BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 47
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Date of Hearing: April 29, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Patrick O'Donnell, Chair
AB 47
McCarty - As Amended April 22, 2015
SUBJECT: State preschool program
SUMMARY: Expresses the intent of the Legislature that no later
than January 1, 2017, the State Budget shall include an
appropriation for the California State Preschool Program (CSPP)
sufficient to provide all children who are eligible for the
program, and whose parents wish to enroll them, the opportunity
to enroll in the program in the year before they enter
kindergarten. The bill finds and declares that studies have
shown that high-quality preschool significantly improves
children's school readiness and school performance, that quality
preschool provides a return of $15,000 for every child served,
and that investment in high-quality preschool will result in
savings in prison expenditures. The bill further expresses the
intent of the Legislature that all low-income children have
access to either a state preschool program or a transitional
kindergarten program and to provide funds to expand the CSPP to
provide full day, full year preschool for all eligible
low-income children.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes eligibility for child care services and child
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development programs administered by the California Department
of Education (CDE) and requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) to adopt rules and regulations on
eligibility, enrollment and priority of services needed for
implementation (Education Code (EC) Section 8263).
2)Specifies that in order to be eligible for federal and state
subsidized child development services, families must meet at
least one requirement in each of the following areas:
a) A family is (A) a current aid recipient, (B) income
eligible, (C) homeless or (D) one whose children are
recipients of protective services, or whose children have
been identified as being abused, neglected, or exploited,
or at risk of being abused, neglected, or exploited; and,
b) A family needs the child care services (A) because the
child is identified by a legal, medical, social services
agency, or emergency shelter as (i) a recipient of
protective services or (ii) being neglected, abused, or
exploited, or at risk of neglect, abuse or exploitation, or
(B) because the parents are (i) engaged in vocational
training leading directly to a recognized trade,
paraprofession or profession, (ii) employed or seeking
employment, (iii) seeking permanent housing for family
stability, or (iv) incapacitated. (EC Section 8263(a))
3)Establishes the CSPP and provides that the programs shall
include, but not be limited to, part-day age and
developmentally appropriate programs designed to facilitate
the transition to kindergarten for three- and four-year-old
children in educational development, health services, social
services, nutritional services, parent education and parent
participation, evaluation, and staff development. (EC Section
8235).
4)Defines "income eligible" as a family whose adjusted monthly
income is at or below 70% of the state median income (SMI),
adjusted for family size, and adjusted annually. For the
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2014-15 fiscal year, the income eligibility shall be 70% of
the SMI that was in use for the 2007-08 fiscal year, adjusted
for family size. (EC Section 8263.1)
FISCAL EFFECT: None. This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS: Background on child care and development programs.
The CDE administers a child care and development system,
maintaining over 1,300 service contracts with approximately 750
public and private agencies supporting and providing services to
children from birth through 12 years of age. Contractors include
school districts, county offices of education, cities, colleges,
other public entities, community-based organizations, and
private agencies. According to the Legislative Analyst's
Office, overall funding for the child care and development
programs decreased by almost $1 billion between 2008-09 and
2012-13, with the elimination of 110,000 slots. Last year,
state and federal funds provided an increase of $281 million,
with a $2.4 billion allocation for child care and development
programs, offering 355,000 slots.
CSPP. The CSPP offers part-day and full-day preschool programs
through contracts with local educational agencies, private
contractors, and colleges. These programs are required to
comply with health and safety standards under Title 22
regulations and higher developmental and teacher qualification
standards under Title 5 regulations adopted by the CDE.
Priority for enrollment goes to four- or three-year-old
neglected or abused children who are recipients of Child
Protective Services or recipients who are at risk of being
neglected or abused, without regard to income. Second priority
goes to four-year-old children who were enrolled in CSPP as a
three-year-old, followed by four-year-old children with the
lowest income ranking. Three-year-old children may be enrolled
after four-year-olds are enrolled. Income eligibility is 70% of
the SMI ($46,896 for a family of four). Part-day preschool
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operates three hours per day for 175 days. The General Child
Care program provides "wrap around" to provide full-day care.
