BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session SB 311 (Beall) - Child Care and Development Services Act: preschool: Alum Rock Union Elementary School District: pilot project ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: April 6, 2015 |Policy Vote: ED. 8 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: Yes |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: |Consultant: Jillian Kissee | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: This bill, an urgency measure, authorizes a pilot project at Alum Rock Union Elementary School District (school district) which allows the district to create a part-day pre-school subsidy plan to meet the particular needs of families in the school district until January 1, 2022. Fiscal Impact: Expanded eligibility: This bill results in expanded eligibility for the school district's part-day preschool by allowing for self-certification of income eligibility and allowing for children to participate in the program that are older than four years old. In addition, there is no requirement in the bill for the school district to use existing funds. Therefore, this bill could result in potentially significant costs to the state. For example, a 1 SB 311 (Beall) Page 1 of ? percent increase in the state's contract with the sponsoring provider would be about $138,000. Administrative costs: this bill creates costs to develop an eligibility part-day preschool subsidy plan and also includes a reporting requirement to the Legislature and the department regarding the progress and future of the pilot program. Cost pressure: Potential significant cost pressure to scale this pilot statewide. Background: Existing law establishes several programs providing subsidized child care and development services that service low-income families who are working, seeking work, in training, or providing community service. Existing law requires those programs to include, but not be limited to, part-day age and developmentally appropriate programs designed to facilitate the transition to kindergarten for three- and four-year-old children in educational development, health services, social services, nutritional services, parent education and parent participation, evaluation, and staff development. These programs are administered by the California Department of Education (CDE) and require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt rules and regulations on eligibility, enrollment, family fees, provider rates, and priority services. (Education Code § 8235 and 8263) The California State Preschool Program - Part Day is a three-hour educational program for children ages three- and four- years of age that operates for a minimum of 3 hours daily for a minimum of 175 days per year. These programs are located at elementary schools and provide personalized learning experiences before children enter kindergarten. Children are eligible for the program if the family currently receives aid, meets specified income eligibility requirements, is homeless, or if the child is the recipient of protective services, or has been identified as neglected, abused or exploited (or at risk of such). In addition, the family must have need of the child care services due to specified social service circumstances, employment training, or other specified needs. The Budget Act of 2013 augmented funding for existing California State Preschool Program contracts, thereby allowing these contractors to provide additional services during fiscal year SB 311 (Beall) Page 2 of ? 2013-2014. This additional funding was included in the base funding for part-day preschool for fiscal year 2014-2015. According to the author, it is the intent that this pilot project will be funded within the existing resources provided to the district in the 2014-15 fiscal year. Proposed Law: This urgency measure establishes a pilot project with the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District. This district may develop and implement an individualized eligibility part-day preschool subsidy plan for children residing in the school district, until January 1, 2022. Before implementing the plan, the school district, in consultation with any preschool program and the Santa Clara Office of Education, include eligibility for participation in the preschool program based on: (1) the child's eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals; and (2) whether the child is a foster youth, as defined. In addition, this bill allows children up to the age of admission into first grade to be allowed to participate in the preschool program. These eligibility requirements would supersede those established in current law. The plan must be submitted to and approved by the Santa Clara County Local Child Care Planning Council and the Early Education and Support Division of the CDE. Upon approval, the school district, the Santa Clara Office of Education, and First 5 Santa Clara must submit a final report to the Legislature and CDE, by December 31, 2022 that provides recommendations as to whether the pilot project should continue as a permanent program. This bill states that it will prevent needless hours and paperwork to certify eligibility. Further, it states that in order to eliminate the barriers for families to access state preschool and to remove the paperwork burden on families and agencies in time for the new school year, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately. By connecting eligibility to coincide with students that are eligible for free or reduced priced meals, the school district will be able to self-certify income eligibility and avoid procedures required in current law to confirm income eligibility. SB 311 (Beall) Page 3 of ? Related Legislation:1. AB 260 (Gordon, CH. 731, 2013) extends the individualized county child care subsidy pilot plans for San Mateo County to July 1, 2018 and San Francisco County to July 1, 2016. AB 1326 (Simitian, CH. 691, 2003) created a five-year child care subsidy pilot program in San Mateo County that permitted the county to revise its local child care system to meet the particular needs of San Mateo County residents. -- END --