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SB-725 Early childhood education: parent participation preschools: pilot program.(2021-2022)

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Date Published: 07/12/2021 10:00 AM
SB725:v94#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  July 12, 2021
Amended  IN  Assembly  June 15, 2021
Amended  IN  Senate  May 20, 2021
Amended  IN  Senate  April 14, 2021
Amended  IN  Senate  March 10, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 725

Introduced by Senator Ochoa Bogh
(Coauthor: Senator Jones)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Carrillo and Chen)

February 19, 2021

An act to add and repeal Section 8208.2 to 8239.5 of the Education Code, relating to early childhood education.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 725, as amended, Ochoa Bogh. Early childhood education: parent participation preschool programs. preschools: pilot program.
Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer all California state preschool programs, including, but not limited to, part-day and full-day age and developmentally appropriate programs for 3- and 4-year-old children.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that any state funding available for preschool programs also be available for parent participation preschool programs. The bill would define “parent participation preschool program” as a preschool program funded by the state or a private preschool program, where there is an educational component for a parent, guardian, or family member of a child in the program, as specified, and there may also be a requirement for those persons to volunteer in the classroom.

This bill would establish the Parent Participation Preschool Pilot Program, under the administration of the State Department of Education, to provide one-time grants to California state preschool program contracting agencies, as defined, for the creation or expansion of parent participation preschool programs, as defined above. programs. The bill would define “parent participation preschool program” as a preschool program funded by the state, where there is an educational component for a parent, guardian, or family member of a child in the program, as specified, and there may also be a requirement for those persons to volunteer in the classroom or with other aspects of the program. The bill would require the department to announce and post criteria for grants on or before March 31, 2022, to award grants to selected California state preschool program contracting agencies on or before the beginning of the 2022–23 school year, and to report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on the impact of the pilot program on or before January 1, 2024. The bill would make implementation of the pilot program contingent upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for this purpose. The bill would repeal these provisions 5 years after an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for the pilot program.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 8239.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

8239.5.
 (a) The Parent Participation Preschool Pilot Program is hereby established, under the administration of the department, to provide one-time grants to California state preschool program contracting agencies for the creation or expansion of parent participation preschool programs.
(b) Grant funds shall be used for costs associated with creating or expanding parent participation preschool programs, including, but not limited to, costs related to all of the following:
(1) Teacher salaries.
(2) Classrooms.
(3) Curriculum.
(4) Learning development for children in the program.
(5) Educational components for parents, as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (f).
(c) California state preschool program contracting agencies receiving grants pursuant to this section shall report specific data to, and in a manner specified by, the department, and participate in overall program evaluation.
(d) Grant funds shall not affect the contracted amounts for existing or prospective California state preschool program contracting agencies pursuant to this article.
(e) In awarding funding pursuant to this section, the department shall do all of the following:
(1) On or before March 31, 2022, announce and post criteria for grants on its internet website.
(2) On or before the beginning of the 2022–23 school year, award grants to selected California state preschool program contracting agencies.
(3) Establish standard metrics to ensure consistency in data collection.
(4) On or before January 1, 2024, submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on the expenditure of funds and relevant outcome data in order to evaluate the impact of the pilot program.
(5) Spend no more than 5 percent of the funds appropriated for the pilot program on the costs of administering the pilot program.
(f) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “California state preschool program contracting agency” means a school district, community college district, college or university, county superintendent of schools, county, city, public agency, private nontax-exempt agency, private tax-exempt agency, or other entity operating a California state preschool program pursuant to this article.
(2) “Parent participation preschool program” means a preschool program funded by the state, in whole or in part, where there is an educational component for a parent, guardian, or family member of a child in the program and there may also be a requirement for those persons to volunteer in the classroom or with other aspects of the program, to help them gain real-life skills and strategies for parenting young children and to initiate family involvement in local school communities. Those persons are not required to be an employee of the preschool and their participation is not required to count toward any fees. The educational component may focus on any of the following areas:
(A) Kindergarten readiness and preschool child development.
(B) Nutrition for preschool children.
(C) Behavioral health awareness.
(D) Culturally competent parenting skills for preschool age children.
(3) “Pilot program” means the Parent Participation Preschool Pilot Program.
(g) Implementation of the pilot program established pursuant to this section is contingent upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for this purpose.
(h) This section shall remain in effect only until five years after an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for the pilot program, and as of that date is repealed.

SECTION 1.Section 8208.2 is added to the Education Code, to read:
8208.2.

(a)“Parent participation preschool program” means a preschool program funded by the state, in whole or in part, or a private preschool program, where there is an educational component for a parent, guardian, or family member of a child in the program and there may also be a requirement for those persons to volunteer in the classroom, to help them gain real-life skills and strategies for parenting young children and to initiate family involvement in local school communities. Those persons are not required to be an employee of the preschool and their participation is not required to count toward any fees. The educational component may focus on any of the following areas:

(1)Positive discipline.

(2)Temperament and different personalities.

(3)Kindergarten readiness and preschool child development.

(4)Strategies for successful potty training.

(5)Nutrition for preschool children.

(6)Creating family traditions.

(7)Behavioral health awareness.

(b)It is the intent of the Legislature that any state funding available for preschool programs also be available for parent participation preschool programs.

SEC. 2.

(a)The Parent Participation Preschool Pilot Program is hereby established, under the administration of the State Department of Education, to provide one-time grants to California state preschool program contracting agencies for the creation or expansion of parent participation preschool programs.

(b)Grant funds shall be used for costs associated with creating or expanding parent participation preschool programs, including, but not limited to, costs related to all of the following:

(1)Teacher salaries.

(2)Classrooms.

(3)Curriculum.

(4)Learning development for children in the program.

(c)California state preschool program contracting agencies receiving grants pursuant to this section shall report specific data to, and in a manner specified by, the State Department of Education, and participate in overall program evaluation.

(d)In awarding funding pursuant to this section, the State Department of Education shall do all of the following:

(1)On or before March 31, 2022, announce and post criteria for grants on its internet website.

(2)On or before the beginning of the 2022–23 school year, award grants to selected California state preschool program contracting agencies.

(3)Establish standard metrics to ensure consistency in data collection.

(4)On or before January 1, 2024, submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on the expenditure of funds and relevant outcome data in order to evaluate the impact of the pilot program.

(5)Spend no more than 5 percent of the funds appropriated for the pilot program on the costs of administering the pilot program.

(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1)“California state preschool program contracting agency” means a school district, community college district, college or university, county superintendent of schools, county, city, public agency, private nontax-exempt agency, private tax-exempt agency, or other entity operating a California state preschool program pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 8235) of Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code.

(2)“Parent participation preschool program” has the same meaning as defined in Section 8208.2 of the Education Code.

(3)“Pilot program” means the Parent Participation Preschool Pilot Program.

(f)Implementation of the pilot program established pursuant to this section is contingent upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for this purpose.