FY 2014-15 budget increases. In FY 2014-15, CSPP received $664
million in Proposition 98 General fund for the part-day
preschool program. The 2014-15 budget included 7,500 additional
slots for preschool, plus an additional 4,000 slots that would
be effective on June 15, 2015. According to the CDE, when the
4,000 part day slots were offered to contractors and school
districts, the CDE received requests for over 32,301 slots. The
Governor's proposed 2015-16 budget includes funds for 153,177
slots, 38,913 more slots than in 2008-09.
What does this bill do? This bill states the intent of the
Legislature to appropriate sufficient funds no later than
January 1, 2017 to provide all eligible children with access to
the CSPP the year before they enter kindergarten.
The author states, "A powerful body of research shows that
investing in quality early education is highly effective in
promoting student academic success. Early intervention in a
child's education increases cognitive, language, social, and
emotional development. This leads to increased high school
graduation rates, college attendance, decreasing crime, and
builds a stronger middle class.
Recently, California has led the way with historic reforms with
the common core standards and the local control funding formula.
Though both reforms strive to create greater quality and equity
in California's public education system, these reforms will not
close the achievement gap before a child first enters a
kindergarten classroom.
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AB 47 expands on last year's commitment from the Governor and
Legislature to expand the state preschool program for all low
income families who do not have access to one year of state
preschool or transitional kindergarten. Now is the time to make
a wise investment to expand preschool to all eligible low income
students."
What is the estimated need? It is challenging to determine the
full extent of the need of families that meet eligibility
criteria. From 2005 to 2011, funds were provided to establish
centralized eligibility lists (CEL), providing data on the
number of families waiting for subsidized care in all 58
counties. While some counties voluntarily maintained the CEL,
there is no longer a statewide source of data collection. The
LAO estimates approximately 31,500 four-year-old children who
have need for full-day preschool out of 250,000 four-year-olds
who meet eligibility criteria.
Value of preschool. Studies, such as those from the RAND
corporation, have shown that quality early childhood education
programs have a number of benefits, including improving
children's readiness for school, higher test scores, reduced
grade-level retention, higher rates of school completion, and
higher likelihood of college attendance.
Committee amendment. Staff recommends striking the intent
provision in the bill and insert the following:
"No later than January 1, 2017, there shall be access to the
state preschool program for all children who are eligible for
the program in the year before they enter kindergarten, and
whose parents wish to enroll them. It is the intent of the
Legislature to provide sufficient funding in the state budget
for this purpose."
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Arguments in support. First 5 California supports the bill and
states, "A powerful body of research shows that investing in
high-quality preschool programs enhances the quality of care and
education that children receive. Studies conclude that
high-quality preschool programs improve school readiness and
lead to better long-term academic achievement. Research also
shows a child's brain develops most dramatically during the
early years of life. The school and life success of at-risk
children can be significantly increased through high-quality
early learning programs, which also are essential to preventing
the achievement gap.
In California, too many children miss out on a critical
developmental window of opportunity. Only half of California's
low-income, preschool-aged children are served in State
Preschool or Head Start, and only one-quarter of all children
are eligible for the current transitional kindergarten program."
Arguments in opposition. California Right to Life Committee,
Inc. (CRLC) states, "CRLC does not support early childhood
education by governmental schools. Young children need parental
guidance in their early years, especially. When this is not
possible, families should locate childcare within their families
or in private agencies."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Early Edge California (sponsor)
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Advancement Project
Bay Area Council
California Catholic Conference
California Federation of Teachers
California State PTA
Children Now (prior version)
Compton Unified School District
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California
First 5 California
First 5 Fresno County
First 5 Santa Clara County
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones (prior version)
Jumpstart: Children Fist
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LAUP
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Urban League
Lutheran Office of Public Policy - California
MISSION: READINESS
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
(prior version)
North Bay Leadership Council
Parent Institute for Quality Education
Sacramento City Unified School District
Santa Clara County Office of Education
United Way (prior version)
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Opposition
California Right to Life Committee, Inc.
Analysis Prepared by:Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. / (916) 319-2087