Management Bulletin 24–09
Provides information and guidance on the Continued Funding Application for Fiscal Year 2025–26 for Early Education California State Preschool Program (CSPP) contractors.Early Education Division
Subject: Continued Funding Application (CFA), Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26
Number: 24-09
Date: September 3, 2024
Expires: When Rescinded
Authority: California Code of Regulations, Title 5 (5 CCR) Section 17726
Attention: Executive Officers and Program Directors of California State Preschool Programs (CSPP) and Prekindergarten and Family Literacy Support (CPKS) Programs
Purpose
This Management Bulletin (MB) provides information and guidance to current California Department of Education (CDE), Early Education Division (EED), CSPP and CPKS contractors regarding how to request continued funding for fiscal year (FY) 2025–26 CSPP and CPKS contracts. This MB supersedes the CFA information found in MB 23-09.
Policy
To be considered for continued funding for FY 2025–26, CSPP and CPKS contractors must complete and submit the FY 2025–26 CFA on or before 5 p.m. on November 1, 2024. The FY 2025–26 CFA and associated forms are available on the CDE CFA web page.
By completing and returning the FY 2025–26 CFA, your agency indicates that it wishes to renew its CSPP contract for FY 2025–26, and CPKS contract, as applicable, if your agency currently receives CPKS funding, and accepts all of the terms and conditions of such contract(s), which will be provided to all contractors being renewed for funding no later than June 1, 2025.
CSPP and CPKS contractors who apply for and are approved for continued funding will not need to sign and return a CSPP and/or CPKS contract to provide services for FY 2025–26, as contractors who apply for and are approved for continued funding through the CFA process will be automatically renewed in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws, as well as all contract terms and conditions that will be incorporated into the FY 2025–26 contract.
CSPP and CPKS contractors may subsequently reject the terms of the new contract(s) and opt not to renew their services under the terms of the new contract(s). Contractors that wish to reject the terms of the FY 2025–26 contract(s) must provide written notice that the terms of the contract are rejected by sending an email to EarlyEducationContracts@cde.ca.gov on or before June 30, 2025. Such email should come from the Executive Director/Superintendent of the contracting entity or their authorized representative and state that the terms of the FY 2025–26 CSPP contract, and CPKS contract if applicable, are rejected. Contractors providing such notice to CDE of the rejection of the terms of the contract will not have a contract in effect for FY 2025–26.
Note: If your agency requires formal board approval to enter into contracts, it is important that your agency seek such approval as soon as possible to ensure timely submission of the CFA. Please review the CFA Overview and Instructions for signature authorization requirements.
Implementation Directives
Applications must be received by the CDE, Early Education Division (EED), on or before 5 p.m., November 1, 2024, regardless of the method of application submission.
- Download, complete, and save the CFA and all required supporting documents from the CFA web page.
- Obtain the authorized representative's signature on all signature pages. The CFA and accompanying documents must be signed by a person who has been delegated the legal authority to sign contractual documents on behalf of the agency. Signatures may be provided using a digital signature program such as AdobeSign or DocuSign, or you may print a paper copy, sign by hand using blue ink, scan, and email to CFA@cde.ca.gov.
- CSPP and CPKS contractors must submit the CFA and supporting documentation by email or physically by US mail. Email submissions of the CFA are encouraged.
Option 1: Submit by Email
Email the completed and signed documents to CFA@cde.ca.gov. Include the following message in the body of your email:
“I have electronically submitted the Continuing Funding Application (CFA) to the California Department of Education on behalf of my agency/organization. I certify that I was authorized to submit the CFA for [Insert Contractor Name], vendor number [XXXX]. [Insert Contractor Name] intends for the CFA transaction to be completed by electronic means, which shall have the same effect as if it were signed in ink on a piece of paper, and all signatures included with the CFA are intended to be binding upon [Insert Contractor Name].”
Your application will be incomplete without this email certification.
Option 2: Submit Hard Copy by US Mail
If submitting by US mail, send the completed and signed CFA and all required attachments to the following address:
California Department of Education
Early Education Division
Attention: Continued Funding Application 2025–26
1430 N Street, Suite 3410
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
Background and Authority
Per California Code of Regulations, Title 5 (5 CCR) Section 17726(d), “Contractors that intend to accept the offer to continue services in the subsequent contract period shall respond to a Continued Funding Application request from the Early Education Division in accordance with the instructions and timelines specified in the request.”
In addition, 5 CCR Section 17726(e) states, “Failure to respond within the timelines specified in the continued funding application request shall constitute notification to the Early Education Division of the contractor’s intent to discontinue services at the end of the current contract period.” Failure to respond to requests from the EED for additional information will result in the application being deemed incomplete.
Resources
If there are any questions regarding the application process, contact the CFA team by email at CFA@cde.ca.gov. Include your agency’s name, vendor number, and phone number on all inquiries.
If you have any programmatic questions regarding the information in this MB, please contact your assigned EED, Program Quality Implementation (PQI) office consultant by using the Consultant Regional Assignments directory.
If you have any fiscal-related questions regarding the information in this MB, please contact your assigned Early Education and Nutrition Fiscal Services fiscal analyst by using the Fiscal Apportionment Analyst Directory.