(a) (1) A three- or four-year-old child is eligible for the part-day California state preschool program if the child’s family is one of the following:

(A) A current aid recipient.

(B) Income eligible.

(C) Homeless.

(D) One whose children are recipients of child protective services, or whose children have been identified as being abused, neglected, or exploited, or at risk of being abused, neglected, or exploited.

(E) (i) One that has children with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 8205.

(ii) Only the children in the family who are children with exceptional needs may be enrolled under the eligibility criteria of this subparagraph. Any other child in the family without exceptional needs may be enrolled pursuant to any of the criteria established in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive.

(F) One who has a member of its household who is certified to receive benefits from Medi-Cal, CalFresh, the California Food Assistance Program, the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, the federal Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Head Start, Early Head Start, or any other designated means-tested government program, as determined by the department. Children eligible for services pursuant to this subparagraph shall be prioritized by the income declared on the application for the means-tested government program.

(2) Notwithstanding any other law, a part-day California state preschool program may provide services to children in families whose income is no more than 15 percent above the income eligibility threshold, as described in Section 8213, after all eligible three- and four-year-old children have been enrolled. No more than 10 percent of children enrolled, calculated throughout the participating program’s entire contract, may be filled by children in families above the income eligibility threshold.

(3) Notwithstanding Section 8213, after all otherwise eligible children have been enrolled as provided in paragraphs (1) and (2), a part-day California state preschool program may provide services to three- and four-year-old children in families whose income is above the income eligibility threshold if those children are children with exceptional needs. Children receiving services pursuant to this paragraph shall not count towards the 10-percent limit in paragraph (2).

(4) Notwithstanding any other law, after all otherwise eligible children have been enrolled as provided in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, a provider operating a part-day state preschool program within the attendance boundary of a public school, as set forth in Section 8217, may enroll three- and four-year-old children.

(b) A part-day California state preschool program contracting agency shall certify eligibility and enroll families into their program within 120 calendar days prior to the first day of the beginning of the new preschool year. Subsequent to enrollment, a child shall be deemed eligible for a part-day California state preschool program for the remainder of the program year and for the following program year, as long as applicable age-eligibility requirements are met, as specified in Sections 8205 and 48000.

(c) (1) (A) Commencing July 1, 2022, until June 30, 2025, inclusive, at least 5 percent of a part-day California state preschool program contracting agency’s funded enrollment shall be reserved for children with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 8205.

(B) Commencing July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, inclusive, at least 7.5 percent of a part-day California state preschool program contracting agency’s funded enrollment shall be reserved for children with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 8205.

(C) Commencing July 1, 2026, at least 10 percent of a part-day California state preschool program contracting agency’s funded enrollment shall be reserved for children with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 8205, and serve those children.

(2) (A) The department shall review data on compliance and provide technical assistance to California state preschool program contracting agencies to assist them in meeting the requirement described in paragraph (1).

(B) Agencies shall be fully funded for the percentage of enrollment specified in paragraph (1), inclusive of the exceptional needs adjustment factor for that enrollment pursuant to Section 8244, to ensure funding is available to enroll children with exceptional needs within the set aside specified in paragraph (1) at any point during the fiscal year. An agency not meeting the requirement to fill the percent of funded enrollment specified in paragraph (1) with children with exceptional needs shall conduct community outreach to special education partners to recruit additional children with exceptional needs into their programs.

(C) (i) Any agency not meeting the applicable requirement described in subclauses (I) to (III), inclusive, of clause (ii) may be put on a conditional contract as described in Section 8314 unless they have applied and been approved for a waiver pursuant to clause (iii).

(ii) (I) On and after July 1, 2026, any agency not meeting the 5-percent requirement pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1).

(II) On and after July 1, 2027, any agency not meeting the 7.5-percent requirement pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1).

(III) On and after July 1, 2028, any agency not meeting the 10-percent requirement pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1).

(iii) The Superintendent shall create an ongoing waiver process for an agency not able to meet the requirement described in paragraph (1).

(3) Children with exceptional needs attending California state preschool programs shall be educated in the least restrictive environment in accordance with Section 1412(a)(5)(A) of Title 20 of the United States Code.

(4) (A) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and Section 33308.5, until regulations are filed with the Secretary of State to implement this subdivision, the department shall implement this subdivision through management bulletins or similar letters of instruction on or before December 31, 2022.

(B) The department shall initiate a rulemaking action to implement this subdivision on or before December 31, 2023.

(d) (1) A three- or four-year-old child is eligible for a full-day California state preschool program if the family meets both of the following requirements:

(A) The child’s family is one of the following:

(i) A current aid recipient.

(ii) Income eligible.

(iii) Homeless.

(iv) One whose children are recipients of child protective services, or whose children have been identified as being abused, neglected, or exploited, or at risk of being abused, neglected, or exploited.

(v) (I) One that has children with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 8205.

(II) Only the children in the family who are children with exceptional needs may be enrolled under the eligibility criteria of this clause. Any other child in the family without exceptional needs may be enrolled pursuant to any of the criteria established in clauses (i) to (iv), inclusive.

(vi) One who has a member of its household who is certified to receive benefits from Medi-Cal, CalFresh, the California Food Assistance Program, the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, the federal Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Head Start, Early Head Start, or any other designated means-tested government program, as determined by the department. Children eligible for services pursuant to this subparagraph shall be prioritized by the income declared on the application for the means-tested government program.

(B) The child’s family needs the childcare services because of either the following:

(i) The child has been identified by a legal, medical, or social services agency, a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths designated pursuant to Section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) of Title 42 of the United States Code, a Head Start program, or an emergency or transitional shelter as one of the following:

(I) A recipient of protective services.

