BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2592
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Date of Hearing: May 19, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 2592 (Buchanan) - As Amended: April 27, 2010
Policy Committee: EducationVote:5-3
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires the State Department of Education (SDE) to
implement a quality rating scale based on the recommendations
submitted by the Early Learning Quality Improvement System
(ELQIS) advisory committee. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the quality rating system to do all of the following:
a) Measure elements of quality of an early care and
education (ECE) provider.
b) Measure elements of quality of an ECE program,
including, but not limited to: learning environments;
adult-child interactions; adult to child ratios; provider
education and professional qualifications; and parent and
family involvement.
c) Inform parents and other consumers of ECE services about
the quality of a facility in a simple and easy to
understand manner.
2)Requires the California State Advisory Council on Early
Childhood Education and Care to conduct an annual review of
the program and provide ongoing recommendations for the
improvement of the quality rating scale.
3)Requires SDE to develop any rules and regulations necessary
for implementation of this measure.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)On-going GF/98 costs of $3 million to $12 million to SDE to
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implement a quality rating scale based on recommendations by
the ELQIS advisory committee.
2)One-time GF/98 costs, of at least $2.5 million, to SDE to
implement a quality ratings scale, as specified.
COMMENTS
1)Background . SB 1629 (Steinberg), Chapter 307, Statutes of
2008, established the ELQIS advisory committee to develop
recommendations on how to evaluate and improve the quality of
child development programs providing services from birth to
age five, including preschool. This measure also required the
advisory committee to establish a framework for future
resources necessary to achieve and maintain higher quality
programs. The advisory committee is required to complete its
report by December 31, 2010.
According to SDE, it has received $2 million to spread over
three years from the First 5 Commission to support the ELQIS
advisory committee.
2)Purpose . According to the California Early Learning Quality
Improvement System (CAEL QIS) Advisory Committee's 2009
Interim Report, it has met and "focused the majority of its
work this year on the first two SB 1629 tasks--assessing the
current status of early learning and care programs in
California and examining quality rating and improvement system
(QRIS) models in counties and other states, and framing the
initial elements of the quality rating structure and
improvement system for California. Some preliminary work has
also begun on the third legislatively assigned task, to
develop a funding model aligned with the QRIS."
The CAEL QIS report also states: "The second year will focus
on more specific recommendations for the implementation of an
early learning quality improvement system for California,
including the programs that will be eligible to participate,
the funding model, and recommendations for how various
resources can best complement the statewide funding model to
improve the early learning and care system."
This bill, sponsored by Preschool California, requires the SDE
to implement a quality rating scale based on the
recommendations submitted by the ELQIS advisory committee, as
specified.
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3)Federal Early Learning Challenge Fund (ELCF) . President
Obama's 2011 proposed budget proposes $9.3 billion in total
funding over 10 years for the ELCF. The ELCF is designed to
make competitive grants to states to improve the quality of
early learning programs to help children enter kindergarten
ready to succeed. The author indicates California may be
eligible for between $100 million and $200 million from the
ELCF. Specifically, the fund is designed to provide monies
for two components:
(a)Quality Pathway Grants: awards to high-capacity states
pursuing models of reform and excellence in early learning,
including establishing the elements of a comprehensive,
high quality early learning system.
(b)Development Grants: awards to a set of states that show
promise for strengthening and expanding their early
learning systems, but need additional assistance to launch
a standards-based, outcomes-driven system.
According to the author, "Draft legislation in Congress has
identified the quality rating scale as the primary vehicle for
an early learning systems change, and it is likely to be a
requirement for states to compete for grant funds."
1)Is this bill premature ? This bill requires SDE to implement a
quality rating scale based on the recommendations submitted by
the ELQIS advisory committee. The advisory committee,
however, has not completed its final report and is not
required to until December 31, 2010.
The interim report submitted in December 2009 describes the
state's current progress toward designing a quality rating
system. The report also indicates the need to refine and
complete recommendations for this system.
Likewise, while the author indicates this bill is necessary
for California to qualify for federal ELCF monies, the federal
ELCF has not been established nor has funding been
appropriated for this purpose.
Given the state's severe fiscal crisis and the proposed
reductions to child care programs ($316 million for the
20010-11 proposed budget), the committee may wish to consider
whether it is appropriate to implement a quality rating system
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based on the possibility of receiving federal funding for this
purpose. Also, the committee may wish to consider allowing
the ELQIS advisory committee to finish its work and consider
its final report recommendations prior to implementing a
rating system.
2)Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) report on quality ratings
system for child care programs . In January 2007, the LAO
released a report entitled Developing Safety and Quality
Ratings for Child Care. This report provides three options
for the state to consider regarding child care safety and
quality. Specifically, Option 3 Plus: Expanding on the Basic
Quality Rating System, is similar to what is currently being
considered by the ELQIS advisory committee with regard to
"developing quality criteria that would provide a more
comprehensive picture of the child care environment and
on-site, direct assessment of individual providers."
According to the LAO, the following three cost factors will
influence implementation costs of this rating system: (a) a
mandatory or voluntary system; (b) whether or not technical
assistance and financial incentives will be provided; and (c)
the number and type of assessments (e.g., use of a direct
observational tool and frequency of assessments and ratings).
The LAO report indicates that federal Child Care Development
Block Grant (CCDBG) funds may be used for this purpose.
Federal law requires states to set-aside a portion of their
CCDBG funding for quality activities. For the 2010-11 FY, the
state is expected to receive approximately $520 million in
CCDBG funds. Of this amount, SDE is using $97 million for
quality activities, such as professional development for child
care providers, licensing inspections of child care
facilities, curriculum materials for child care providers, and
tuition assistance to providers for college coursework.
3)California State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education
and Care . In November 2009, Governor Schwarzenegger signed
Executive Order S-23-09 establishing the California State
Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (state
advisory council). The federal Improving Head Start for
School Readiness Act of 2007 requires states to establish
state advisory councils in order to receive Head Start grants
designed to increase collaboration among early childhood
education providers. The American Recovery and Reinvestment
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Act of 2009 provides grants of at least $500,000 to support
states in establishing these councils and in developing
statewide early childhood education plans.
The executive order also designated the ELQIS advisory
committee, established pursuant to SB 1629, as a committee of
the state advisory council.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081