Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, requires the department to administer childcare and development programs that offer a full range of services to eligible children from infancy to 13 years of age, inclusive.
Existing law, the Early Education Act, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program.
Those acts authorize a person to serve in an instructional capacity in a childcare and development program or a preschool program if they possess a current credential issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing authorizing teaching service in elementary school or a single-subject credential in home economics, and 12 units in early childhood education or child development, or both, or 2 years' experience in early childhood education or a childcare and development program.
This bill would, notwithstanding those provisions, commencing July 1, 2026, authorize a California state preschool program or a general childcare and development program to allow 2 years from an interim associate teacher's date of hire in one of those programs to pursue necessary credentials or complete additional coursework to obtain a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, or equivalent permit, if certain conditions are met, including, among others, that no more than one interim associate teacher per classroom is allowed to work toward their credential or complete additional coursework pursuant to this provision. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2029.