The Governing Board recognizes the value of high-quality preschool experiences to enhance children's social-emotional development, knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes necessary for a successful transition into the elementary education program. The Board desires to provide children ages 3-4 years access to developmentally appropriate activities in a safe, adequately supervised, and cognitively rich environment.
The Superintendent or designee shall collaborate with the local child care and development planning council, the county office of education, other public agencies, organizations, and/or private preschool providers to assess the availability of preschool programs in the community and the extent to which the community's preschool needs are being met. The Board encourages the development of a comprehensive districtwide and/or countywide plan to increase children's access to high-quality preschool programs.
(cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)
(cf. 1700 - Relations Between Private Industry and the Schools)
(cf. 5148 - Child Care and Development)
The Superintendent or designee shall provide information about preschool options in the community to parents/guardians upon request.
District Preschool Programs
When the Board determines that it is feasible, the district may contract with the California Department of Education (CDE) to provide preschool services in facilities at or near district schools, either directly or through a subcontract with a public or private provider.
District preschool programs shall comply with all health and safety laws and regulations, including, when applicable, licensure requirements pursuant to 22 CCR 101156.
The Board shall approve, for the district's preschool program, a written philosophical statement, goals, and objectives that reflect the cultural and linguistic characteristics of the families to be served and address the program components specified in 5 CCR 18272-18281 and the accompanying administrative regulation. (5 CCR 18271)
The Board shall set priorities for establishing or expanding services as resources become available, giving consideration to the benefits of providing early education programs for at-risk children and/or children residing in the attendance areas of the lowest performing district schools.
(cf. 6171 - Title I Programs)
Preschool classroom needs shall be addressed in the district's facilities master plan, including an assessment as to whether adequate and appropriate space exists on school sites. As necessary, the Superintendent or designee shall provide information to the Board regarding facilities financing options for preschool classrooms and/or facilities available through partnering organizations or agencies.
(cf. 1330.1 - Joint Use Agreements)
(cf. 7110 - Facilities Master Plan)
(cf. 7210 - Facilities Financing)
Because parents/guardians are essential partners in supporting the development of their children, the Superintendent or designee shall involve them in program planning.
(cf. 5020 - Parent Rights and Responsibilities)
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)
The Superintendent or designee shall coordinate the district's preschool program, transitional kindergarten program (TK), and elementary education program to provide a developmental continuum that builds upon children's growing skills and knowledge.
(cf. 6011 - Academic Standards)
(cf. 6170.1 - Transitional Kindergarten)
The district's program shall be aligned with preschool learning foundations and curriculum frameworks developed by CDE which identify the knowledge, skills, and competencies that children typically attain as they complete their first or second year of preschool. The program shall be designed to facilitate children's development in essential skills in the areas of language and literacy, mathematics, physical development, health, visual and performing arts, science, history-social science, English language development, and social-emotional development.
The district's preschool program shall provide appropriate services to support the needs of at-risk children.
(cf. 0415 - Equity)
(cf. 6164.4 - Identification and Evaluation of Individuals for Special Education)
(cf. 6173 - Education for Homeless Children)
(cf. 6173.1 - Education for Foster Youth)
(cf. 6173.2 - Education of Children of Military Families)
(cf. 6174 - Education for English Learners)
(cf. 6175 - Migrant Education Program)
To maximize the ability of children to succeed in the preschool program, the program shall support children's health through proper nutrition and physical activity and shall provide or make referrals to available health and social services as needed.
(cf. 3550 - Food Services/Child Nutrition Program)
(cf. 5030 - Student Wellness)
(cf. 5141.31 - Immunizations)
(cf. 5141.32 - Health Screening for School Entry)
(cf. 5141.6 - School Health Services)
The district shall encourage volunteerism in the program and shall communicate frequently with parents/guardians of enrolled children regarding their child's progress.
(cf. 1240 - Volunteer Assistance)
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals in district preschool programs possess the appropriate permit(s) issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, meet any additional qualifications established by the Board, and participate in professional development opportunities designed to continually enhance their knowledge and skills.
