Management Bulletin 23-04

Early Education Division

Subject: Fiscal Year 2022–23 Program Self-Evaluation for California State Preschool Program Contractors

Number: 23-04

Date: April 4, 2023

Expires: Until rescinded or superseded by regulations

Authority: California Code of Regulations,Title 5 (5CCR) sections 17700, 17709,  17710, 17711, 17794

Attention: Executive Directors and Program Directors of all California State Preschool Programs

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Purpose

This Management Bulletin (MB) notifies and provides guidance to California State Preschool Program (CSPP) contractors of the requirements and instructions for submitting the Program Self-Evaluation (PSE), due to the California Department of Education (CDE), Early Education Division (EED) on or before June 1, 2023. This MB rescinds and replaces MB 22-03.

Policy

Each contractor shall develop and implement an annual plan for its program self-evaluation process. Each CSPP contractor shall use the PSE to submit a summary of the findings of the PSE to the CDE by June 1, of each year.

Implementation

Each CSPP contractor shall conduct the fiscal year (FY) 2022–23 PSE using the FY 2022–23 Program Instrument (PI), items one (1) through 20, to determine areas in which the contractor did and did not meet the standards of the CSPP contract requirements. The FY 2022–23 PI document can be accessed at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/eed2223.docx. CSPP contractors shall submit the FY 2022-23 PSE to the CDE by completing the survey at https://surveys3.cde.ca.gov/go/pse2022-23.asp.

Each CSPP contractor must include program staff and board members, as applicable, in the self-evaluation process, and maintain written documentation of their participation.

The CSPP contractor must analyze the findings from the self-evaluation of items 1–20 of the PI, including the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP), the Environment Rating Scale (ERS), and the Desired Results parent survey, and complete the survey to summarize all the following:

• An assessment, in narrative format, of the staff and board members’ (as applicable) participation in the PSE process, and
• Program areas that did not meet standards, and a list of tasks to improve in those areas in a timely and effective manner, and
• Program areas that did meet standards and procedures for ongoing monitoring to ensure those areas continue to meet standards.

The FY 2022-23 PSE Survey, a copy of the survey questions CSPP contractors will be required to respond to, and frequently asked questions can be accessed on the CDE, PSE web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/pseforms.asp.

Desired Results Parent Survey

Gathering information from parents participating in the program provides valuable feedback on the quality of the services provided. The requirement for the Parent Survey is described in 5CCRSection 17710.

Contractors may deliver and collect surveys in a format that is easily accessible and convenient to families. This may include digital surveys, electronic submissions, and/or mailed hardcopies. To the greatest extent possible, surveys should be provided in the family's preferred language. Contractors should give parents ample time to complete surveys and the opportunity to ask contractors and providers questions and at a minimum, provided in languages sufficient to comply with language access laws. Surveys must be made accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes providing reasonable modifications upon request.

Environment Rating Scale

Environment Rating Scales (ERS) described in 5CCRSection 17711 requires that direct service contractors complete an ERS on all classrooms or homes as a part of the self-evaluation process. The ERS on classrooms/homes may be completed by program staff/providers or an outside assessor.

Submission Requirements for the PSE

CSPP contractors are required to submit the FY 2022-23 PSE survey to the CDE, EED on or before Thursday, June 1, 2023, by 5:00 p.m.

Record Retention Requirements for the PSE

All supporting documentation for the FY 2022–23 PSE must be retained on-site by the CSPP contractor, and be made available to the CDE, EED upon request. Supporting documentation to be retained includes:

• Completed Environment Rating Scales
• Environment Rating Scale Classroom/Agency Summary of Findings
• Desired Results Parent Survey results and Summary of Findings
• DRDP Classroom/Site/Agency Summary of Findings
• An assessment of the program by staff and board members as evidenced by written documentation
• Documentation from the self-evaluation process used to develop a written list of tasks needed to modify the program in order to address all areas that need improvement

In accordance with 5CCRSection 17820, all records shall be retained for a minimum period of five (5) years.

Background and Authority

The PSE requirements are described in 5CCRsections 17700, 17709, 17710, 17711, 17794.

Pursuant to 5CCRSection 17709, the annual PSE shall include the following:

• A self-evaluation of the program based on the use of the Program Instrument.
• An assessment of the program by parents using the Desired Results Parent Survey.
• An assessment of the program by staff and board members, as evidenced by written documentation.
• An analysis of the Program Instrument review findings, including the DRDP, the ERS, and the Desired results parent survey, together with all other self-evaluation findings.
• A written list of tasks needed to modify the program in order to address all areas that need improvement, as indicated in the analysis of the findings, and
• Procedures for the ongoing monitoring of the program to ensure that areas of the program that are satisfactory continue to meet standards, and areas requiring modification are addressed in a timely and effective manner.

CSPP contractors shall modify their programs to address any areas identified during the self-evaluation as needing improvement.

Resources

If you have questions regarding submission requirements for the FY 2022–23 PSE, please email fy2223pse@cde.ca.gov.

If you have programmatic questions related to completing the FY 2022–23 PSE, please contact your assigned EED, Program Quality Implementation (PQI) office regional consultant. The EED, PQI regional consultant directory web page can be accessed at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/assignments.asp.

This MB is mandatory only to the extent that it cites a specific statutory and/or regulatory requirement. Any portion of this MB that is not supported by a specific statutory and/or regulatory requirement is not prescriptive pursuant to EC 33308.5.

Stephen Propheter, Director
Early Education Division