Amended in Senate August 1, 2016

Amended in Senate May 31, 2016

Amended in Assembly January 21, 2016

Amended in Assembly January 14, 2016

Amended in Assembly January 4, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 598


Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon

(Coauthor: Assembly Member Rendon)

February 24, 2015


An act to amend Sections 8245 and 8246 of,begin insert andend insert to addbegin delete Sectionend deletebegin insert Sectionsend insert 8248begin insert and 8249end insert to,begin delete and to repeal and add Section 8247 of,end delete the Education Code, relating to child care.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 598, as amended, Calderon. begin deleteChild care: family end deletebegin insertFamily end insertchild 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 components, including an assessment of each family child care home provider to ensure that services are of high quality and are educationally and developmentally appropriate.

This bill would require that tools used to make these assessments be appropriate to family child care home settings and would require a family child care home education network program to include the maintenance of a developmental portfolio for each child, as provided.

Existing law imposes various requirements on family child care home education network contractors, including ensuring that a developmental profile is completed for each child.

This bill would impose additional requirements on those contractors, including that the developmental profiles specified above be completed in accordance with the provider’s observations, conducting site visits, and offering training and technical assistance, as specified.

begin delete

This bill would delete a provision specifying that the provisions relating to family child care home education networks do not impose any new requirements on a family child care home education network or require any increase in reimbursement rates.

end delete

The bill would also impose various duties on family child care home education network providers, including requiring those providers to adopt and use a curriculum and to provide 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:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 8245 of the Education Code is amended
2to read:

3

8245.  

(a) The Superintendent, with funds appropriated for this
4purpose, shall contract with authorized entities to operate family
5child care home education networks that support educational
6objectives for children in licensed family child care homes that
7serve families eligible for subsidized child care.

8(b) Family child care home education network programs shall
9include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

10(1) Age and developmentally appropriate activities for children.

11(2) Care and supervision of children.

12(3) Parenting education.

13(4) Identification of child and family social or health needs and
14referral of the child or the family to the appropriate social or health
15services.

16(5) Nutrition education and training.

P3    1(6) Training and support for thebegin delete family child care home
2educationend delete
network’s familybegin insert child careend insert home providers and staff.

3(7) Assessment of each family child care home provider to
4ensure that services are of high quality and are educationally and
5developmentally appropriate. Tools used to make an assessment
6shall be appropriate to family child care home settings.

7(8) Developmental profiles for children enrolled in the program.

8(9) Maintenance of a folder, known as a developmental portfolio,
9for each child that includes, among other items, a child’s work
10product and observations of the child.

11(10) Opportunities for parent involvement.

12

SEC. 2.  

Section 8246 of the Education Code is amended to
13read:

14

8246.  

(a) A family child care home education network
15contractor, in addition to the requirements set forth in subdivision
16(b) of Section 8245, shall do all of the following:

17(1) Recruit, enroll, and certify eligible families.

18(2) Recruit, train, support, and reimburse licensed familybegin insert child
19careend insert
home providers.

20(3) Ensure collection of family fees in accordance with contract
21requirements.

begin insert

22
(4) Develop and implement a plan for timely payment to
23providers.

end insert
begin delete

24(4)

end delete

25begin insert(5)end insert Assess, according to standards set by the department, the
26educational quality of the program offered in each family child
27care home in the network using assessment tools that are
28appropriate to family child care home settings.

begin delete

29(5)

end delete

30begin insert(6)end insert Complete a developmental profile for each child based upon
31observations of network staff, and in accordance with the provider’s
32observations, by doing at least both of the following:

33(A) In consultation with the provider, completing the
34developmental child assessment profile selected by the department.
35The contractor’s child development specialist shall sign the
36developmental profile.

37(B) Utilizing the developmental portfolio, as described in
38paragraph (9) of subdivision (b) of Section 8245, maintained by
39the provider, including provider observations of each child.

begin delete

40(6)

end delete

P4    1begin insert(7)end insert Conduct a parent survey as directed by the department.

begin delete

2(7)

end delete

3begin insert(8)end insert Ensure that parent conferences are offered to the parent of
4each enrolled child. The parent may decline a parent conference.

begin delete

5(8)

end delete

6begin insert(9)end insert Monitor each family child care home affiliated with the
7network to ensure that requirements are met, including, but not
8limited to, basic health, nutrition, and quality standards.

begin delete

9(9)

end delete

10begin insert(10)end insert Provide data and reporting in accordance with contract
11requirements.

begin delete

12(10)

end delete

13begin insert(11)end insert Conduct no less than six site visits to each affiliated
14provider in a program year for purposes of conducting assessments
15and providing technical assistance, training, and support.

begin delete

16(11)

end delete

17begin insert(12)end insert Support the affiliated providers in meeting the standards
18for program quality by reviewing, observing, and assessing the
19providers’ program components, and providing technical assistance,
20training, and coaching.

begin delete

21(12)

end delete

22begin insert(13)end insert Offer providers at least 12 hours annually of training and
23technical assistance in group or individual settings. Training may
24include, but is not limited to, the following:

25(A) Age and developmentally appropriate educational practices
26and activities for children.