(cf. 4112.2 - Certification)
(cf. 4112.4/4212.4/4312.4 - Health Examinations)
(cf. 4112.5/4212.5/4312.5 - Criminal Record Check)
(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4222 - Teacher Aides/Paraprofessionals)
(cf. 4231 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4331 - Staff Development)
Preschool admissions policies and procedures shall be in writing and available to the public. Such policies and procedures shall include criteria designating those children whose needs can be met by the program and services, the ages of children who will be accepted, program activities, any supplementary services provided, any field trip provisions, any transportation arrangements, food service provisions, and a health examination requirement. (CCR 18105; 22 CCR 101218)
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that subsidized preschool is provided to eligible families to the extent that state and/or federal funding is available and shall establish enrollment priorities in accordance with Education Code 8263 and 5 CCR 18106.
The Superintendent or designee shall recommend strategies to link the district's preschool program with other available child care and development programs in the district or community in order to assist families whose child care needs extend beyond the length of time that the district's part-day preschool program is offered.
The Superintendent or designee shall develop and implement an annual plan of evaluation which conforms to state requirements. (5 CCR 18279)
The district's Williams uniform complaint procedures, with modifications as necessary, shall be used to investigate and resolve complaints alleging violation of applicable health or safety requirements for license-exempt programs operating under the California State Preschool Program. However, licensed programs shall refer complaints alleging health and safety violations to the California Department of Social Services. (Education Code 8235.5; 5 CCR 4610, 4611)
(cf. 1312.4 - Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures)
The Superintendent or designee shall regularly report to the Board regarding enrollment in district preschool programs and the effectiveness of the programs in preparing preschoolers for transition into the elementary education program.
(cf. 0500 - Accountability)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
8200-8499.10 Child Care and Development Services Act, especially:
8200-8209 General provisions for child care and development services
8230-8233 Migrant child care and development program
8235-8239.1 California State Preschool Program
8240-8244 General child care and development programs
8250-8252 Programs for children with special needs
8263 Eligibility and priorities for subsidized child development services
8263.3 Disenrollment of families due to reduced funding levels
8264.8 Center-based child care programs, staffing ratios
8273.1 Family fees
8360-8370 Personnel qualifications
8400-8409 Contracts, administrative appeal procedure
8493-8498 Facilities, capital outlay
8499.3-8499.7 Local child care and development planning councils
44065 Interchange between certificated and classified positions
44256 Credential types
48000 Transitional kindergarten
48985 Notification, primary language other than English
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
1596.70-1596.895 California Child Day Care Act
1596.90-1597.21 Day care centers
120325-120380 Immunization requirements
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
4680-4687 Williams uniform complaint procedures
18000-18434 Child care and development programs, especially:
18130-18136 California State Preschool Program
18295 Waiver of qualifications for site supervisor
80105-80125 Permits authorizing service in child development programs
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 22
101151-101239.2 General requirements, licensed child care centers, especially:
101151-101163 Licensing and application procedures
101212-101231 Continuing requirements
101237-101239.2 Facilities and equipment
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
1400-1482 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
6311-6322 Title I, relative to preschool
6371-6376 Early Reading First
6381-6381k Even Start family literacy programs
6391-6399 Education of migratory children
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
9831-9852c Head Start programs
9857-9858r Child Care and Development Block Grant
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 45
1301.1-1305.2 Head Start
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
What Boards of Education Can Do About Kindergarten Readiness, Governance Brief, May 2016
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
California Preschool Learning Foundations
Dream Big for Our Youngest Children: Final Report of the California Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee, 2010
Preschool English Learners: Principles and Practices to Promote Language, Literacy, and Learning, 2nd ed., 2009
Prekindergarten Learning Development Guidelines, 2000
First Class: A Guide for Early Primary Education, 1999
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings, 2016
Good Start, Grow Smart, April 2002
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Association for the Education of Young Children: http://www.caeyc.org
California County Superintendents Educational Services Association: http://www.ccsesa.org
California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov
California Head Start Association: http://caheadstart.org
California Preschool Instructional Network: http://www.cpin.us
Child Development Policy Institute: http://www.cdpi.net
Cities, Counties, and Schools Partnership: http://www.ccspartnership.org
First 5 Association of California: http://www.ccfc.ca.gov
National Institute for Early Education Research: http://nieer.org
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov
Policy WOODLAKE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: December 12, 2018 Woodlake, California