69620-69628
EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 69620-69628
69620. There is hereby established the Child Development Teacher and Supervisor Grant Program, to be administered by the Student Aid Commission, with participation by students attending California public or private two-year or four-year postsecondary educational institutions who intend to teach or supervise in the field of child care and development in a licensed children's center. The Student Aid Commission may enter into an agreement with another state or local agency to administer this program. 69621. For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply: (a) "Child Development Permit" means a permit issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing that authorizes an individual to teach, instruct, or supervise in a licensed child care and development program. (b) "Licensed children's center" means a public school district-based, nonprofit community-based, or private proprietary program licensed by the State Department of Social Services under the health and safety requirements of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations or administered by the State Department of Education under Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. Licensed children's centers include federally subsidized, state-subsidized, and nonsubsidized child care and development programs serving children part day or full day. 69622. (a) Participants shall be enrolled in an approved course of study leading to the teacher, site supervisor, or program director level of the Child Development Permit. (b) An applicant shall be eligible to participate if he or she meets one of the following criteria: (1) Is nominated by a postsecondary institution. (2) Is nominated by his or her employing agency that holds an approved waiver of staffing qualifications on behalf of the applicant. (c) From the list of applicants who are eligible under subdivisions (a) and (b), the Student Aid Commission, or an agency designated by the commission, shall select participants on the basis of their demonstrated financial need and academic achievement, which may include, but not be limited to, high school grade-point average, college grade-point average, or academic test scores. (d) Participants shall maintain no less than half-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress as defined by the postsecondary educational institution. (e) Recipients of a grant may renew their participation by maintaining satisfactory academic progress, financial need, and intent to pursue the approved course of study leading to the teacher, site supervisor, or program director level as provided in subdivision (a). The maximum amount any one recipient may receive through the grant program is six thousand dollars ($6,000). (f) Participants may not concurrently receive benefits from the grant program under this article and from the Child Development Teacher Loan Assumption Program. 69623. (a) To receive a grant under this article, a participant shall enter into a contractual agreement with the Student Aid Commission under which the participant agrees to do all of the following: (1) Pursue a course of study leading to the Child Development Permit at the teacher, site supervisor, or program director level. (2) Maintain full-time employment in a licensed children's center in California for a period of one year for each year in which grant assistance was received and provide the Student Aid Commission with evidence of compliance with this requirement. (b) Each participant shall complete and return to the Student Aid Commission an employment verification for each year of service as a teacher, instructor, or supervisor. A year of employment may be based on a calendar year or a school year. (c) The Student Aid Commission shall develop appropriate mechanisms to document and report annually to the State Department of Education regarding compliance with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a). 69624. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that up to 100 new grants be awarded each year, or that the maximum number of grants be based on the amount of federal funds available from the Child Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (P.L. 97-35). (b) (1) Grants shall be awarded in the amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000) for each academic year if the participant is enrolled at least one-half time in a four-year institution. (2) Grants shall be awarded in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each academic year if the participant is enrolled at least one-half time in a two-year institution. (3) Participants may renew their awards for a maximum of one additional year. 69625. (a) In order to accomplish the purposes set forth in this article, commencing January 1, 1998, the Controller, the State Department of Education, the State Department of Social Services, or any other state agency receiving funds from the Child Care Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (P.L. 97-35) shall make these funds available to the Student Aid Commission for this program only to the extent this program is incorporated into, and approved in, the state plan established pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 658E of Subchapter C as contained in Section 5082 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508). (b) For the purpose of implementing this article, the State Department of Education or designated state agency shall enter into an interagency agreement with the Student Aid Commission to allocate federal funds received annually for purposes of this program and to include funds for the administrative costs. (c) On or before January 1, 1999, and each year thereafter, the Student Aid Commission shall report to the State Department of Education or designated state agency regarding the federal funding level required to award 100 new grants and all of the renewal grants annually. The State Department of Education or designated state agency shall take these amounts into consideration when developing the state plan referenced in subdivision (a). The State Department of Education or designated state agency shall notify the Student Aid Commission of any revision to the federal funding level as reflected in changes to the Child Care and Development Block Grant State Plan. (d) This program is contingent upon the receipt of federal funds for the childcare and development block grant for the purposes of implementing this program. 69626. (a) The Student Aid Commission shall administer the Child Development Teacher and Supervisor Grant Program. This includes determining the application procedures and the selection criteria for grant awards. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Student Aid Commission consult with the Child Development Division of the California Department of Education, postsecondary educational institutions, and child care and development representatives of statewide organizations regarding the development of the program, including the program requirements and selection criteria. 69627. Notwithstanding Section 7550.5 of the Government Code, the Student Aid Commission shall report to the Governor and the Legislature by January 1, 2001, on the Child Development Teacher and Supervisor Grant Program to assess the following: (a) The number of applicants annually. (b) The number of participants annually. (c) The rate of compliance with academic and employment requirements. (d) Participating postsecondary educational institutions. (e) Needs assessment for program growth based on the eligible pool of applicants. (f) Participation and success rates for each permit. (g) The amount of grant funds awarded each year, by institution. 69628. This article shall not be implemented unless and until federal funds are made available for the purposes of implementing this article in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 69625.