Management Bulletin 26-02

Early Education Division

Subject: Fiscal Year 2025–26 Program Self-Evaluation for California State Preschool Program (CSPP) Contractors

Number: 26-02

Date: February 13, 2026

Expires: Until rescinded or superseded by regulations

Authority: California Code of Regulations, Title 5 (5 CCR) sections 17700, 17709, 17710, 17794, MB 23-10

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

Purpose

This Management Bulletin (MB) notifies and provides guidance to CSPP contractors of the requirements and instructions for submitting the PSE, due to the California Department of Education (CDE), Early Education Division (EED) on or before June 1, 2026.

This MB rescinds and replaces MB 25-02.

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 FY 2025–26 PSE using the FY 2025–26 Program Instrument (PI), items one (1) through twenty-five (25), to determine areas in which the contractor did and did not meet the standards of the CSPP contract requirements. The FY 2025–26 PI document can be accessed at FY 2025-26 Program Instrument (PI).

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 1–25 of the PI (Key Dimensions one (1) through five (5), including the Desired Results Developmental Profile [DRDP]), the Desired Results parent survey, data from completed Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and CLASS Environment observations, and complete the survey to summarize all the following:

• An assessment 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 and
• Additional questions for data collection, pertaining to CLASS implementation, nutrition, and curriculum(s) used in the CSPP.
  

The FY 2025–26 PSE Survey, accompanying instructions for completing the survey, and FAQs can be accessed on the CDE Program Self-Evaluations web page.

Submission Requirements for the PSE

CSPP contractors are required to complete the FY 2025–26 PSE on or before Monday, June 1, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.

Contractors must scan and submit the signed Program Self-Evaluation Survey Form, electronically in PDF format, to PSEFY2526@cde.ca.gov using the FY and the legal contractor’s name in the subject line (Example: 25–26 XYZ School District). You will need Adobe Acrobat to complete this survey.

CSPP contractors are also required to submit a Training Needs Survey to the CDE using SNAP Survey. The SNAP survey link will be provided in a forthcoming email.

All other required documentation completed as part of the PSE must be kept on-site and available for review upon request.

If you have any questions regarding the information in this MB, please contact your assigned EED Program Quality Implementation (PQI) Regional Consultant. The CDE, EED PQI Consultant Regional Assignments directory web page.

Record Retention Requirements for the PSE

All supporting documentation for the FY 2025–26 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:

• Desired Results Parent Survey results and Summary of Findings
• DRDP Classroom/Site/Agency Summary of Findings
• Current CLASS Observer certifications for all staff employed by the contractor that have completed the CLASS and CLASS Environment Observation Training and passed the certification or recertification test.
• All CLASS and CLASS Environment Observation scoresheets for each CSPP classroom, or CSPP classroom scores on an Observation/scoring summary document provided by the Observer that provides some context about the observation.
  • Additional Environment Requirements - Contractors are required to implement additional environment requirements that are not included either in CLASS, CLASS Environment, or in current license or license-exempt regulations and yet remain necessary to support quality improvement in CSPP. MB 23-10.
• All coaching and/or training documentation is associated with CLASS and CLASS Environment Observations.
• Name and agency association (for example, CSPP Regional CLASS Lead, Head Start, CDE) for all CLASS Observers that complete CLASS and CLASS Environment observations that are not employed by the CSPP contractor. (Note that this information can be captured informally such as, on the scoresheet or scoring summary provided at the end of the observation.)
• 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 to address all areas that need improvement
  

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

Background and Authority

The PSE requirements are described in 5 CCR sections 17700, 17709, 17710, 17794.

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

1. A self-evaluation of the program based on the use of the PI.
2. An assessment of the program by parents using the Desired Results Parent Survey.
3. An assessment of the program by staff and board members, as evidenced by written documentation.
4. An analysis of the PI findings, including the DRDP, the environment rating scales, and the Desired Results parent survey, together with all other self-evaluation findings.
• Note: Beginning in the 2024–25 program year, contractors were no longer required to complete an Environment Rating Scale (ERS) annually as required in 5 CCR Section 17711. Accordingly, ERS will not be used in the annual PSE as currently referenced in 5 CCR Section 17709. The directives in MB 23-10 supersede 5 CCR Section 17711 pursuant to the authority from SB 114, Section 106.
5. A written list of tasks needed to modify the program to address all areas that need improvement, as indicated in the analysis of the findings, and
6. 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 2025–26 PSE, please email PSEFY2526@cde.ca.gov. If you have programmatic questions related to completing the FY 2025–26 PSE, please contact your assigned EED, PQI Regional Consultant. The CDE, EED PQI Consultant Regional Assignments can be accessed at PQI Consultant Regional Assignments directory web page.

This MB is mandatory only to the extent that it cites a specific statutory or regulatory requirement, and is not prescriptive, pursuant to California Education Code (EC) 33308.5.