California
29Accounting Manual.
30(3) Embezzlement.
31(4) Threats of bodily or other harm to state officials.
32(5) Bribery or attempted bribery of a state official.
33(6) Unsafe or unhealthy physical environment or facility.
34(7) Substantiated abuse or molestation of children.
35(8) Failure to report suspected child abuse or molestation.
36(9) Theft of supplies, equipment, or food.
37(b) An agency contract terminated for cause retains appeal rights
38in accordance with Section 8402.
39(c) The department shall advise contractors of the provisions
40of this section within 30 working days of its enactment.
Section 8447 of the
Education Code is amended to
3read:
(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that greater
5efficiencies may be achieved in the execution of state subsidized
6early learning and educational support program contracts with
7public and private agencies by the timely approval of contract
8provisions by the Department of Finance, the Department of
9General Services, and the State Department of Education and by
10authorizing the State Department of Education to establish a
11multiyear application, contract expenditure, and service review as
12may be necessary to provide timely service while preserving audit
13and oversight functions to protect the public welfare.
14(b) (1) The Department of Finance and the Department of
15General Services shall approve or disapprove annual contract
16funding terms and
conditions, including both family fee schedules
17and regional market rate schedules that are required to be adhered
18to by contract, and contract face sheets submitted by the State
19Department of Education not more than 30 working days from the
20date of submission, unless unresolved conflicts remain between
21the Department of Finance, the State Department of Education,
22and the Department of General Services. The State Department of
23Education shall resolve conflicts within an additional 30 working
24day time period. Contracts and funding terms and conditions shall
25be issued to contractors no later than June 1. Applications for new
26begin delete child careend deletebegin insert early learning and educational supportend insert
funding shall
27be issued not more than 45 working days after the effective date
28of authorized new allocations of child care moneys.
29(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the State Department of
30Education shall implement the regional market rate schedules
31based upon the county aggregates, as determined by the regional
32market rate survey conducted in 2005.
33(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), for the 2006-07 fiscal year,
34the State Department of Education shall update the family fee
35schedules by family size, based on the 2005 state median income
36survey data for a family of four. The family fee schedule used
37during the 2005-06 fiscal year shall remain in effect. However,
38the department shall adjust the family fee schedule for families
39that are newly eligible to receive or will continue to receive services
P92 1under the new income eligibility limits. The family fees shall not
2
exceed 10 percent of the family’s monthly income.
3(4) Notwithstanding any other law, the family fee schedule that
4was in effect for the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11
5fiscal years shall be adjusted to reflect the income eligibility limits
6specified in subdivision (b) of Section 8263.1 for the 2011-12
7fiscal year, and shall retain a flat fee per family. The revised family
8fee schedule shall begin at income levels at which families
9currently begin paying fees. The revised family fees shall not
10exceed 10 percent of the family’s monthly income. The State
11Department of Education shall first submit the adjusted fee
12schedule to the Department of Finance for approval in order to be
13implemented by July 1, 2011.
14(5) Notwithstanding any other law, the family fee schedule that
15was in effect for the 2011-12 fiscal year pursuant to paragraph (4)
16shall remain in effect for the 2012-13
fiscal year, and shall retain
17a flat fee per family.
18(6) It is the intent of the Legislature to fully fund the third stage
19of child care for former CalWORKs recipients.
20(c) With respect to subdivision (b), it is the intent of the
21Legislature that the Department of Finance annually review
22contract funding terms and conditions for the primary purpose of
23ensuring consistency betweenbegin delete child careend deletebegin insert early learning and
24educational supportend insert contracts and thebegin delete child careend deletebegin insert early learning
25and educational supportend insert budget.
This review shall include
26evaluating any proposed changes to contract language or other
27fiscal documents to which the contractor is required to adhere,
28including those changes to terms or conditions that authorize higher
29reimbursement rates, that modify related adjustment factors, that
30modify administrative or other service allowances, or that diminish
31fee revenues otherwise available for services, to determine if the
32change is necessary or has the potential effect of reducing the
33number of full-time equivalent children that may be served.
