Bill Text: CA AB2893 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Early childhood education: State Department of Education: resources, plans, and an informational web page.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-05 - Referred to Com. on ED. [AB2893 Detail]
Download: California-2019-AB2893-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2893
| Introduced by Assembly Member McCarty |
February 21, 2020 |
An act to add Section 8209.5 to the Education Code, relating to early childhood education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2893, as introduced, McCarty.
Early childhood education: State Department of Education: resources, plans, and an informational web page.
The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children from infancy to 13 years of age, inclusive, and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. Existing law requires the Superintendent, subject to the availability of public or private funding, on or before June 30, 2022, to develop and post on the State Department of Education’s internet website, for use by the general public, an online portal for the state’s comprehensive childcare and development services, as provided.
This bill would require the department to, among other things, and subject to funding being provided for these purposes, develop and implement a proactive,
one-time, 3-year, outreach, capacity building, training and technical assistance plan, disseminate information regarding training and technical assistance events, training, and resources, as specified, and create, and make publicly accessible, no later than July 1, 2021, and annually update, a web page on its internet website that includes specified information relating to the operation of early learning and care programs, as provided. The bill would also require the department, on or before October 1, 2023, to create online electronic applications for administrative and funding purposes related to operating an early learning program on local educational agency schoolsites.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:(1) Research shows that access to high-quality preschool programs are crucial to the future success of children and families because high-quality preschool significantly improves children’s school readiness and school performance, reduces chronic absenteeism and improves school attendance, reduces need for special education services in later elementary school grades through preventive screenings and treatment of developmental delays, and, in the long term, increases high school graduation rates, college enrollment, and adult earnings.
(2) Local educational agencies and community-based
organizations have an important role in providing quality preschool programs.
(b) It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would do all of the following:
(1) Provide local educational agencies and community-based organizations sufficient support to apply for funds to expand access to California state preschool programs, as described in Section 8235 of the Education Code.
(2) Expand access to California state preschool programs for children and families living in preschool deserts and underserved populations of eligible children.
(3) Provide funding to the California Department of Education for all of the activities described in Section 8209.5 of the Education Code, in order to meet the goals described in this section.
SEC. 2.
Section 8209.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:8209.5.
(a) The department shall develop early learning resources, including but not limited to, early learning resources regarding all of the following:(1) The importance of early learning to improve school readiness for kindergarten and pupil outcomes in elementary and secondary schools.
(2) Best practices that are voluntarily provided by local educational agencies with existing successful early learning programs.
(3) Information on statutes and regulations pertaining to early learning programs operating at local educational agency schoolsites.
(4) Instructions for paper and electronic applications for administrative and funding purposes related to operating an early learning program on local educational agency schoolsites, including requests for applications.
(b) The department shall develop and implement a proactive, one-time, three-year, outreach, capacity building, training and technical assistance plan that shall include, but not be limited to, targeting new and existing contractors in underserved areas, as defined by subdivision (ag) of Section 8208. This plan shall include both web-based and in-person opportunities for training and technical assistance.
(c) The department shall disseminate information regarding training and technical assistance events, trainings, and resources through multiple communication channels used by local educational agencies, including, but not limited to, letters,
departmental listservs, and social media.
(d) (1) For purposes of more effective outreach and communication to local educational agencies to provide more services and educational opportunities to three- and four-year-old children, the department shall create a separate web page on its internet website that shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) Detailed information for local educational agencies on starting, funding, and operating early learning and care programs, including, but not limited to, the California state preschool program described in Article 7 (commencing with Section 8235), and the federal Head Start Program.
(B) Existing resources from the department pertaining to technical assistance for early learning programs operating at local educational agency
schoolsites, including past and upcoming webinars and events.
(C) Resources described in subdivision (a).
(D) Dates and times of upcoming trainings and technical assistance events conducted pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c).
(E) Online electronic applications, as described in subdivision (e).
(2) The department shall complete the web page described in paragraph (1), and make it publicly accessible, on or before July 1, 2021. The department shall annually update the web page, including, but not limited to, updating the web page to reflect any new or revised statutes or regulations.
(e) On or before October 1, 2023, the department shall create online electronic applications for
administrative and funding purposes, including requests for applications, related to operating an early learning program on local educational agency schoolsites.
(f) The requirements of this section are subject to funding being provided for its purposes in the annual Budget Act or another statute.
