Children's services: high-risk children.

Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer child care and development programs, including California state preschool programs, and requires applicants and contracting agencies to give first priority to children who meet specified criteria, including 3- or 4-year-old neglected or abused children who are the recipients of child protective services. This bill would also give first priority to neglected or abused children who are in family maintenance, family preservation, and unification, and to certain other high-risk children who meet specified criteria. The bill would give certain high-risk children the right to continuous enrollment in a state preschool program or a child care and development program that is licensed or is operated by a local educational agency if the child's residence or placement changes. Under existing law, a family is required to meet certain requirements to be eligible for federal and state subsidized child development programs, and requires certain children to be given first priority for those services. This bill would expand the eligibility requirements to include certain other high-risk children, and would also require first priority to be given to children from birth to 5 years of age who meet specified other requirements. The bill would require each county operating a state-funded child care and development program to annually inform the State Department of Education if the county does not provide information on child care and development programs, as specified. By imposing additional duties on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.