SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) In the 1970s, California led the nation in the creation of its licensing system for community care facilities, and pioneered recognition of the special needs of infants and toddlers with a license distinct from preschool-age care.
(b) While the standard of care in California statutes remains appropriate, the bifurcation of early care licensing in California into two separate licenses is unnecessary and problematic.
(c) Many states now mandate the standard required in California, but without dual-licensing. California is one of only two states in the
country that employ a separate infant-toddler license. Other states employ a single license for early childhood centers, mandating developmentally appropriate standards based on the age of the children served.
(d) Even in California, family day care homes are not subject to the dual license requirement. Only private fee and state and federally funded child day care facilities are subject to the dual license requirement.
(e) It is the intent of the Legislature to create a third facility license option serving children from birth to entering first grade. This additional facility license option shall not replace the current infant license, preschool license, and toddler component option, but instead be in addition to these early care and education facility licensure options.
(f) It is also the intent of the Legislature
that all of the following are required under the birth to entering first grade license option:
(1) Children shall be grouped together by their appropriate developmental levels, and appropriate staff-child ratio and group size regulations shall be followed.
(2) Children shall transition from age-appropriate classrooms or program spaces when their developmental level is appropriate for such a move.
(3) A child’s chronological age and the entire group’s need shall also be considering factors for these moves.
(4) All children shall be supervised appropriately by teachers and aides with appropriate staff qualifications. Toddlers may be grouped with either infants or preschoolers as long as the requirements applicable to the youngest age group in the group
are followed.
(5) Emphasis shall be placed on improving the quality of early care and education for children from birth to entering first grade in center-based programs.
(6) Long-term efficiency within the Community Care Licensing Division of the State Department of Social Services shall be promoted through the elimination of duplicate paperwork, toddler component waiver processing, and compliance visits to day care centers.
(7) A single inspection visit and administration of the birth to entering first grade day care center shall be implemented versus multiple inspection visits and administration of a day care center with an infant license or preschool license and a toddler component option. This will increase efficiency and allow a department analyst to more holistically evaluate the birth to entering first grade
day care center, which will lead to stronger health and safety practices. The efficiencies gained will reduce cost pressure on the department and allow more providers to operate in California, and thus open more spaces for children and parents waiting for care.
(g) The ability for providers to choose which type of facility license option best meets their specific programmatic contract, business, and community needs will allow for more flexibility in the planning for a successful operation of the center.