34(d) Alternative payment programs, as set forth in Article 3
35(commencing with Section 8220), shall be subject to the rates
36established in the Regional Market Rate Survey of California Child
37Care Providers for provider payments. The State Department of
38Education shall contract to conduct and complete a regional market
39rate survey no more frequently than once every two years,
P93 1consistent with federal regulations,
with a goal of completion by
2March 1.
3(e) By March 1 of each year, the Department of Finance shall
4provide to the State Department of Education the state median
5income amount for a four-person household in California based
6on the best available data. The State Department of Education shall
7adjust its fee schedule for providers to reflect this updated state
8median income; however, no changes based on revisions to the
9state median income amount shall be implemented midyear.
10(f) Notwithstanding the June 1 date specified in subdivision (b),
11changes to the regional market rate schedules and fee schedules
12may be made at any other time to reflect the availability of accurate
13data necessary for their completion, provided these documents
14receive the approval of the Department of Finance. The Department
15of Finance shall review the changes within 30 working days of
16submission and the State
Department of Education shall resolve
17conflicts within an additional 30 working day period. Contractors
18 shall be given adequate notice before the effective date of the
19approved schedules. It is the intent of the Legislature that contracts
20for services not be delayed by the timing of the availability of
21accurate data needed to update these schedules.
22(g) Notwithstanding any other law, no family receiving
23CalWORKs cash aid may be charged a family fee.
Section 8448 of the
Education Code is amended to
26read:
As used in this article:
28(a) “Financial and compliance audit” means a systematic review
29or appraisal to determine each of the following:
30(1) Whether the financial statements of an audited organization
31fairly present the financial position and the results of financial
32operations in accordance with generally accepted accounting
33principles.
34(2) Whether the organization has complied with laws and
35regulations that may have a material effect upon the financial
36statements.
37(b) “Public accountants” means certified public accountants, or
38state licensed public
accountants.
39(c) “Independent auditors” means public accountants who have
40no direct or indirect relationship with the functions or activities
P94 1being audited or with the business conducted by any of the officials
2or contractors being audited.
3(d) “Generally accepted auditing standards” means the auditing
4standards set forth in the financial and compliance element of the
5“Government Auditing Standards” issued by the Comptroller
6General of the United States and incorporating the audit standards
7of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
8(e) “Direct service contract” means any contract with any public
9or private entity for early learning and educational support
10programs, resource and referral programs, and programs contracting
11to provide support services, as defined in Section 8208.
12(f) “Nonprofit organization” means an organization described
13in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 which
14is exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of that code, or any
15nonprofit, scientific, or educational organization qualified under
16Section 23701d of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
17(g) (1) Annually, there shall be a single independent financial
18and compliance audit of organizations that contract with the state
19under a direct service contract. Any such audit shall include an
20evaluation of the accounting and control systems of the direct
21service contractor and of the activities by the contractor to comply
22with the financial requirements of direct service contracts received
23by the contractor from the state agency. The financial and
24compliance requirements to be reviewed during the audit shall be
25those developed and published by the
department in consultation
26with the Department of Finance. Audits carried out pursuant to
27this section shall be audits of the contractor rather than audits of
28individual contracts or programs. In the case of any contractor that
29receives less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per year
30from any state agency, the audit required by this section shall be
31conducted biennially, unless there is evidence of fraud or other
32violation of state law in connection with the direct service contract.
33The cost of the audit may be included in direct service contracts.
34(2) The organization receiving funds from the state shall be
35responsible for obtaining the required financial and compliance
36audits of the organization and any subcontractors, except for direct
37service subcontracts and other subcontracts exempt from
38department review, as agreed to by the Departments of Finance
39and General Services. The audits shall be made by independent
40auditors in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.
