California Assembly Bill AB598 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 598AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 1, 2016 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 31, 2016 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 21, 2016 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 14, 2016 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 4, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Calderon (Coauthor: Assembly Member Rendon) FEBRUARY 24, 2015 An act to amend Sections 8245 and 8246 of,  and  to add  Section   Sections  8248  and 8249  to,  and to repeal and add Section 8247 of,  the Education Code, relating to child care. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 598, as amended, Calderon.  Child care: family   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 components, including an assessment of each family child care home provider to ensure that services are of high quality and are educationally and developmentally appropriate. This bill would require that tools used to make these assessments be appropriate to family child care home settings and would require a family child care home education network program to include the maintenance of a developmental portfolio for each child, as provided. Existing law imposes various requirements on family child care home education network contractors, including ensuring that a developmental profile is completed for each child. This bill would impose additional requirements on those contractors, including that the developmental profiles specified above be completed in accordance with the provider's observations, conducting site visits, and offering training and technical assistance, as specified.  This bill would delete a provision specifying that the provisions relating to family child care home education networks do not impose any new requirements on a family child care home education network or require any increase in reimbursement rates.  The bill would also impose various duties on family child care home education network providers, including requiring those providers to adopt and use a curriculum and to provide age and developmentally appropriate educational activities for children. 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, with funds appropriated for this purpose, shall contract with authorized entities 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 education and training. (6) Training and support for the  family child care home education  network's family  child care  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) Maintenance of a folder, known as a developmental portfolio, for each child that includes, among other items, a child's work product and observations of the child. (10) Opportunities for parent involvement. SEC. 2. Section 8246 of the Education Code is amended to read: 8246. (a) A 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: (1) Recruit, enroll, and certify eligible families. (2) Recruit, train, support, and reimburse licensed family  child care  home providers. (3) Ensure collection of family fees in accordance with contract requirements.  (4) Develop and implement a plan for timely payment to providers.   (4)   (5)  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.  (5)   (6)  Complete a developmental profile for each child based upon observations of network staff, and in accordance with the provider's observations, by doing at least both of the following: (A) In consultation with the provider, completing the developmental child assessment profile selected by the department. The contractor's child development specialist shall sign the developmental profile. (B) Utilizing the developmental portfolio, as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (b) of Section 8245, maintained by the provider, including provider observations of each child.  (6)   (7)  Conduct a parent survey as directed by the department.  (7)   (8)  Ensure that parent conferences are offered to the parent of each enrolled child. The parent may decline a parent conference.  (8)   (9)  Monitor each family child care home affiliated with the network to ensure that requirements are met, including, but not limited to, basic health, nutrition, and quality standards.  (9)  (10)  Provide data and reporting in accordance with contract requirements.  (10)   (11)  Conduct no less than six site visits to each affiliated provider in a program year for purposes of conducting assessments and providing technical assistance, training, and support.  (11)   (12)  Support the affiliated providers in meeting the standards for program quality by reviewing, observing, and assessing the providers' program components, and providing technical assistance, training, and coaching.  (12)   (13)  Offer providers at least 12 hours annually of training and technical assistance in group or individual settings. Training may include, but is not limited to, the following: (A) Age and developmentally appropriate educational practices and activities for children. (B) Appropriate care and supervision of children. (C) Engaging parents in the program and providing parenting information on age-appropriate child development and activities. (D) Menu planning and nutrition information. (E) Provider and family communication. (F) Understanding the developmental measures of the developmental profile child assessment instrument. (G) Individualizing the provider's program to meet the needs of each child in the provider's care by using the results of the developmental profile.  (13)   (14)  Employ at least one child development specialist who has educational qualifications equivalent to a child development teacher permit, to provide training, technical assistance, and coaching to providers. Notwithstanding any other law, family child care home education network providers shall not be required to employ individuals with child development teacher permits.  (14)   (15)  Maintain a signed, written agreement with each affiliated provider and an authorized representative of the family child care home education network. The agreement shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (A) The provider's status as an independent contractor with the family child care home education network. (B) The provider's nondiscrimination policy. (C) The established reimbursement rates. (b) A family child care home education network contractor is not required to maintain a parent advisory committee.  SEC. 3.   Section 8247 of the Education Code is repealed.   SEC. 4.   SEC. 3.  Section  8247   8248  is added to the Education Code, to read:  8247.   8248.  (a) A provider in a family child care home education network shall adopt and use a curriculum or curricula, of the provider's choosing, appropriate for the age range of children in the home. (b) In order to ensure educational quality for children, the contractor may adopt a policy limiting the curricula acceptable within its network. The policy shall include not less than three curricula, and the contractor may approve provider-developed curricula if they are educational and appropriate for the age ranges of children in the homes.  SEC. 5.  SEC. 4.  Section  8248   8249  is added to the Education Code, to read:  8248.   8249.  (a) A provider    in a family child care home education netwrok  shall do all of the following: (1) Provide age and developmentally appropriate educational activities for children. (2) Provide care and supervision of children. (3) Provide parenting education to parents. Parenting education may include, but is not limited to, general program information and formal or informal parent conferences and exchange of information about the development, needs, and skills of the parents' child or children. (4) Identify child and family social service or health needs, and share those needs with the contractor. (5) Provide nutrition that is consistent with standards of the Child and Adult Care Food Program of the United States Department of Agriculture. (6) Work in consultation with the contractor to complete the developmental profile for each child, including doing all of the following: (A) In consultation with the contractor, complete the developmental profile child assessment instrument. (B) Maintain a developmental portfolio, as described in paragraph (9) of subdivision (b) of Section 8245, for each child that includes items produced by the child. A copy of this portfolio shall be shared with the family child care home education network contractor for purposes of department review. (C) Maintain observations and other documentation of the child's skills. (D) Conduct or participate in parent conferences per contractor policies. (7) Provide the contractor with copies of all citations issued to the provider by the Community Care Licensing Division of the State Department of Social Services within five calendar days of the issuing date of the citation. (8) Obtain no less than 12 hours of professional training per year, and maintain documentation of the training for three years. Training may include group or individual training provided by the contractor, or training provided by other qualified individuals or organizations. (b) A provider may, but is not required to, encourage parent involvement in the provider's family child care  home education network  program. (c) A provider is not required to maintain a parent advisory committee.