Resources

The following summarizes the relevant Early Learning and Care policy changes included in the trailer bill language for the Governor’s 2024-25 Budget Proposal. These policies are currently only proposals provided by the Governor’s Administration and may or may not be reflected in the final 2024-25 Budget Agreement.

Download summary as a PDF

TK-12 Omnibus TBL

Streamline Transcript Review for Subject Matter Competence and Clarify Basic Skills Proficiency Requirements (Amends Education Code Sections 44252, 44252.5, 44259, 44260.2, 44270.3, 44274.2, 44275.4, 44310, and 44830)

• Exempts credential candidates who possess a baccalaureate degree or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education from the basic skills proficiency test requirement.
• Removes the passage of a basic skills proficiency test as a requirement for the preliminary credentials.

Basic Skills Proficiency Clean-up (Amends Education Code Section 44300)

• Removes requirement for emergency teaching or specialist permits applicants to pass state basic skills proficiency test.

Authorization of Early Completion Option for PK-3 Interns (Amends Education Code Section 44468)

• Adds the authorization of PK-3 Early Childhood Special Credential candidates interns to choose an early program completion option, which would culminate in a five-year preliminary teaching credential.

Instructional Continuity and Attendance Recovery (Amends Education Code Sections 46010, 46111, 46300, 46300.1, 46300.2, 46300.6, 46393, 51747, 51749, 51749.5, 51749.6, and Adds Education Code Sections 46210, 51742, 51742.5, 51743, 51743.5, and Uncodified Section)

• Creates an attendance recovery program for grades TK-12 which allows for a pupil’s absences to be reduced by participating in the program by the California Department of Education when determining a local educational agency’s chronic absenteeism rate.
• Prohibits charter schools from participating in an attendance recovery program or an instructional continuity program.
• $6 million General Fund is appropriated to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to:
  • Select and allocate $2 million to a County of Office Education to research local pupil information systems to identify opportunities for local educational agencies to collect and report to the state more nuanced data about the reasons for pupil absences.
  • Select and allocate $4 million to a County Office of Education to research high-quality, data-supported models of hybrid and remote learning at public schools across the state and provide guidance, support, and resources to local educational agencies to build their own hybrid and remote learning programs to support innovative learning opportunities and instructional continuity.
  • The County Office of Education shall submit a report summarizing its findings and the guidance, support, and resources it developed by June 30, 2027.

Instructional Continuity and Instructional Day: Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (Amends Education Code Section 46120)

• Specifies that the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program must be offered on schooldays and days on which school is taught for the purpose of meeting the 180-instructional-day offering for school districts and the 175-instructional-day offering for charter schools.
• Adds attendance recovery as an activity Expanded Learning Opportunities Program funds can be used for.
• Clarifies that “Expanded learning opportunities” does not mean an extension of instructional time, with the exception of attendance recovery.

Transitional Kindergarten ADA Computation for Charter Schools (Amends Education Code Section 47610)

• Clarifies how ADA is computed for charter schools offering TK.

SB 291 Pupil Recess Clean Up (Amends Education Code Section 49056)

• Specifies that recess should be provided at a public elementary school.
• Defines “public elementary school” as a school that is operated by a school district, county office of education, or a charter school that maintains kindergarten or any grades 1 to 6. 
• Clarifies that the provisions of this section shall only apply to pupils in kindergarten through grade 6, including at schools who may also serve higher grades.

Educator Training for Screening of Pupils for Risk of Reading Difficulties (Adds Government Code Section 17581.61)

• Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction each November, starting in the 2024-25 fiscal year, to apportion funds dedicated to literacy screenings to local educational agencies.
• Sets a process for computing appropriations amounts for local educational agencies that will commence in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
• Requires the governing board of a local educational agency to expend these funds for training for educators to administer pupil screenings in grades kindergarten through 2 to assess for risk of reading difficulties using approved instruments.
• Excludes TK pupils from risk of reading difficulties screenings.

