CDE/CDSS Updates

Driving Inclusion Forward

Supporting Inclusive Practices is back again to elevate the voices of inclusive experiences in action! Join our 2024 SIP Annual Inclusion Virtual Conference to be held on May 9-10, 2024

This VIRTUAL EVENT is open to all educators, staff, families, and students at no cost.

Funded by the California Department of Education, Special Education Division.

Register here

What About the Other Children? The Benefits of Using Inclusive Practices for All Children

Attend this transformative training session to discover valuable insights, backed by research, and gain practical strategies to ensure the holistic fulfillment of ALL children's needs within inclusive environments.

Join us virtually on Thursday, May 9th From 6PM to 8PM.

Register here

Preschool/TK Learning Foundations 

The official name of the new Preschool Learning Foundations will be the Preschool/TK Learning Foundations to be clear that these foundations apply to TK as well as preschool center and home-based programs. Publication will come early 2024

Updates include:

• a new domain of Approaches to Learning

• more culturally and linguistically affirming examples

• more inclusive of children with a range of disabilities

• two foundation levels with overlapping age bands

Desired Results Developmental Profile

Revision work for the DRDP 2025 has begun with teacher cognitive interviews and piloting for measurement calibration in 2024.

Revisions will include closer alignment with the Learning Foundations.

If you are interested in being involved in the revision opportunities, visit this link

CDE’s Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership Grant Community Needs Assessment

As a Head Start grantee, the CDE Early Head Start-Childcare Partnership (EHS-CCP) team is responsible for understanding the changing needs of the communities and people it serves. The Head Start Program Performance Standard 45 Chapter XIII, subpart 1302.11(b) requires grantees to conduct a community assessment at least once over the five-year grant period and update it regularly. Please see the linked article for more information regarding this community needs assessment that the CDE EHS-CCP team conducted with the help of its partner agencies and various data resources from within the CDE and other agencies.

Information and Resources Related to Extreme Temperatures

Dear CSPP Contractors,  

 As temperatures rise across the state, the California Department of Education (CDE), Early Education Division (EED), would like to remind you to follow your district’s or program’s procedures related to extreme temperatures.   

Amidst the heatwave, we encourage you to take necessary precautions to support children and staff during summer programming. You may also want to consult with your county public health department for further guidance on extreme heat or any health-related matters. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer resources on their Natural Disasters and Severe Weather web page, including the publication Warning Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illness, which can be accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html . This publication is available in both English and Spanish. Please help inform children, parents and staff about what to look for and what to do when heat-related illnesses present themselves.

Reimbursement for Reduced Days of Operation  

The California Education Code (EC) Section 8249 states that agencies that are unable to operate due to incomplete repairs and renovations that have been authorized by the CDE, or due to circumstances beyond their control, including, but not limited to; earthquakes, fires, or floods; will not be financially penalized for approved day(s) of closure.

Please contact your assigned EED, Program Quality Implementation (PQI) Office regional consultant as soon as possible if your agency is impacted by the extreme temperatures, or if you have any questions regarding this announcement. The regional consultant directory can be accessed on the EED Consultant Regional Assignments web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/assignments.asp . If you are unable to access the web page, please call the EED main phone line at 916-322-6233. 

Incidents at Licensed Facilities 

If you operate a licensed facility, please report any incidents on the premises to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) pursuant to the California Code of Regulations, Title 22, sections 101212(d) and 102416.2(c). All licensed facilities should follow their disaster plans on file pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 1596.95(f). 

Universal Transitional Kindergarten Leadership Certificate

The certificate is a 4-unit online and synchronous program offered by the UC Berkeley Extension. The program is two courses of 10 sesssions each. Participants must meet the following to be eligible:

• current candidates in a CTC-approved preliminary administrative services credential or

• clear administrative services credential or

• hold a certificate of eligibility

This program is currently free to eligible participants through June 2026. For more information visit this website. 

P-3 Coherence Collaboration 

The Preschool through Third Grade Coherence Collaboration (P3CC) will bring together multi-level teams from participating districts to address the challenge of making the transition from preschool and TK to kindergarten (and beyond) as seamless as possible. For the past three years California Education Partners has worked with more than 25 school districts all across the state to hardwire coherence in their systems. Throughout the three-year collaboration, district teams will work alongside and be supported by California Education Partners staff, expert thought partners in the field, and teams from other districts. District teams will be given the support that they need to plan, execute and assess the effectiveness of real solutions to real problems that they face.

For more information visit the website here. 

Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant Webinars

The CDE Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division’s produced a series of webinars to share professional development and instructional materials opportunities presented by the discretionary block grant as approved by Assembly Bills 181 and 185. For more information on the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Block Grant and view the webinars, please visit the website here.

Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant Webinars

The CDE Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division’s produced a series of webinars to share professional development and instructional materials opportunities presented by the discretionary block grant as approved by Assembly Bills 181 and 185. For more information on the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Block Grant and view the webinars, please visit the website here.

California Child Development Permit Workgroup

The workgroup is comprised of early childhood education professionals in the field across a variety of ECE job roles. Discussion topics included: workgroup overview and policy considerations, permit background and current requirements, a review of the previous Child Development Advisory Panel work, changes in the field, and the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care. The CDP Workgroup will have six additional online meetings over the course of the 2023–24 school year. There will be an opportunity for public comments at all CDP Workgroup meetings plus additional opportunities for input from the field.

CTC ECE Office Hours

Commission staff hold bimonthly office hours for the ECE community. Office hours provide an opportunity when ECE staff are available to respond to questions, comments, and other informational needs. ECE office hours are from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of the month.

First Tuesday of each month: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83000799079

Third Tuesday of each month: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85348030305