BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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Date of Hearing: May 11, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2410 (Bonta) - As Amended April 27, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill establishes a 10-member advisory committee to develop
recommendations for defining kindergarten readiness. This
definition is intended to inform future efforts focused on child
outcomes. Specifically, this bill:
1)Specifies Legislative intent to shift the role of the state
from a compliance-based early learning system to one that
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focuses on child outcomes.
2)Establishes a 10-member California Committee for Kindergarten
Readiness (Committee) comprised of early education
stakeholders, as specified. Requires the California Department
of Education (CDE) to convene the Committee, on or before
March 1, 2017, to evaluate and develop recommendations on what
constitutes kindergarten readiness.
3)Requires the Committee, on or before January 1, 2018, to
submit to the State Board of Education (SBE), and the
appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, a
kindergarten readiness definition, as specified. Requires the
SBE to consider this definition by July 1, 2018.
4)Authorizes CDE to contract with an appropriate public or
private agency for purposes of developing this definition.
5)Repeals the provisions of this bill on January 1, 2019.
FISCAL EFFECT:
One-time General Fund administrative costs to CDE of
approximately $1.4 million (over two years), to develop a new
kindergarten readiness definition. This definition is required
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to set clear skill benchmarks and inform an outcome-based early
learning system. The CDE will need to hire a contractor with
specific expertise to assist with developing the definition and
benchmarks. There will also be costs associated with convening
and staffing the Committee.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, high quality, early learning
experiences have been shown to produce substantial short-term
benefits for children's early language, literacy, mathematics
and social skills as well as long-term effects on a wide range
of school, health behavioral outcomes that persist into
adulthood. Unfortunately, those who start behind often stay
behind. Supporters of this bill, including Early Edge
California, believe a statewide kindergarten readiness
definition can ensure that state-funded prekindergarten
programs focus on preparing California's diverse population of
young learners for kindergarten.
2)Background. Current law requires the CDE to develop
prekindergarten learning development guidelines and requires
the guidelines to do the following:
Focus on preparing four- and five-year-old children for
kindergarten.
Identify appropriate developmental milestones for each
age, how to assess where children are in relation to the
milestones, and suggested methods for achieving the
milestones.
Identify any basic beginning skills needed to prepare
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children for kindergarten or first grade, and methods for
teaching these basic skills.
Be articulated with the academic content and performance
standards adopted by the SBE for kindergarten and grades 1
through 12.
In 2008, the CDE released three series of the Preschool
Learning Foundations. Volume 1 focuses on the domains of
social-emotional development, language and literacy,
English-language development, and mathematics, and provides a
comprehensive understanding of what children learn in these
four domains. Volume 2 covers the skills and knowledge that
children attain at around 36 months and 48 months in the areas
of visual and performing arts, physical development, and
health. Volume 3 covers the skills and knowledge that
children attain at around 36 months and 48 months in the areas
of history-social science and science.
The Preschool Learning Foundations would need to be reviewed
in the context of the new kindergarten readiness definition
and may need to be updated accordingly.
1)Suggested amendments. This bill requires the Committee to
submit the definition of kindergarten readiness to the SBE.
Committees do not generally present recommendations to the
SBE. The CDE is the appropriate body to present formal
recommendations. Staff recommends an amendment to clarify this
issue.
According to the CDE, the development of this definition would
necessitate a two year process. The CDE is requesting the
timeline for the SBE to consider adoption of the definition to
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be extended from July 1, 2018 to July 1, 2019. The repeal
date in the bill would also need to be extended to January 1,
2020.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081