BILL NUMBER: AB 2660	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member McCarty
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia)

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to add and repeal Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section
8780) of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code,
relating to early education.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2660, as introduced, McCarty. Early education: three-year plan.

   Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
administer all California state preschool programs, which include
part-day age and developmentally appropriate programs for 3- and
4-year-old children, as provided. Existing law provides that 3- and
4-year-old children are eligible for the state part-day preschool
program if the family meets one of several eligibility requirements,
including income eligibility.
   This bill would require the State Department of Education, in
consultation with the State Board of Education and the State Advisory
Council on Early Learning and Care, on or before July 1, 2017, to
submit to the Legislature and the Department of Finance a plan that
provides a 3-year plan for providing access to income eligible
children to high-quality prekindergarten programs for a minimum of
one year before enrollment in kindergarten and a 3-year plan for
ensuring that publicly funded prekindergarten programs focus on
certain areas.
   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.  Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 8780) is added to
Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 4.5.  THE QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACT
OF 2016


   8780.  This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Quality
Early Education and Development Act of 2016.
   8781.  (a) On or before July 1, 2017, the department, in
consultation with the state board and the State Advisory Council on
Early Learning and Care, shall submit to the Legislature and the
Department of Finance a plan that provides both of the following:
   (1) A three-year plan for providing access for income eligible
children to high-quality prekindergarten programs for a minimum of
one year before enrollment in kindergarten.
   (2) A three-year plan for ensuring that publicly funded
prekindergarten programs focus on all of the following areas, which
are most closely associated with positive outcomes for children:
   (A) School readiness.
   (B) Child development.
   (C) Family engagement.
   (D) Educator capacity, preparation, and professional development.
   (E) Program environment.
   (b) For purposes of this section, "prekindergarten programs"
includes all of the following:
   (1) Transitional kindergarten.
   (2) State preschool.
   (3) Head Start programs.
   (c) For purposes of this section, "income eligible" has the same
meaning as subdivision (a) of Section 8263.1.
   (d) The plan shall be submitted to the Legislature in compliance
with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
   8782.  Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
chapter is repealed on January 1, 2021.