P95 1The audit shall be completed by the 15th day of the fifth month
2following the end of the contractor’s fiscal year. A copy of the
3required audit shall be filed with the department upon its
4completion. In the event an audit is not filed, the department shall
5notify the organization of the contract violation. The audit report
6filed shall be an integral part of the direct service contract file.
7(h) (1) Nothing in this article limits the authority of the
8department to make audits of direct service contracts. However,
9if independent audits arranged for by direct service contractors
10meet generally accepted auditing standards, the department shall
11rely on those audits and any additional audit work shall build upon
12the work already done.
13(2) Nothing in this article precludes the state from conducting,
14or
contracting for the conduct of, contract performance audits
15which are not financial and compliance audits.
16(3) Nothing in this article limits the state’s responsibility or
17authority to enforce state law or regulations, procedures, or
18reporting requirements arising pursuant thereto.
19(4) Nothing in this article limits the responsibility of the
20department to provide an independent appeal procedure according
21to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 5
22(commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title
232) of the Government Code.
Section 8450 of the
Education Code is amended to
26read:
(a) All early learning and educational support contractors
28are encouraged to develop and maintain a reserve within the child
29development fund, derived from earned but unexpended funds.
30Contractors may retain all earned funds. For the purpose of this
31section, “earned funds” are those for which the required number
32of eligible service units have been provided.
33(b) (1) Earned funds shall not be expended for any activities
34proscribed by Section 8406.7. Earned but unexpended funds shall
35remain in the contractor’s reserve account within the child
36development fund and shall be expended only by directbegin delete classroom begin insert
early learning servicesend insert that are funded under
37service programsend delete
38contract with the department.
39(2) Commencing July 1, 2011, a contractor may retain a reserve
40fund balance, separate from the reserve fund retained pursuant to
P96 1subdivision (c) or (d), equal to 5 percent of the sum of the
2maximum reimbursable amounts of all contracts to which the
3contractor is a party, or two thousand dollars ($2,000), whichever
4is greater. This paragraph applies to directbegin delete classroom service begin insert early learning servicesend insert that are funded under contract
5programsend delete
6with the department.
7(c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), a contractor may
8retain a reserve fund balance for a resource and referral
program,
9separate from the balance retained pursuant to subdivision (b) or
10(d), not to exceed 3 percent of the contract amount. Funds from
11this reserve account may be expended only by resource and referral
12programs that are funded under contract with the department.
13(d) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), a contractor may
14retain a reserve fund balance for alternative payment model and
15certificate contracts, separate from the reserve fund retained
16pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c). Funds from this reserve
17account may be expended only by alternative payment model and
18certificate programs that are funded under contract with the
19department. The reserve amount allowed by this section may not
20exceed either of the following, whichever is greater:
21(1) Two percent of the sum of the parts of each contract to which
22that contractor is a party that is allowed for administration
pursuant
23to Section 8276.7 and that is allowed for supportive services
24pursuant to the provisions of the contract.
25(2) One thousand dollars ($1,000).
26(e) Each contractor’s audit shall identify any funds earned by
27the contractor for each contract through the provision of contracted
28services in excess of funds expended.
29(f) Any interest earned on reserve funds shall be included in the
30fund balance of the reserve. This reserve fund shall be maintained
31in an interest-bearing account.
32(g) Moneys in a contractor’s reserve fund may be used only for
33expenses that are reasonable and necessary costs as defined in
34subdivision (l) of Section 8208.
35(h) Any reserve fund balance in excess of the amount
authorized
36pursuant to subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) shall be returned to the
37department pursuant to procedures established by the department.
38(i) Upon termination of all early learning and educational
39support contracts between a contractor and the department, all
P97 1moneys in a contractor’s reserve fund shall be returned to the
2department pursuant to procedures established by the department.
