General

Pre-kindergarten Initiative in 2013-14:
California State Preschool Program

State agency with administrative authority over pre-K:
California Department of Education

Availability of program:
56 out of 58 counties/parishes (96%)

Are districts, counties, or towns in California required to offer this pre-kindergarten initiative?
No, competitive

Hours of operation per day:
School day, 6 hours/day; Part day, 3 hours/day1

Is there a formal partnership at the state level to provide extended day services through collaboration with other agencies and programs?
Yes, California regulations allow Head Start to braid and blend funding.1

Enrollment

Fall 2013, Total children:
132,397

Fall 2011, by age:
43,055 3-year-olds; 88,708 4-year-olds; 634 5-year-olds

Fall 2011, by type of administering agency:
Public schools, 87,087; Nonpublic schools, 45,310

Program enrollment, Fall 2013, by operating schedule:
School day, 39,434; Part day, 93,1551

Eligibility

Minimum age for eligibility:
3 by October 1

Maximum age for eligibility:
5 by October 1

Kindergarten eligibility age:
5 by October 1

Does state policy allow any exceptions to the age requirement for prekindergarten or kindergarten eligibility?
Yes2

State policy on enrolling children in state pre-K when they are eligible for kindergarten:
Children may not enroll in pre-K if they are age-eligible for kindergarten;

Aside from age, how is eligibility determined for individual children for this state prekindergarten initiative?
Eligibility is determined by individual child or family characteristics in addition to age

What was the state-specified income requirement during the 2013-14 program year?
70% SMI

To whom, or to what percentage of children, does the income requirement apply?
All families, except those children receiving protective services; are at risk for abuse, neglect, exploitation; or families homeless or receiving CalWORKs cash aid (TANF).

Is there a sliding payment scale based on income?
Yes

Is child eligibility for this state prekindergarten initiative ever reassessed after a child has been enrolled in the program?
Yes3

Risk Factors

Risk factors besides income that can be used to determine eligibility:
History of abuse, neglect, or family violence; Homelessness or unstable housing; Other state-specified risk factors: recipient of CalWORKs cash aid

How many of the specified risk factors must be present for eligibility?
1

How do these risk factors relate to the income cutoff for the state pre-K program?
Meeting the income cutoff can count as one of the risk factors

Class Sizes

Maximum class size:
3- and 4-year-olds, No limit4

Staff-child ratio requirement:
3- and 4-year-olds, 1 to 8

Teachers

Minimum teacher degree requirement:
California Child Development Associate Teacher Permit (public and nonpublic)8

Required teacher certification, licensure, and/or endorsement:
Public and nonpublic: CD Associate Teacher Permit (PK)8

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 by percent:
Breakdown not available

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 totals:
Breakdown not available

Teacher in-service requirement:
105 clock hours per 5 years

Minimum assistant teacher degree requirement:
HSD or Equivalent (public and nonpublic)9

Assistant teacher specialized training requirement:
None

Services

Meal requirement:
Depends on length of program day5

Support services for English Language Learners and families:
Bilingual non-English classes are permitted in pre-K; Monolingual non-English classes are permitted in pre-K; Professional development or coaching is provided for teachers; Programs are required to screen and assess all childrenInformation must be presented to parents in their primary language; A systematic, written plan must be in place on how to work with English Language Learners; Translators or bilingual staff are available if children do not speak English;

Support services required for all programs:
Parent education or job training; Parenting support or training; Parent involvement activities; Child health services; Referral for social services; Transition to K activities; Parent conferences and/or home visits

Regulations

Screening and referral requirements:
Screenings/referrals locally determined6

State’s early learning standards document in 2013-14.
California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volumes 1 , 2 & 3

For more information about the early learning standards in 2013-14:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psfoundations.asp7

Funding

Days per week the state prekindergarten initiative is funded to operate using state funds:
5 days per week1

Annual operating schedule for this state-funded prekindergarten initiative:
Determined locally1

Actual fiscal year 2014 spending for this state prekindergarten initiative:
$659,462,702

All funding sources:
State, $568,986,908; Federal, $88,822,853; Required local, $1,652,94110

State funding sources and amounts:
General fund, $568,986,90810

Federal funding sources and amounts:
CCDF, $88,822,85310

Is funding for this state prekindergarten initiative determined by a school funding or state aid formula?
No

Agencies eligible to receive funding directly:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CC, Faith-based centers without religious content

Agencies with which subcontracting is permitted:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CC, Faith-based centers without religious content

Is there a required local match for this program?
No

Select a state program to view details.


California Footnotes

  1. The part-day program is funded to operate at least 3 hours per day for a minimum of 175 days per year. The school-day program is funded to operate at least 6 hours per day for a minimum of 246 days per year. The majority of programs currently operate approximately 10 hours per day.
  2. Children may remain in the program through summer until school begins in the fall.
  3. Part-day CSPP services only requires families to establish eligibility at time of enrollment. A family that enrolls in full-day care must meet and maintain need for care to remain in the full-day program. However, if a family no longer meets the need criteria for full-day services they may remain in part-day services for the remainder of the school year based on the eligibility at enrollment.
  4. Although there is no limit to class size, programs typically enroll 24 children in the class.
  5. Contractors must provide meals and snacks that meet nutritional requirements specified by the federal CACFP or the National School Lunch Program. For the part-day program, one meal or snack is required. For the full-day program, one or two meals and two snacks are required, depending on hours of operation.
  6. Immunizations and physical and developmental assessments are required by Title 22. If these screenings are not provided by the parents, local programs must address them.
  7. Volume 3 of the Preschool Learning Foundations and its companion publication, the California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 3 was released in September 2013. Both publications cover the domain areas of history-social science and science. This Volume 3 set completes California’s preschool foundations and preschool curriculum framework series and are in effect for the 2013-2014 school year.
  8. The California Child Development Associate Teacher permit is the minimum requirement for a teacher in a CSPP classroom (though California does not use the term lead teacher) and exceeds the requirement of the CDA. The permit requires 12 units in ECE or child development and 50 days of work experience in an instructional capacity. It may be renewed one time for a five-year period. A teacher may also have the full Child Development Teacher permit, which requires a minimum of 40 semester units of education including a minimum of 24 units in ECE or child development, and 175 days of work experience, or a Master Teacher permit.
  9. Assistant teachers in the California State Preschool Program are required to have a high school diploma or equivalent. The optional Child Development Assistant Teacher Permit requires six credits in ECE or CD.
  10. Reported funding represents actual expenditures as of December 4, 2014 for state fiscal year 2013-3014. The amounts reflect unaudited expenditures and are subject to change. Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) are required to submit revised reports by February 13, 2015. Private agencies submit audits by November 15, 2014. They can ask for a one time extension until December 15, 2014.