27(B) Appropriate care and supervision of children.

28(C) Engaging parents in the program and providing parenting
29information on age-appropriate child development and activities.

30(D) Menu planning and nutrition information.

31(E) Provider and family communication.

32(F) Understanding the developmental measures of the
33developmental profile child assessment instrument.

34(G) Individualizing the provider’s program to meet the needs
35of each child in the provider’s care by using the results of the
36developmental profile.

begin delete

37(13)

end delete

38begin insert(14)end insert Employ at least one child development specialist who has
39educational qualifications equivalent to a child development teacher
40permit, to provide training, technical assistance, and coaching to
P5    1providers. Notwithstanding any other law, family child care home
2education network providers shall not be required to employ
3individuals with child development teacher permits.

begin delete

4(14)

end delete

5begin insert(15)end insert Maintain a signed, written agreement with each affiliated
6provider and an authorized representative of the family child care
7 home education network. The agreement shall include, but not be
8limited to, all of the following:

9(A) The provider’s status as an independent contractor with the
10family child care home education network.

11(B) The provider’s nondiscrimination policy.

12(C) The established reimbursement rates.

13(b) A family child care home education network contractor is
14not required to maintain a parent advisory committee.

begin delete15

SEC. 3.  

Section 8247 of the Education Code is repealed.

end delete
16

begin deleteSEC. 4.end delete
17
begin insertSEC. 3.end insert  

Sectionbegin delete 8247end deletebegin insert 8248end insert is added to the Education Code, to
18read:

19

begin delete8247.end delete
20
begin insert8248.end insert  

(a) A provider in a family child care home education
21network shall adopt and use a curriculum or curricula, of the
22provider’s choosing, appropriate for the age range of children in
23the home.

24(b) In order to ensure educational quality for children, the
25contractor may adopt a policy limiting the curricula acceptable
26within its network. The policy shall include not less than three
27curricula, and the contractor may approve provider-developed
28curricula if they are educational and appropriate for the age ranges
29of children in the homes.

30

begin deleteSEC. 5.end delete
31
begin insertSEC. 4.end insert  

Sectionbegin delete 8248end deletebegin insert 8249end insert is added to the Education Code, to
32read:

33

begin delete8248.end delete
34
begin insert8249.end insert  

(a) A providerbegin insert end insertbegin insertin a family child care home education
35netwrokend insert
shall do all of the following:

36(1) Provide age and developmentally appropriate educational
37activities for children.

38(2) Provide care and supervision of children.

39(3) Provide parenting education to parents. Parenting education
40may include, but is not limited to, general program information
P6    1and formal or informal parent conferences and exchange of
2information about the development, needs, and skills of the parents’
3child or children.

4(4) Identify child and family social service or health needs, and
5share those needs with the contractor.

6(5) Provide nutrition that is consistent with standards of the
7Child and Adult Care Food Program of the United States
8Department of Agriculture.

9(6) Work in consultation with the contractor to complete the
10developmental profile for each child, including doing all of the
11following:

12(A) In consultation with the contractor, complete the
13developmental profile child assessment instrument.

14(B) Maintain a developmental portfolio, as described in
15paragraph (9) of subdivision (b) of Section 8245, for each child
16that includes items produced by the child. A copy of this portfolio
17shall be shared with the family child care home education network
18contractor for purposes of department review.

19(C) Maintain observations and other documentation of the
20child’s skills.

21(D) Conduct or participate in parent conferences per contractor
22policies.

23(7) Provide the contractor with copies of all citations issued to
24the provider by the Community Care Licensing Division of the
25State Department of Social Services within five calendar days of
26the issuing date of the citation.

27(8) Obtain no less than 12 hours of professional training per
28year, and maintain documentation of the training for three years.
29Training may include group or individual training provided by the
30contractor, or training provided by other qualified individuals or
31organizations.

32(b) A provider may, but is not required to, encourage parent
33involvement in the provider’s family child carebegin insert home education
34networkend insert
program.

35(c) A provider is not required to maintain a parent advisory
36committee.



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