(II) Being neglected, abused, or exploited, or at risk of neglect, abuse, or exploitation.

(III) Being homeless.

(ii) The child’s parents are one of the following:

(I) Engaged in vocational training leading directly to a recognized trade, paraprofession, or profession.

(II) Engaged in an educational program for English language learners or to attain a high school diploma or general educational development certificate.

(III) Employed or seeking employment.

(IV) Seeking permanent housing for family stability.

(V) Incapacitated.

(2) (A) (i) Commencing July 1, 2022, until June 30, 2025, inclusive, at least 5 percent of a full-day California state preschool program contracting agency’s funded enrollment shall be reserved for children with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 8205.

(ii) Commencing July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, inclusive, at least 7.5 percent of a full-day California state preschool program contracting agency’s funded enrollment shall be reserved for children with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 8205.

(iii) Commencing July 1, 2026, at least 10 percent of a full-day California state preschool program contracting agency’s funded enrollment shall be reserved for children with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 8205, and serve those children.

(B) (i) The department shall review data on compliance and provide technical assistance to California state preschool program contracting agencies to assist them in meeting the requirement described in subparagraph (A).

(ii) Agencies shall be fully funded for the percentage of enrollment specified in subparagraph (A), inclusive of the exceptional needs adjustment factor for that enrollment pursuant to Section 8244, to ensure funding is available to enroll children with exceptional needs within the set aside specified in subparagraph (A) at any point during the fiscal year. An agency not meeting the requirement to fill the percent of funded enrollment specified in subparagraph (A) with children with exceptional needs shall conduct community outreach to special education partners to recruit additional children with exceptional needs into their programs.

(iii) (I) Any agency not meeting the applicable requirement described in sub-subclauses (ia) to (ic), inclusive, of subclause (II) may be put on a conditional contract as described in Section 8314 unless they have applied and been approved for a waiver pursuant to subclause (III).

(II) (ia) On and after July 1, 2026, any agency not meeting the 5-percent requirement pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A).

(ib) On and after July 1, 2027, any agency not meeting the 7.5-percent requirement pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (A).

(ic) On and after July 1, 2028, any agency not meeting the 10-percent requirement pursuant to clause (iii) of subparagraph (A).

(III) The Superintendent shall create an ongoing waiver process for agencies not able to meet the requirement described in subparagraph (A).

(C) Children with exceptional needs attending California state preschool programs shall be educated in the least restrictive environment in accordance with Section 1412(a)(5)(A) of Title 20 of the United States Code.

(D) (i) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and Section 33308.5, until regulations are filed with the Secretary of State to implement this paragraph, the department shall implement this paragraph through management bulletins or similar letters of instruction on or before December 31, 2022.

(ii) The department shall initiate a rulemaking action to implement this paragraph on or before December 31, 2023.

(3) Notwithstanding any other law, a full-day California state preschool program may provide services to children in families whose income is no more than 15 percent above the income eligibility threshold, as described in Section 8213, after all eligible three- and four-year-old children have been enrolled pursuant to paragraph (1). No more than 10 percent of children enrolled, as calculated throughout the participating program’s entire contract, may be filled by children in families above the income eligibility threshold.

(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), after all families meeting the criteria specified in paragraphs (1) and (3) have been enrolled, a full-day California state preschool program may provide services to three- and four-year-old children in families who do not meet at least one of the criteria specified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1).

(5) After all otherwise eligible children have been enrolled as provided in paragraphs (1), (3), and (4), a provider operating a full-day California state preschool program within the attendance boundary of a public school as set forth in Section 8217 may enroll any three- or four-year-old child.

(e) (1) With the exception of the age requirements and paragraphs (3) and (4), upon establishing initial eligibility or ongoing eligibility for full-day California state preschool program services under this chapter, a family shall be considered to meet all eligibility and need requirements for those services for not less than 24 months, shall receive those services for not less than 24 months before having their eligibility or need recertified, and shall not be required to report changes to income or other changes for at least 24 months.

(2) In the event that the eligibility period as described in paragraph (1) ends before the end of a program year, eligibility shall be extended until the end of the program year, as long as applicable age-eligibility requirements are met, as specified in Section 8205.

(3) A family that establishes initial eligibility or ongoing eligibility on the basis of income shall report increases in income that exceed the threshold for ongoing income eligibility, as described in Section 8213, and the family’s ongoing eligibility for services shall at that time be recertified.

(4) A family may, at any time, voluntarily report income or other changes. This information shall be used, as applicable, to reduce the family’s fees, increase the family’s services, or extend the period of the family’s eligibility before recertification.

(f) (1) Because a family that meets eligibility requirements at its most recent eligibility certification or recertification is considered eligible until the next recertification, as provided in subdivision (d), a payment made by a preschool program for a child during this period shall not be considered an error or an improper payment due to a change in the family’s circumstances during that same period.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designated agent may seek to recover payments that are the result of fraud.

(g) (1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and Section 33308.5, until regulations are filed with the Secretary of State to implement subdivision (e), the department shall implement subdivision (e) through management bulletins or similar letters of instruction on or before December 31, 2022.

(2) The department shall initiate a rulemaking action to implement subdivision (e) on or before December 31, 2023.

(h) The Superintendent shall establish guidelines according to which the director or a duly authorized representative of the California state preschool program will certify children as eligible for state reimbursement purposes.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 194, Sec. 1. (SB 141) Effective September 13, 2023.)