Amended in Assembly January 4, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 598

Introduced by Assembly Member Rendon

February 24, 2015

An act to amend Sections 8245 and 8246 of, to add Section 8248 to, and to repeal begin insert and add end insert Section 8247 of, the Education Code, relating to child care.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 598, as amended, Rendon. Child care: family child care home education networks.

Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to contract with entities organized to operate family child care home education networks that support educational objectives for children in licensed family child care homes that serve families eligible for subsidized care. Existing law requires the family child care home education network programs to include certain things, including an assessment of each family child care home provider to ensure that services are of high quality and are educationally and developmentally appropriate. Existing law also requires each family child care home education network to do certain things, including assess the educational quality of the program offered in each family child care home in the begin delete network. end delete begin insert network and end insert begin insert ensure that a developmental profile is completed for each child in consultation with the provider. end insert

This bill would require that tools used to make these assessments be appropriate to family child care home settings. begin insert The bill would require the network to complete the developmental profile end insert begin insert in collaboration with the provider by doing certain things, including conducting a parent survey of a child’s developmental progress as directed by the department and incorporating it into the profile. The bill would also require a family child care home education network to conduct a minimum of 9 site visits to each affiliated provider in a calendar year, as provided, among other things. end insert

Existing law provides that the above laws do not impose any new requirements on a family child care home education network nor does it require any increase in reimbursement rates.

This bill would delete this law.

begin delete

This bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature to provide consistency in the implementation and administration of family child care home education network programs, as provided.

end delete begin insert

The bill would require a provider in a family child care home education network to adopt and use a curriculum or curricula of the provider’s choosing that is appropriate for the age range of children in the home. The bill would also impose additional duties on providers, including providing age and developmentally appropriate educational activities for children.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 8245 of the Education Code is amended
to read:

8245.  

(a) The Superintendent, with funds appropriated for this
purpose, shall contract with begin delete entities organized under law end delete
begin insert contracting entities end insert to operate family child care home education
networks that support educational objectives for children in
licensed family child care homes that serve families eligible for
subsidized child care.

(b) Family child care home education network programs shall
include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Age and developmentally appropriate activities for children.

(2) Care and supervision of children.

(3) Parenting education.

(4) Identification of child and family social or health needs and
referral of the child or the family to the appropriate social or health
services.

(5) Nutrition.

(6) Training and support for the family child care home
education network’s family home providers and staff.

(7) Assessment of each family child care home provider to
ensure that services are of high quality and are educationally and
developmentally appropriate. Tools used to make an assessment
shall be appropriate to family child care home settings.

(8) Developmental profiles for children enrolled in the program.

(9) Parent involvement.

SEC. 2.  

Section 8246 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

8246.  

begin delete Each end delete begin insert A end insert begin insert end insert family child care home education network
contractor, in addition to the requirements set forth in subdivision
(b) of Section 8245, shall do all of the following:

(a) Recruit, enroll, and certify eligible families.

(b) Recruit, train, support, and reimburse licensed family home
providers.

(c) Collect family fees in accordance with contract requirements.

(d) Assess, according to standards set by the department, the
educational quality of the program offered in each family child
care home in the network using assessment tools that are
appropriate to family child care home settings.

(e)  begin delete Assure end delete begin insert Ensure end insert begin insert end insert that a developmental profile is completed for
each child based upon observations of network staff, in begin delete consultation end delete
begin insert collaboration end insert with the begin delete provider. end delete begin insert provider, by doing at least all of end insert
begin insert the following: end insert

begin insert

(1) Collaboratively completing the developmental child
assessment profile selected by the department. The contractor’s
child development specialist shall sign the developmental profile.

end insert begin insert

(2) Utilizing the developmental portfolio maintained by the
provider, including provider observations of each child.

end insert begin insert

(3) Ensuring that parent conferences are offered to the parent
of each enrolled child. The parent may decline a parent conference.

end insert begin insert

(4) Conducting a parent survey concerning his or her child’s
developmental progress as directed by the department and
incorporate it into the developmental profile.

end insert

(f) Monitor requirements, including quality standards, and
conduct periodic assessments of program quality in each family
child care home affiliated with the network.

(g) Ensure that basic health and nutrition requirements are met.