3(j) Expenditures from, additions to, and balances in, the reserve
4fund shall be included in the agency’s annual financial statements
5and audit.
Section 8493 of the
Education Code is amended to
8read:
It is the intent of the Legislature that funds be
10appropriated for capital outlay for purposes of providing facilities
11for services provided pursuant to this chapter, including, but not
12limited to, all of the following purposes:
13(a) For the purchase of relocatable facilities by the state for lease
14to qualifying contracting agencies in areas with no available
15economically practical or feasiblebegin delete child care and developmentend delete
16begin insert early learning and educational support end insertfacilities.
17(b) For renovation and
repair ofbegin delete child care and developmentend delete
18begin insert early learning and educational support end insertfacilities in order to comply
19with state and local health and safety standards and licensing
20requirements, without unnecessarily increasing the value of the
21facility.
Section 8494 of the
Education Code is amended to
24read:
(a) All of the following programs, other than those
26providing extended care services, shall be eligible to receive a loan
27for the renovation and repair of facilities used for the program or
28to lease relocatable facilities to be used for the program:
29(1) Private nonprofit programs currently, or soon to be, under
30contract with the department pursuant to Section 8262.
31(2) Early learning and educational support programs conducted
32pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 8225).
33(3) Early learning and educational support programs operated
34by, or in a facility owned by, a public entity.
35(4) Early learning and educational support programs conducted
36pursuant to Article 7.1 (commencing with Section 54740) of
37Chapter 9 of Part 29.
38(b) A recipient of a loan pursuant to this section shall document
39that the renovated facility shall comply with all laws and
40regulations applicable to child care facilities provided for pursuant
P98 1to Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 1596.70) and Chapter
23.5 (commencing with Section 1596.90) of Division 2 of the Health
3and Safety Code.
4(c) A recipient of a loan pursuant to this section shall ensure
5the board that the renovated facility shall be used for purposes of
6the program for the entire loan period, which shall be determined
7by the board as follows:
8(1) For loans equal to or less than thirty thousand dollars
9
($30,000), not less than three years.
10(2) For loans exceeding thirty thousand dollars ($30,000), the
11loan period shall increase one year for each additional ten thousand
12dollars ($10,000) or part thereof, to a maximum of fifty thousand
13dollars ($50,000).
14(d) Interest on the loan principal shall be charged at a rate equal
15to the average of the interest rate applied to the last three bond
16sales pursuant to Chapter 21.6 (commencing with Section 17695)
17of Part 10.
18(e) In the event that a recipient ceases to use the renovated
19facility for purposes of the program before the expiration of the
20loan period, the board shall collect the entire outstanding balance
21of the loan, plus interest, notwithstanding the loan period originally
22set pursuant to subdivision (c), unless the board deems it
23appropriate to waive repayment at
that time.
24(f) If the renovated facility has been continuously used for
25purposes of the program for the entire loan period, the board shall
26waive repayment of the amount of the loan principal, plus interest,
27at the end of the loan period.
Section 8495 of the
Education Code is amended to
30read:
(a) There is hereby created in the State Treasury the
32State Child Care Capital Outlay Fund. Notwithstanding Section
3313340 of the Government Code, all moneys in the State Child Care
34Capital Outlay Fund, including moneys deposited in that fund from
35any source whatsoever, shall be continuously appropriated without
36regard to fiscal year for expenditure pursuant to this article. The
37fund shall be administered by the State Allocation Board, which
38may authorize the expenditure of any moneys in the fund for capital
39outlay projects pursuant to Section 8277.7 or this article. Funds in
40the State Child Care Facilities Fund set aside for the purposes of
P99 1providing extended day care facilities pursuant to Section 8477
2shall be transferred to the State Child Care Capital Outlay Fund
3upon the effective date
of the act amending this section in the
41997-98 Regular Session.
5(b) The Superintendent shall establish the qualifications to
6determine the eligibility of agencies, including those that provide
7preschool and extended day care services, to lease relocatable
8facilities under this section.
