Notification of Upcoming Management Bulletins

An email sent to the Early Education Division (EED) email distribution list on July 14, 2022 provided interim guidance in advance of posting the MB. If you do not have a copy of this email, contact your Program Quality Implementation (PQI) consultant.

Key changes to eligibility for the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) include:

• All families enrolled or beginning services after July 1, 2022 will have 24-month eligibility.
• Children from families with income that is up to 15 percent above the income threshold are eligible for full-day CSPP.
• Three-year-old children have eligibility through CSPP <begin delete> Community <end delete> <begin add> Neighborhood School <end add> Eligibility at an approved CSPP <begin delete> free and reduced-price meal (FRPM) <end delete> <begin add> Neighborhood School <end add> site.
• Effective January 1, 2023, eligibility for CSPP is extended to children from families in which a member of the household has been certified as eligible to receive benefits from certain means-tested government programs, as specified in statute.

Key changes to enrollment priority include:

• Priorities have been added for children with disabilities in CSPP (i.e., exceptional needs), Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten age children enrolling in extended learning and care in part-day CSPP, and children from families with incomes that are no more than 15 percent above the income threshold in full-day CSPP.
• Effective January 1, 2023, when two or more families have the same income rank on the Income Ranking Table, dual language learners will be prioritized for services.
  

California State Preschool Program (CSPP) <begin delete> Free and Reduced-Price meal (FRPM) <end delete> <begin add> Neighborhood School <end add> Eligibility Criteria

This MB will revise and replace MB 21-04, providing guidance on the following changes:

• Effective July 1, 2022, three-year-old children have eligibility at an approved CSPP free and reduced-price meal (FRPM) site.
• The MB will include an updated list of qualified FRPM schools and guidance on how to use the list.
  

Children with Disabilities in CSPP (Exceptional Needs)*

*Children with exceptional needs are children with disabilities with a qualifying Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)

An email sent to the subscribers of the EED email distribution list on July 28, 2022 provided interim guidance in advance of posting the MB. If you do not have a copy of this email, contact your Program Quality Implementation (PQI) consultant.

Key highlights include:

• The definition of children with exceptional needs in statute has changed.
• Children with exceptional needs as defined in statute are categorically eligible for CSPP.
• CSPP contractors must set aside a percentage of funded enrollment for children with exceptional needs.
• After the set aside is filled, children with exceptional needs from families with income below the income eligibility threshold have second priority in enrollment.
• The adjustment factor for both children with exceptional needs and children with severe disabilities has increased to 2.4 (increased from 1.54 and 1.93, respectively).
• The MB will include information on new data collection requirements for contractors.
• Contractors are required to educate children with exceptional needs in the least restrictive environment.
  

An email sent to the subscribers of the EED email distribution list on September 20, 2022 provided interim guidance in advance of posting the MB. If you do not have a copy of this email, contact your Program Quality Implementation (PQI) consultant. Key highlights include:

• Part-day CSPP contractors providing extended learning and care on Local Educational Agency campuses have been granted additional flexibilities around enrollment periods and operational hours.
• Children can be enrolled for a minimum of three hours and less than four hours per day.

This MB will provide guidance for contractors on Fiscal Year 2022–23 requirements for reimbursement, distance learning plans and distance learning services when children are unable to receive in-person services as a result of public health orders or guidance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key highlights include:

• CSPP contractors are to be reimbursed the lesser of 100 percent of the contract Maximum Reimbursable Amount (MRA) or net reimbursable program costs.
• CSPP contractors who are closed due to local or state public health orders or guidance, or who are unable to provide in-person services to all enrolled children due to capacity limitations required by local or state public health order or guidance, must submit a distance learning plan to the CDE, EED, and provide distance learning services for all children who are unable to receive in-person services.
  

MB 22-04*, published on August 15, 2022, notified and provided guidance to CSPP contractors regarding new requirements for identifying and collecting data on dual language learners, language characteristics of preschool programs and language composition of program staff.

MB 22-04(a) revises and replaces MB 22-04, providing updated guidance on changes made by Assembly Bill (AB) 321 (Chapter 903, Statutes of 2022) and updates on how to determine if a child is a dual language learner. It has been posted today, December 1, 2022.

This MB will rescind and replace MB 18-06 to reflect the changes that will go into effect in 2023 as a result of AB 2806. The MB will provide guidance on:

• Requirements to prevent expulsions and suspensions of children enrolled in CSPP
• New definitions of "suspension", "expulsion", and "persistent and challenging behaviors"
• Updates to the definition of mental health consultation (MHC) services and qualifications and duties for the person providing these services