Provide 2024-25 Appropriation for the School Facility Program (Amends Section 129 of Chapter 52 of the Statutes of 2022, as amended by Section 99 of Chapter 48 of the Statutes of 2023)

• Reduces the amount appropriated for the 2024-25 fiscal year from $875,000,000 to $375,000,000 General Fund.

Educator Workforce Investment Grant Program Legislative Report (Amends Section 124 of Chapter 52 of the Statutes of 2022, as amended by Section 23 of Chapter 194 of the Statutes of 2023)

• Adds that by June 1, 2025, the State Department of Education and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence shall provide an interim report to the Legislature, Department of Finance, and Governor on the:
  • Activities provided with grant funds
  • Number of schools served
  • Number of educators served
  • Activities of the evaluators 
  • Any findings related to the effectiveness of the professional learning opportunities offered, including, but not limited to, findings related to effectiveness in improving student outcomes. 
• Adds that by June 1, 2026, the State Department of Education and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence shall provide a final report to the Legislature, Department of Finance, and Governor on the final status and findings of the activities listed above.

Alignment of Golden State Teacher Grant Program Encumbrance and Expenditure Deadlines (Amends Item 6100-001-0890 of Section 2.00 of Chapter 12 of the Statutes of 2023)

• Extends encumbrance of the $6,000,000 from the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B by the California Student Aid Commission to support grants to special education teachers through the Golden State Teacher Grant Program from June 30, 2025 to 2026.

Adjusting Appropriation to Account for Childcare Savings (Amends Section 70 of Chapter 189 of the Statutes of 2023)

• Reduces the total amount appropriated for the Early Education Expansion Program for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year from $1,832,518,000 to $1,832,141,000.
  • Within that appropriation, reduces the amount appropriated to Local Educational Agency-based State Preschool Programs from $1,619,861,000 to $1,619,484,000
  • Also reduces one-time funds appropriated for use during fiscal years 2023–24 and 2024–25 intended to be used to make any adjustments related to the provider reimbursement rates from $206,663,000 to $206,286,000.

WIC Online Ordering

Requirement regulation of the WIC program for retail food delivery systems (Amends Health and Safety Code Sections 123322)

• Specifies that the CDPH is to set forth regulations relating to authorization and management of online shopping and retail food delivery systems.
• Lists the methods the department may distribute this information, or repeal specific program requirements, through all-county letters, notices, bulletins, and more without regulatory action needed.
• Requires CDPH to publish final action no later than 180 days after consultation with stakeholders or last day of comments.

Family First Prevention Services program

Family First Prevention Services program (Amends Welfare and Institutions Code Sections 16588 and 16589)

• Authorizes CDSS to provide exemptions to small counties from the current requirement to use state funds for the non federal share of costs of prevention services for foster children.
• Requires a county with an exemption/waiver to use these state funds pursuant to that county’s comprehensive plan, and for administration and implementation costs until 2028.

Service Provider Rate Reform

Developmental Disability Service Providers (Amends Welfare and Institutions Code Section 4519.10) 

• Extends the time period for implementing the fully funded rate from 2024 to 2025.
• Begins hold harmless policy for providers whose rates exceed 90% of the rate model by July, 2025.
• Delays an opportunity for eligible providers to earn full quality incentive payments for 2025.

Family Cost Participation Program and Annual Family Program Fee

Developmental Services: Regional Center fees (Amends Government Code Section 95004 and Welfare and Institution Code Sections 4620.3,4684, and repeals Sections 4783 and 4785)

• Repeals law relating to determining and imposing regional center fees to families.
• Makes technical conforming changes.

Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Extension

California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program (Amends Welfare and Institutions Code Section 189997.4)

• Extends the planned inoperative date of the CA Guaranteed Income Pilot Program from July 1, 2026 to January 1, 2028, and would repeal this law on January 1, 2029.