9(c) Although primary use of relocatable facilities shall be for
10early learning and educational support programs, including
11preschool and extended day care programs, those facilities may
12be used for other purposes if the following conditions are met:
13(1) The alternative use of the facility does not infringe upon the
14accessibility of early learning and educational support programs
15including preschool or extended day care programs.
16(2) The Superintendent authorizes
alternative use as being
17compatible with early learning and educational support programs,
18including preschool or extended day care programs.
19(d) The State Allocation Board, with the advice of the
20Superintendent, may do all of the following:
21(1) Establish any procedures and policies in connection with
22the administration of this section that it deems necessary.
23(2) Adopt any rules and regulations for the administration of
24this section requiring those procedures, forms, and information
25that it deems necessary.
26(3) Have constructed, furnished, equipped, or otherwise require
27whatever work is necessary to place relocatable facilities for early
28learning and educational support services, including preschool and
29extended day care services where needed.
30(e) The board shall lease relocatable facilities to qualifying
31agencies providing early learning and educational support services,
32including preschool or extended day care services, and shall charge
33rent of one dollar ($1) per year. The board shall require lessees to
34undertake all necessary maintenance, repairs, renewal, and
35replacement to ensure that a project is at all times kept in good
36repair, working order, and condition. All costs incurred for this
37purpose shall be borne by the lessee. Neither the board nor the
38state shall assume any responsibility for utility services costs other
39than initial installation costs reimbursed under this article, and the
P100 1agency shall provide adequate safeguards to protect the state’s
2interest in this regard.
3(f) The board shall require lessees to insure at their own expense
4for the benefit of the state, any leased relocatable facility that is
5the
property of the state, against any risks, including liability from
6the use thereof, in the amounts the board deems necessary to protect
7the interests of the state. Neither the board nor the state shall
8assume any responsibility for utility services costs other than initial
9installation costs reimbursed under this article, and the agency
10shall provide adequate safeguards to protect the state’s interest in
11this regard.
12(g) Relocatable facilities shall not be made available to an
13agency unless the agency furnishes evidence, satisfactory to the
14board, that the agency has no other facility available for rental,
15lease, or purchase in the geographic service area that is
16economically or otherwise feasible.
17(h) The board shall have prepared for its use, performance
18specifications for relocatable facilities and bids for their
19construction that can be solicited from more than one responsible
20
bidder. The board shall from time to time solicit bids from, and
21award to, the lowest responsible competitive bidder, contracts for
22the construction or purchase of relocatable facilities that have been
23approved for lease to eligible agencies that provide early learning
24and educational support services, including preschool or extended
25day care services.
26(i) If at any time the board determines that a lessee’s need for
27particular relocatable facilities that were made available to the
28lessee pursuant to this article has ceased, the board may take
29possession of the relocatable facilities and may lease them to other
30eligible contracting agencies, or, if there is no longer a need for
31the relocatable facilities, the board may dispose of them to public
32or private parties in the manner it deems to be in the best interests
33of the state.
34(j) If a lessee uses a particular relocatable facility
for only a
35portion of the year, the board may enter into a second lease with
36a public or private party for the use of that facility for the portion
37of the year during which the facility would otherwise be unused,
38in the manner it deems to be in the best interests of the state. The
39lessee shall be subject to subdivisions (d) and (f).
Section 8495.1 of the
Education Code is amended
3to read:
(a) The State Allocation Board shall establish
5regulations for the allocation of funds for capital outlay and for
6the reimbursement of initial utility installation costs for purposes
7of this chapter. The Superintendent shall establish qualifications
8for determining the eligibility of agencies providing early learning
9and educational support services, including preschool and extended
10day care service, to apply for these funds.
