BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 311|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 311
Author: Beall (D)
Amended: 6/1/15
Vote: 27 - Urgency
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 8-0, 4/15/15
AYES: Liu, Huff, Block, Hancock, Leyva, Mendoza, Pan, Vidak
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/28/15
AYES: Lara, Bates, Beall, Hill, Leyva, Mendoza, Nielsen
SUBJECT: Child Care and Development Services Act: preschool:
Alum Rock Union Elementary School District: pilot
project
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill, an urgency measure, authorizes a pilot
project at Alum Rock Union Elementary School District (ARUESD),
located in Santa Clara County that 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.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Establishes several programs providing subsidized child care
and development services that service low-income families who
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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 (SPI) to adopt rules and regulations on
eligibility, enrollment, family fees, provider rates, and
priority services. (Education Code § 8235 and 8263)
2)Authorizes a pilot project in San Mateo County (since 2004)
and San Francisco City and County (since 2006) that allows the
counties to develop and implement an individualized county
child care subsidy plan in recognition of the high-cost of
living in those counties.
ANALYSIS
This bill:
1)Authorizes the ARUESD, located in Santa Clara County, to
implement an individualized eligibility part-day preschool
subsidy plan as a pilot project. Specifically it:
a) Requires the development of a plan that:
i) Bases participation on either
eligibility for free or reduced meals, or foster youth
status.
ii) Authorizes admission of students up to
the age of admission into first grade
b) Requires submission to, and approval of the plan
by, the Santa Clara County Local Child Care Planning
Council and the Early Education and Support Division of the
CDE.
c) Requires annual reports to the Legislature
summarizing the success of the pilot project, with
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submission of a final report by December 31, 2022 to
include recommendations regarding the continuance of the
pilot as a permanent program.
d) Sunsets the pilot project by January 1, 2022 and
thereafter reverts to current law regarding preschool
eligibility.
2)Provides definitions for various terms for the purpose of this
bill.
3)Specifies the unique circumstances of the school district,
including a high level of children who live in poverty, that
condition the need for a special law.
4)Specifies that additional state funds shall not be appropriated
for purposes of implementing this article.
5)Makes the bill an urgency measure in order to remove the
paperwork burden on families and agencies in time for the new
school year.
Comments
1)Why ARUESD? According to the author, Alum Rock Union Elementary
School District (ARUESD) located in San Jose, has one of the
highest numbers of low income families and a high violence
rate within the East of San Jose. As a result, academic
performance among children and youth residing in the Alum Rock
community has been impacted. For this reason, several of the
anticipated outcomes for this pilot project include: effective
transition of children between preschool and transitional
Kindergarten through 8, parent and community engagement,
decrease in use of the Juvenile Justice System competency in
speaking and reading English while maintaining their home
language, special education eligible children referred for
services earlier and with a shorter need for intensive
services. Additionally, the author asserts that the existing
program presents administrative barriers that may discourage
new families from participating in part-day preschool. This
bill seeks to extend the hours of preschool and provide an
efficient eligibility process for families.
Existing law has authorized two other Bay Area pilot projects
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in recognition of the high-cost of living in those counties.
In addition to the high cost of living in Santa Clara County,
this pilot project seeks to address unique issues relative to
the high level of children who live in poverty, are English
Language Learners and who are exposed to violence in the
community.
2)Part-Day State Preschool. 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.
3)Related Budget Action. 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 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.
Prior Legislation
AB 260 (Gordon, Chapter 731, Statutes of 2013) extends the
individualized county child care subsidy pilot plans (pilot) for
San Mateo County July 1, 2018 and San Francisco County July 1,
2016.
AB 1326 (Simitian, Chapter 691, Statutes of 2003) created a
five-year child care subsidy pilot program in San Mateo County
that permitted the county to revise their local child care
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system to meet the particular needs of San Mateo County
residents.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Impact:
Local costs: Absorbable within existing resources to implement
the pilot program.
Administrative costs: Minor and absorbable to the CDE related
to contract monitoring and review of the pilot plan and
reports.
Cost pressure: Potential significant cost pressure to scale
this pilot statewide which would result in changes in
eligibility, allowing for self-certification of income
eligibility and allowing children to participate in the
program that are older than four years old.
SUPPORT: (Verified 5/28/15)
Early Edge California
First 5 Santa Clara County
Kidango
Local Early Education Planning Council
Santa Clara County Office of Education
OPPOSITION: (Verified 5/28/15)
None received
Prepared by:Olgalilia Ramirez / ED. / (916) 651-4105
6/1/15 19:02:36
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