BILL NUMBER: SCR 47CHAPTERED BILL TEXT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 78 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 11, 2010 ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 9, 2010 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 28, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 28, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Senator DeSaulnier (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Bass, Beall, Tom Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Charles Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Gatto, Hall, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huffman, Jones, Lieu, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Nava, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, and Yamada) MAY 14, 2009 Relative to education funding. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SCR 47, DeSaulnier. Education funding: child development centers and preschools. This measure would state the intent of the Legislature to increase the funding of child development centers and preschools in future years, as resources become available, in order to provide staff with adequate salaries and benefits, provide adequate resources to support program quality for children, and keep programs open to serve parents and children. WHEREAS, Title V of the California Code of Regulations sets forth program quality and personnel standards for child development centers and preschools contracting with the State Department of Education to serve children and families of California; and WHEREAS, Title V child development centers and preschools have demonstrated positive outcomes in preparing children for success in school and measure their progress through the state's Desired Results system; and WHEREAS, The quality education standards for Title V child development centers and preschools far exceed the minimum health and safety standards required by the state for licensure, including that these child development centers are required to employ teachers and assistant teachers with much higher levels of professional college training, and are required to perform comprehensive evaluations of the development of their children through the state's Desired Results system; and WHEREAS, Title V child development centers and preschools meeting higher quality education standards are reimbursed at a flat rate that has not kept pace with rising labor, food, energy, and insurance costs, or increased mandates, resulting in high quality teachers being underpaid and receiving inadequate health and retirement benefits; and WHEREAS, In 80 percent of California, child care centers, family child care homes, and license-exempt in-home providers who are not required to meet high quality education standards are reimbursed at rates up to 60 percent higher than Title V child development centers and preschools; and WHEREAS, Title V child development centers and preschools must attempt to subsidize the state reimbursement rate with other funds due to receiving an inadequate standard reimbursement for every child served from the state; and WHEREAS, Title V child development centers and preschool programs are at risk of closure due to the large gap between the current standard reimbursement rate and the real cost of doing business; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the value and contribution of Title V child development centers and preschools to California's education system and citizens is recognized by the Legislature; and be it further Resolved, That the serious inequity in the fiscal support of Title V child development centers and preschools is recognized by the Legislature; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature intends to increase the funding of child development centers and preschools in future years, as resources become available, in order to provide staff of Title V child development centers and preschools with adequate salaries and benefits, provide adequate resources to support program quality for children, and keep programs open to serve parents and children; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.