Existing law, the Early Education Act, 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 chilren, and, until July 1, 2027, 2-year-old children. The act requires part-day and full-day California state preschool programs to operate specified minimum numbers of days per year. The act requires the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the State Department of Social Services, to implement a reimbursement system plan that establishes reasonable standards and assigned reimbursement rates, which vary with the length of the program year and the hours of service, as specified. The act authorizes an agency contracting with the State Department of Education to provide California state preschool program services to schedule up to 2 days of staff training, per contract period, using state reimbursement funding, as provided.

This bill would instead authorize up to 6 days of staff training, per contract period, using state reimbursement funding. The bill would require a contractor with an enrollment of at least 25% dual language learner children that schedules a minimum of 3 days of staff training to ensure that at least one scheduled staff training day is used to provide staff development that is specific to supporting dual language learner children, as provided. The bill would require a day of staff training scheduled during a contractor’s regular hours of operation to count toward the minimum number of days a California state preschool program is required to operate per year. The bill would require a contractor that schedules staff training during regular hours of operation to notify parents or guardians of children enrolled in the program at least 30 calendar days before a closure due to the scheduled staff training. The bill would require the Superintendent to adopt regulations to implement these provisions, and, on or before August 1, 2025, to develop informal directives and bulletins to implement these provisions until the regulations are adopted, as provided.