(a) The Superintendent shall administer all California state preschool programs. Those programs shall include, but not be limited to, part-day and full-day age and developmentally appropriate programs, offered through childcare centers and family childcare home education networks, that are designed to facilitate the transition to kindergarten for two-, three-, and four-year-old children and that provide early learning and care, health services, social services, nutritional services, parent education and parent participation, evaluation, and staff development, and that comply with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. Preschool programs for which federal reimbursement is not available shall be funded as prescribed by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act, and unless otherwise specified by the Legislature, shall not use federal funds made available through Title XX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1397).
(b) A part-day California state preschool program shall operate for a minimum of (1) three hours per day, excluding time for home-to-school transportation, and (2) a minimum of 175 days per year, unless the contract specifies a lower number of days of operation.
(c) A full-day California state preschool program shall operate for a minimum of 246 days per year, unless the contract specifies a lower number of days of operation.
(d) Any agency described in subdivision (a) of Section 8205 as an “applicant or contracting agency” is eligible to contract to operate a California state preschool program.
(e) Public funds shall not be paid directly or indirectly to an agency that does not pay at least the minimum wage to each of its employees.
(f) Federal Head Start funds used to provide services to families receiving California state preschool services shall be deemed nonrestricted funds.
(g) School districts and charter schools that administer a California state preschool program may place four-year-old children in a transitional kindergarten program classroom in accordance with subdivisions (h) to (j), inclusive, of Section 48000.
(h) California state preschool programs shall include all of the following:
(1) Age- and developmentally appropriate activities for children.
(2) Supervision.
(3) Parenting education and parent engagement.
(4) Social services that include, but are not limited to, identification of child and family needs and referral to appropriate agencies.
(5) Health services.
(6) Nutrition.
(7) Training and career ladder opportunities, documentation of which shall be provided to the department.
(i) The Superintendent shall adopt rules and regulations related to the administration of this chapter, including rules and regulations related to eligibility, enrollment, and priority of services. Regulations shall also include the recommendations of the State Department of Health Care Services relative to health care screening and the provision of health care services. The Superintendent shall seek the advice and assistance of these health authorities in situations where service under this chapter includes or requires care of children who are ill or have exceptional needs.
(j) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2027, and, as of January 1, 2028, is repealed.
(Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 73, Sec. 3. (SB 163) Effective July 2, 2024. Inoperative July 1, 2027, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2028, by its own provisions. See later operative version added by Sec. 4 of Stats. 2024, Ch. 73.)