SB 311, as amended, Beall. Child Care and Development Services Act: preschool: Alum Rock Union Elementary School District: pilot project.
Existing law provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that in providing child development programs the Superintendent of Public Instruction give priority to children of families that qualify under applicable federal statutes or regulations as recipients of public assistance and other low-income and disadvantaged families. Existing law authorizes the City and County of San Francisco, until July 1, 2016, and as a pilot project, to develop and implement an individualized county child care subsidy plan, as provided. Existing law requires the Superintendent 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 authorize the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, located in the County of Santa Clara, as a pilot project until January 1, 2022, to develop and implement an individualized eligibility part-day preschool subsidy plan for children residing in the school district for purposes of attending a state-funded part-day preschool program in the school district. The bill would require the school district to consult with preschool programs, as defined, and the Santa Clara Office of Education in developing the plan. The bill would require the plan to include specified elements relating to eligibility and age of preschool program participation. The bill would require the plan to be submitted to, and approved by, the Santa Clara County Local Child Care Planning Council and the Early Education and Support Division of the State Department of Education. The bill would require the school district to submit an annual report to the Legislature and the department, as provided, and a final report on or before December 31, 2022.begin insert The bill would provide that no additional state funds shall be appropriated for purposes of implementing the above provisions.end insert
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity for special legislation.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Vote: 2⁄3. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 8239.5)
2is added to Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the 3Education Code, to read:
4
For purposes of this article, the following terms have
9the following meanings:
10(a) “School district” means the Alum Rock Union Elementary
11School District, located in the County of Santa Clara.
12(b) “Preschool program” means a state-funded part-day
13preschool program that operates in the school district.
The school district, as a pilot project, may develop and
2implement an individualized eligibility part-day preschool subsidy
3plan for children residing in the school district for purposes of
4attending a preschool program in the school district. The plan shall
5ensure that child care subsidies received by a preschool program
6are used to address local needs, conditions, and priorities of
7families in the school district and for preparing children for
8kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
Before implementing the plan, the school district, in
10consultation with any preschool program and the Santa Clara Office
11of Education, shall develop an individualized eligibility part-day
12preschool subsidy plan that shall include both of the following:
13(a) Notwithstanding any other law, eligibility to participate in
14the preschool program shall be based on either of the following
15conditions:
16(1) The child is eligible for free or reduced-price meals, as that
17term is used in subdivision (a) of Section 42238.01.
18(2) The child is a foster youth, as that term is used in
subdivision
19(b) of Section 42238.01.
20(b) Notwithstanding any other law, children up to the age of
21admission into first grade shall be allowed to participate in the
22preschool program.
The plan shall be submitted to, and approved by, the
24Santa Clara County Local Child Care Planning Council and the
25Early Education and Support Division of the department.
(a) Upon approval of the plan, pursuant to Section
278239.8, the school district, in consultation with the preschool
28program, the Santa Clara Office of Education, and First 5 Santa
29Clara, shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Legislature
30and the department that summarizes the success of the pilot project.
31(b) The school district, in consultation with the preschool
32program, the Santa Clara Office of Education, and First 5 Santa
33Clara shall submit a final report to the Legislature and the
34department on or before December 31, 2022, that shall provide
35recommendations as to whether the pilot project should continue
36as a permanent program.
37(c) A report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to this section
38shall be submitted in compliance with 9795 of the Government
39Code.
The school district may implement an individualized
2eligibility part-day preschool subsidy plan as a pilot project
3pursuant to this article until January 1, 2022, at which date the
4school district shall terminate the plan and implement the state’s
5requirements for subsidized part-day preschools. A child enrolling
6for the first time in a preschool program in the school district after
7January 1, 2022, shall not be enrolled in the pilot project
8established pursuant to this article, and shall be subject to existing
9state laws and regulations regarding preschool eligibility.
Additional state funds shall not be appropriated for
11purposes of implementing this article.
This article shall remain in effect only until January
141, 2023, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
15statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2023, deletes or extends
16that date.
The Legislature finds and declares that a special law
18is necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable
19within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California
20Constitution because of the unique circumstances of the Alum
21Rock Union Elementary School District, in the County of Santa
22Clara. The school district has a high level of children who live in
23poverty, children who are English language learners, children who
24are part of a minority group, and children who are exposed to
25violence in their community. The school district is particularly
26focused on significantly increasing pupil achievement and parent
27engagement and this act will achieve this by offering preschool
28services to children
and families in the school district.
This act is an urgency statute necessary for the
30immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within
31the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into
32immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
33The start of a the 2015-16 school year begins in August. This
34act will prevent needless hours and paperwork to certify eligibility
35past the August start date. Therefore, in order to eliminate the
36barriers for families to access state preschool and to remove the
37paperwork burden on families and agencies in time for the new
38school year, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.
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