11(b) Notwithstanding any other law, except for Section 8477,
12priority in funding of capital outlay grants or relocatables from
13funds administered pursuant to Section 8277.7 and under this
14article, shall be determined in the following order:
15(1) Programs experiencing emergencies as defined by the
16Superintendent and the State Allocation Board.
17(2) Facilities lost due to the Class Size Reduction Program
18(Chapter 6.10 (commencing with Section 52120) of Part 28).
19(3) Expansion of early learning and educational support services.
Section 8498 of the
Education Code is amended to
22read:
(a) The State Allocation Board may use up to 5 percent
24of any appropriation for purposes of this article to provide loans
25to private nonsectarian early learning and educational support
26programs not under contract with the department for renovation
27and repair of existing program facilities, in accordance with this
28section.
29(b) The Superintendent shall establish qualifications to determine
30the eligibility of agencies for loans pursuant to this section.
31(c) The board, with any necessary assistance from the
32Superintendent, may do any of the following:
33(1) Establish procedures and policies in connection
with the
34administration of this section it deems necessary.
35(2) Adopt rules and regulations for the administration of this
36section requiring procedure, forms, and information it deems
37necessary.
38(d) A recipient of a loan pursuant to this section shall do all of
39the following:
P102 1(1) Document that the renovated facility shall comply with all
2laws and regulations applicable to child care facilities provided
3for pursuant to Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 1596.70)
4and Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 1596.90) of Division
52 of the Health and Safety Code.
6(2) Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board that it will have
7sufficient revenues to pay the principal and interest on the loan
8and to maintain the operation of the child care facility.
9(e) A recipient of a loan pursuant to this section shall ensure
10the board that the renovated facility shall be used for purposes of
11the program for the following periods:
12(1) For loans equal to or less than thirty thousand dollars
13($30,000), not less than three years from the beginning of the loan
14period.
15(2) For loans exceeding thirty thousand dollars ($30,000), the
16fixed period of time shall increase one year for each additional ten
17thousand dollars ($10,000) or part thereof, to a maximum of fifty
18thousand dollars ($50,000).
19(f) The board shall set the period of the loan for each recipient,
20up to a maximum of 10 years, based upon the amount of the loan,
21the recipient’s ability to repay the loan, and the length of time the
22recipient has committed to use
the renovated facility for purposes
23of the program.
24(g) Interest on the loan principal shall be charged at a rate equal
25to the average of the interest rate applied to the last three bond
26sales pursuant to Chapter 21.6 (commencing with Section 17695)
27of Part 10.
28(h) In the event that a recipient ceases to use the renovated
29facility for purposes of the program before the expiration of the
30period specified pursuant to subdivision (e), the board shall collect
31the entire outstanding balance of the loan, plus interest,
32notwithstanding the loan period originally set pursuant to
33subdivision (f).
Section 8499 of the
Education Code is amended to
36read:
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions
38shall apply:
39(a) “Block grant” means the block grant contained in Title VI
40of the Child Care and Development Fund, as established by the
P103 1federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
2Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193).
3(b) “Child care” means all licensed early learning and
4educational support services and license-exempt child care,
5including, but not limited to, private for-profit programs, nonprofit
6programs, and publicly funded programs, for all children from
7birth to 13 years of age, including children with exceptional needs
8and children from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
9(c) “Child care provider” means a person who provides child
10care services or represents persons who provide child care services.
11(d) “Community representative” means a person who represents
12an agency or business that provides private funding for child care
13services, or who advocates for child care services through
14participation in civic or community-based organizations but is not
15a child care provider and does not represent an agency that
16contracts with the State Department of Education to provide early
17learning and educational support services.
18(e) “Consumer” means a parent or person who receives, or who
19has received within the past 36 months, child care services.
20(f) “Department” means the State Department of Education.
21(g) “Local
planning council” means a local early learning and
22educational support planning council as described in Section
238499.3.
24(h) “Public agency representative” means a person who
25represents a city, county, city and county, or local educational
26agency.
