(a) The department shall disburse augmentations to the base allocation for the expansion of preschool programs to promote equal access to preschool services across the state.
(b) (1) In order to provide progress towards achieving access to full-day, full-year preschool services for all income-eligible four-year-old children and to promote access for all income-eligible four-year-old children to attend at least a part-day California state preschool program, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall, in awarding new funding appropriated by the Legislature, in any fiscal year, for the expansion of California state preschool programs, use the formula developed pursuant to subdivision (c) and may use the priorities identified by local childcare and development planning councils, as provided for in Section 10486 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and other high-quality data resources available to the department.
(2) Expansion funding awarded pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be apportioned at the rate described in Section 8242 and as determined in the annual Budget Act.
(3) A family childcare home education network shall be eligible to apply for expansion funding awarded pursuant to paragraph (1).
(c) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop a formula for prioritizing the disbursement of augmentations pursuant to this section. The formula shall give priority to allocating funds to underserved areas. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop the formula by using the definition of “underserved area” in Section 8205 and direct impact indicators of need for preschool services in the county or subcounty areas. For purposes of this section, “subcounty areas” include, but are not limited to, school districts, census tracts, or ZIP Code areas that are deemed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to be most appropriate to the type of program receiving an augmentation. Direct impact indicators of need may include, but are not limited to, the teenage pregnancy rate, the unemployment rate, area household income, or the number or percentage of families receiving public assistance, eligible for Medi-Cal, or eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, and any unique characteristics of the population served by the type of program receiving an augmentation.
(d) To promote equal access to services and allocate resources equitably, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop a process for identifying underserved areas and populations within counties. This guidance shall include reference to the direct impact indicators of need described in subdivision (c).
(e) This section does not preclude a local educational agency from subcontracting with an appropriate public or private agency to operate a California state preschool program, subject to Section 18140 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, and to apply for funds made available pursuant to this section. If a school district chooses not to operate or subcontract for a California state preschool program, the Superintendent shall work with the county office of education and other eligible agencies to explore possible opportunities in contracting or alternative subcontracting to provide a California state preschool program.
(f) This section does not prevent eligible children who are receiving services from continuing to receive those services pursuant to this chapter in future years.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 923, Sec. 5. (SB 1047) Effective January 1, 2023.)