BILL NUMBER: AB 598 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 4, 2016
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 and add 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 network. network and
ensure that a developmental profile is completed for each
child in consultation with the provider.
This bill would require that tools used to make these assessments
be appropriate to family child care home settings. The bill
would require the network to complete the developmental profile
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 entities organized under law
contracting entities 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. Each A 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) Assure Ensure that a
developmental profile is completed for each child based upon
observations of network staff, in consultation
collaboration with the provider.
provider, by doing at least all of the following:
(1) Collaboratively completing the developmental child assessment
profile selected by the department. The contractor's child
development specialist shall sign the developmental profile.
(2) Utilizing the developmental portfolio maintained by the
provider, including provider observations of each child.
(3) Ensuring that parent conferences are offered to the parent of
each enrolled child. The parent may decline a parent conference.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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:
(1) Age and developmentally appropriate educational practices and
activities for children.
(2) Appropriate care and supervision of children.
(3) Parenting and parent involvement in the development of
children.
(4) Menu planning and nutrition information, unless this is
provided by a United States Department of Food and Agriculture-funded
program.
(5) Provider and family communication.
(6) Understanding the developmental measures of the developmental
profile child assessment instrument.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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:
(1) The provider's status as an independent contractor with the
family child care home education network.
(2) The provider's nondiscrimination policy.
(3) The established reimbursement rates.
SEC. 3. Section 8247 of the Education Code is repealed.
SEC. 4. Section 8247 is added to the
Education Code , to read:
8247. (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.
SEC. 4. SEC. 5. Section 8248 is
added to the Education Code, to read:
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.
8248. (a) A provider shall do all of the
following:
(1) Provide age and developmentally appropriate educational
activities for children.
(2) Provide care and supervision of children.
(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.
(4) Identify child and family social service or health needs, and
share those needs with the contractor.
(5) Provide nutrition that is consistent with standards of the
Child and Adult Care Food Program of the United States Department of
Agriculture.
(6) Collaborate with the contractor in completion of the
developmental profile for each child, including doing all of the
following:
(A) Collaborating in completion of the developmental profile child
assessment instrument.
(B) Maintaining a developmental portfolio for each child that
includes items produced by the child.
(C) Maintaining observations of the child, and other documentation
of the child's skills.
(D) Conducting or participating in parent conferences, per
contractor policies.
(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.
(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.
(b) A provider may, but is not required to, encourage parent
involvement in the provider's home program.
(c) A provider is not required to maintain a parent advisory
committee, as required by center contractors.