The heading of Article 2 (commencing with Section
298499.3) of Chapter 2.3
of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 30Education Code is amended to read:
31
Section 8499.3 of the
Education Code is amended
36to read:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that local planning
38councils shall provide a forum for the identification of local
39priorities for early learning and educational support and the
P104 1development of policies to meet the needs identified within those
2priorities.
3(b) The county board of supervisors and the county
4superintendent of schools shall do both of the following:
5(1) Select the members of the local planning council. Before
6making selections pursuant to this subdivision, the county board
7of supervisors and the county superintendent of schools shall
8publicize their intention to select the members and shall invite
9local organizations to submit nominations.
In counties in which
10the county superintendent is appointed by the county board of
11education, the county board of education may make the
12appointment or may delegate that responsibility to the
13superintendent.
14(2) Establish the term of appointment for the members of the
15local planning council.
16(c) (1) The local planning council shall be comprised as follows:
17(A) Twenty percent of the membership shall be consumers.
18(B) Twenty percent of the membership shall be providers,
19reflective of the range of providers in the county.
20(C) Twenty percent of the membership shall be public agency
21representatives.
22(D) Twenty percent of the membership shall be community
23representatives, who shall not be providers or agencies that contract
24with the department to provide services.
25(E) The remaining 20 percent shall be appointed at the discretion
26of the appointing agencies.
27(2) The county board of supervisors and the county
28superintendent of schools shall each appoint one-half of the
29members. In the case of uneven membership, both appointing
30entities shall agree on the odd-numbered appointee.
31(d) Every effort shall be made to ensure that the ethnic, racial,
32and geographic composition of the local planning council is
33reflective of the ethnic, racial, and geographic distribution of the
34population of the county.
35(e) The county board of supervisors and
county superintendent
36of schools may designate an existing planning council or
37coordinated child and family services council as the local planning
38council, as long as it has or can achieve the representation set forth
39in this section.
P105 1(f) Upon establishment of a local planning council, the local
2planning council shall elect a chair and select a staff.
3(g) Each local planning council shall develop and implement a
4training plan to provide increased efficiency, productivity, and
5facilitation of local planning council meetings. This may include
6developing a training manual, hiring facilitators, and identifying
7strategies to meet the objectives of the council.
8(h) A member of a local planning council shall not participate
9in a vote if he or she has a proprietary interest in the outcome of
10the matter being voted
upon.
Section 8499.5 of the
Education Code is amended
13to read:
(a) The department shall allocate funding pursuant to
15Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 8200) based on the amount
16of state and federal funding that is available.
17(b) By May 30 of each year, upon approval by the county board
18of supervisors and the county superintendent of schools, a local
19planning council shall submit to the department the local priorities
20it has identified that reflect all child care needs in the county. To
21accomplish this, a local planning council shall do all of the
22following:
23(1) Conduct an assessment of child care needs in the county no
24less than once every five years. The department shall define and
25prescribe data elements to be included in the needs assessment and
26shall specify
the format for the data reporting. The needs
27assessment shall also include all factors deemed appropriate by
28the local planning council in order to obtain an accurate picture of
29the comprehensive child care needs in the county. The factors
30include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
31(A) The needs of families eligible for subsidized care.
32(B) The needs of families not eligible for subsidized care.
33(C) The waiting lists for programs funded by the department
34and the State Department of Social Services.
35(D) The need for care for children determined by the child
36protective services agency to be neglected, abused, or exploited,
37or at risk of being neglected, abused, or exploited.
38(E) The number of children in families receiving public
39assistance, including CalFresh benefits, housing support, and
P106 1Medi-Cal, and assistance from the Healthy Families Program and
2the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
3(F) Family income among families with preschool or schoolage
4children.
5(G) The number of children in migrant agricultural families
6who move from place to place for work or who are currently
7dependent for their income on agricultural employment in
8accordance with subdivision (a)begin delete of, and paragraphs (1) and (2) of begin insert
ofend insert Section 8231.
