Date Introduced: 12/07/2020
Current Status: Amended and re-referred to CA Committee of Education for review (as of 2/4/21)
Title/Synopsis: An act to amend Sections 8236 and 48000 of, and to add Section 42238.026 to, the Education Code, relating to childcare.
AB 22 (McCarty) expands Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) to all 4-year-olds, while also working to improve the quality of California’s existing TK program in many ways. It will reduce class size to provide children with opportunities for meaningful interactions with their teachers to support their development. AB 22 will also provide support for career advancement to teachers who want to build their skills. And, the bill will standardize the TK curriculum across California to ensure that all programs provide the critical bridge between preschool and kindergarten.
AB 22 is part of a package of legislation that was introduced today to establish a high-quality, whole-child, mixed-delivery system of Early Learning and Care. The package aligns with recommendations in the Governor’s recently released Master Plan for Early Learning and Care. Other legislation in the package includes:
- Establish the California Early Learning and Care Program to create a seamless, integrated, mixed-delivery, whole-child, 2-generation early learning and care system from birth to school-age to advance the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care.
- Address inadequate funding for the child care system and the need to pay fair wages for high-quality early learning and care. Legislation and Budget action to follow.
- Preschool & Child care & development services: to alleviate the burden of family fees for low-income families.
- Preschool Expulsion Ban: Prohibits expulsions in subsidized early learning programs and strengthens Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation for the state’s ECE educators.
- Mandatory Kindergarten: Makes kindergarten compulsory.