(h) Provide data and reporting in accordance with contract
requirements.

begin insert

(i) Conduct a minimum of nine site visits to each affiliated
provider in a calendar year for purposes of conducting assessments
and providing technical assistance, training, and support.

end insert begin insert

(j) Support the affiliated providers in meeting the standards for
program quality by reviewing, observing, and assessing the
providers’ program components, and providing technical
assistance, training, and coaching.

end insert begin insert

(k) Offer providers at least 12 hours of training and technical
assistance in group or individual settings. Trainings may include,
but are not limited to, the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) Age and developmentally appropriate educational practices
and activities for children.

end insert begin insert

(2) Appropriate care and supervision of children.

end insert begin insert

(3) Parenting and parent involvement in the development of
children.

end insert begin insert

(4) Menu planning and nutrition information, unless this is
provided by a United States Department of Food and
Agriculture-funded program.

end insert begin insert

(5) Provider and family communication.

end insert begin insert

(6) Understanding the developmental measures of the
developmental profile child assessment instrument.

end insert begin insert

(7) Individualizing the provider’s program to meet the needs of
each child in the provider’s care by using the results of the
developmental profile.

end insert begin insert

(l) Implement a universal complaint procedure that complies
with regulations adopted by the department. Contractors shall
include in their universal complaint procedure the right of a
provider to file a complaint alleging that the provider has been
inappropriately deemed by the contractor to be unqualified to be
affiliated with the family child care home education network, and
therefore the contractor has terminated the provider’s participation
in the network. This subdivision does not prevent the contractor
from immediately terminating the provider’s participation in the
network if the provider’s child care license has been revoked,
suspended, or placed on probationary status by the Community
Care Licensing Division of the State Department of Social Services,
or if the contractor finds that children may not be safe in the
provider’s home.

end insert begin insert

(m) Employ at least one child development specialist, who shall
have educational qualifications equivalent to a child development
teacher permit, to provide training, technical assistance, and
coaching to providers. Notwithstanding any other law, family child
care home education network contractors shall not be required to
employ individuals with child development teacher permits.

end insert begin insert

(n) Maintain a signed, written agreement with each affiliated
provider and an authorized representative of the family child care
home education network. The agreement shall include, but not be
limited to, all of the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) The provider’s status as an independent contractor with the
family child care home education network.

end insert begin insert

(2) The provider’s nondiscrimination policy.

end insert begin insert

(3) The established reimbursement rates.

end insert

SEC. 3.  

Section 8247 of the Education Code is repealed.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 4. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 8247 is added to the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 8247. end insert   

(a) A provider in a family child care home education
network shall adopt and use a curriculum or curricula, of the
provider’s choosing, appropriate for the age range of children in
the home.

(b) In order to ensure educational quality for children, the
contractor may adopt a policy limiting the curricula acceptable
within its network. The policy shall include not less than three
curricula, and the contractor may approve provider developed
curricula if they are educational and appropriate for the age
ranges of children in the homes.

end insert

begin delete SEC. 4. end delete
begin insert SEC. 5. end insert   

Section 8248 is added to the Education Code, to read:

begin delete

8248.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to provide consistency
in the implementation and administration of family child care home
education network programs that acknowledge the higher standards
met by participating family child care providers, the need for a
reimbursement differential above their regional market rate, and
technical assistance, training, assessment, coaching, and other
supporting services offered by family child care home education
network contractors.

end delete

begin insert

begin insert 8248. end insert   

end insert begin insert

(a) A provider shall do all of the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) Provide age and developmentally appropriate educational
activities for children.

end insert begin insert

(2) Provide care and supervision of children.

end insert begin insert

(3) Provide parenting education to parents. Parenting education
may include, but is not limited to, general program information
and formal or informal parent conferences and exchange of
information about the development, needs, and skills of the parents’
child or children.

end insert begin insert

(4) Identify child and family social service or health needs, and
share those needs with the contractor.

end insert begin insert

(5) Provide nutrition that is consistent with standards of the
Child and Adult Care Food Program of the United States
Department of Agriculture.

end insert begin insert

(6) Collaborate with the contractor in completion of the
developmental profile for each child, including doing all of the
following:

end insert begin insert

(A) Collaborating in completion of the developmental profile
child assessment instrument.

end insert begin insert

(B) Maintaining a developmental portfolio for each child that
includes items produced by the child.

end insert begin insert

(C) Maintaining observations of the child, and other
documentation of the child’s skills.

end insert begin insert

(D) Conducting or participating in parent conferences, per
contractor policies.

end insert begin insert

(7) Provide the contractor with copies of all citations issued to
the provider by the Community Care Licensing Division of the
State Department of Social Services within five calendar days of
the issuing date of the citation.

end insert begin insert

(8) Obtain no less than 12 hours of professional training per
year, and maintain documentation of the training for three years.
Training may include group or individual training provided by
the contractor, or training provided by other qualified individuals
or organizations.

end insert begin insert

(b) A provider may, but is not required to, encourage parent
involvement in the provider’s home program.

end insert begin insert

(c) A provider is not required to maintain a parent advisory
committee, as required by center contractors.

end insert