9subdivision (b) of,end delete
10(H) The number of children who have been determined by a
11regional center to require services pursuant to an individualized
12family service plan, or by a local educational agency to require
13services pursuant to an individualized education program or an
14individualized family service plan.
15(I) The number of children in the county by primary language
16spoken pursuant to the department’s language survey.
17(J) Special needs based on geographic considerations, including
18rural areas.
19(K) The number of children needing services by age cohort.
20(2) Document information gathered during the needs assessment
21that shall include, but need not be limited
to, data on supply,
22demand, cost, and market rates for each category of child care in
23the county.
24(3) Develop a draft of local priorities for early learning and
25educational support program funding that shall include the needs
26assessment in paragraph (1) and shall consider the resources
27currently available in attendance areas of elementary schools
28ranked in deciles 1 to 3, inclusive, of the Academic Performance
29Index pursuant to Section 52056.
24 30(3)
end delete
31begin insert(4)end insert Encourage public input in the
development of the priorities.
32Opportunities for public input shall include at least one public
33hearing during which members of the public can comment on the
34proposed priorities.
28 35(4)
end delete
36begin insert(5)end insert Prepare a comprehensive countywide child care plan
37designed to mobilize public and private resources to address
38identified needs.
31 39(5)
end delete
P107 1begin insert(6)end insert Conduct
a periodic review ofbegin delete child careend deletebegin insert early learning and
2educational supportend insert programs funded by the department and the
3State Department of Social Services to determine if identified
4priorities are being met.
34 5(6)
end delete
6begin insert(7)end insert Collaborate with subsidized and nonsubsidized providers,
7county welfare departments, human service agencies, regional
8centers, job training programs, employers, integrated child and
9family service councils, local and state children and families
10commissions, parent
organizations, early start family resource
11centers, family empowerment centers on disability, local resource
12and referral programs, and other interested parties to foster
13partnerships designed to meet local child care needs.
3 14(7)
end delete
15begin insert(8)end insert Design a system to consolidate local child care waiting lists,
16if a centralized eligibility list is not already in existence.
5 17(8)
end delete
18begin insert(9)end insert Coordinate part-day programs, including California state
19preschool and Head Start, with other early learning and educational
20support services to provide full-day care.
8 21(9)
end delete
22begin insert(10)end insert Submit the results of the needs assessment and the local
23priorities identified by the local planning council to the county
24board of supervisors and the county superintendent of schools for
25approval before submitting them to the department.
12 26(10)
end delete
27begin insert(11)end insert Identify at least one, but not more than two, members to
28serve as part of the department team that reviews and scores
29proposals for the provision of services funded through contracts
30with the department. Local planning council representatives may
31not review and score proposals from the geographic area covered
32by their own local planning council. The department shall notify
33each local planning council whenever this opportunity is available.
34(c) The department shall, in conjunction with the State
35Department of Social Services and all appropriate statewide
36agencies and associations, develop guidelines for use by local
37planning councils to assist them in conducting needs assessments
38that are reliable and accurate. The guidelines shall include
39acceptable sources of demographic and child care data, and
40methodologies for assessing child care supply and demand.
P108 1(d) The
department shall allocate funding within each county
2in accordance with the priorities identified by the local planning
3council of that county and submitted to the department pursuant
4to this section, unless the priorities do not meet the requirements
5of state or federal law.
6(e) When additional funds for direct early learning services are
7appropriated by the Legislature, the department shall allocate
8funding within each county in accordance with the priorities that
9include the review of resources in the attendance areas of
10elementary schools ranked in deciles 1 to 3, inclusive, of the
11Academic Performance Index pursuant to Section 52056, as
12identified by the local planning council of that county and
13submitted to the department pursuant to paragraph (3) of
14subdivision (b), unless the priorities do not meet the requirements
15of state or federal law.
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