California Assembly Bill AB598 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 598INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Rendon FEBRUARY 24, 2015 An act to amend Sections 8245 and 8246 of, to add Section 8248 to, and to repeal Section 8247 of, the Education Code, relating to child care. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 598, as introduced, Rendon. Child care: family child care home education networks. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to contract with entities organized to operate family child care home education networks that support educational objectives for children in licensed family child care homes that serve families eligible for subsidized care. Existing law requires the family child care home education network programs to include certain things, including an assessment of each family child care home provider to ensure that services are of high quality and are educationally and developmentally appropriate. Existing law also requires each family child care home education network to do certain things, including assess the educational quality of the program offered in each family child care home in the network. This bill would require that tools used to make these assessments be appropriate to family child care home settings. Existing law provides that the above laws do not impose any new requirements on a family child care home education network nor does it require any increase in reimbursement rates. This bill would delete this law. This bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature to provide consistency in the implementation and administration of family child care home education network programs, as provided. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 8245 of the Education Code is amended to read: 8245. (a) The  Superintendent of Public Instruction,   Superintendent,  with funds appropriated for this purpose, shall contract with entities organized under law to operate family child care home education networks that support educational objectives for children in licensed family child care homes that serve families eligible for subsidized child care. (b) Family child care home education network programs shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following: (1) Age and developmentally appropriate activities for children. (2) Care and supervision of children. (3) Parenting education. (4) Identification of child and family social or health needs and referral of the child or the family to the appropriate social or health services. (5) Nutrition. (6) Training and support for the family child care home education network's family home providers and staff. (7) Assessment of each family child care home provider to ensure that services are of high quality and are educationally and developmentally appropriate.  Tools   used to make an assessment shall be appropriate to family child care home settings.  (8) Developmental profiles for children enrolled in the program. (9) Parent involvement. SEC. 2. Section 8246 of the Education Code is amended to read: 8246. Each family child care home education network contractor, in addition to the requirements set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 8245, shall do all of the following: (a) Recruit, enroll, and certify eligible families. (b) Recruit, train, support, and reimburse licensed family home providers. (c) Collect family fees in accordance with contract requirements. (d) Assess, according to standards set by the department, the educational quality of the program offered in each family child care home in the network  using assessment tools that are appropriate to family child care home settings  . (e) Assure that a developmental profile is completed for each child based upon observations of network staff, in consultation with the provider. (f) Monitor requirements, including quality standards, and conduct periodic assessments of program quality in each family child care home affiliated with the network. (g) Ensure that basic health and nutrition requirements are met. (h) Provide data and reporting in accordance with contract requirements. SEC. 3. Section 8247 of the Education Code is repealed.  8247. This article does not impose any new requirement on a family child care home education network, nor does this article require any increase in reimbursement rates. This article does not require the department to modify its contracting procedure that was in effect for a family child care home education network prior to January 1, 2005.  SEC. 4. Section 8248 is added to the Education Code, to read: 8248. It is the intent of the Legislature to provide consistency in the implementation and administration of family child care home education network programs that acknowledge the higher standards met by participating family child care providers, the need for a reimbursement differential above their regional market rate, and technical assistance, training, assessment, coaching, and other supporting services offered by family child care home education network contractors.