Management Bulletin 26-05

Early Education Division

Subject: Requirements for California Community Colleges and California State Universities Operating California State Preschool Programs

Number: 26-05

Date: April 2026

Expires: Until rescinded

Authority: Senate Bill (SB) 271 (Statutes of 2025); California Education Code (EC) Section 66062

Authority: Executive Directors and Program Directors of all California State Preschool Programs who are maintained by a California Community College (CCC) or California State University (CSU)

Purpose

This Management Bulletin (MB) notifies and provides guidance to California State Preschool Programs (CSPP) who are administered by a CCC or a CSU of the statutory requirement to provide information and resources to support students with dependent children. Specifically, this MB summarizes the referral obligations imposed by EC Section 66062 on child development centers/preschools established by CCCs and CSUs.

Note: The use of “students” in this MB refers to the students of the CCC or CSU, and the use of “children” refers to the children of the students attending the CCC or CSU.

Policy

Beginning January 1, 2026, CSPP contractors operated by the CCC and the CSU, must provide students with dependent children who are seeking childcare, with both of the following:

1. Referral to the campus Basic Needs Center; and
2. Referral to the campus financial aid office

Directives for Implementation

All CSPPs operated by CCCs and CSUs must ensure that each student with dependent children who are seeking childcare receives both referrals identified in the policy section, and that the referrals include the information specified by EC Section 66062.

Contractors shall confirm whether the individual seeking childcare or preschool services for their dependent child is a currently enrolled student at the CCC or CSU and provide referrals to the following:

• Basic Needs Center
  
  
  • Provides information about childcare services; and/or
    
    
  • Provides assistance with accessing and identifying local resource and referral agencies, applying for state and federal childcare subsidies, and locating local childcare providers
    
    
• Financial aid office
  
  
  • Provides information about local Resource and Referral agencies to obtain support in applying for childcare and preschool services
    
    
  • Provides information on financial awards for students with dependent children

While not required, CSPPs operated by a University of California are strongly encouraged to also provide referrals to the Basic Needs Center and financial aid office for all students seeking childcare for their dependent children.

Record Retention

To assist in demonstrating compliance with EC Section 66062 during monitoring or review, contractors may maintain documentation of referrals. Such documentation may include:

• Student name or ID
• Date of referral
• Type of referral provides (Basic Needs Center and/or financial aid office)

Background and Authority

Senate Bill 271, (Chapter 600, Statutes of 2025) added EC Section 66062, which requires all CSPPs operated by CSPPs at CCC and CSU campuses to refer students, with dependent children who are seeking childcare, to the Basic Needs Center and financial aid office.

Resources

If you have programmatic questions related to this MB, please contact your assigned EED, Program Quality Implementation (PQI) office regional consultant on the EED, PQI regional consultant directory web page.

This Management Bulletin is mandatory only to the extent that it cites a specific statutory or regulatory requirement, and is not prescriptive, pursuant to California EC Section 33308.5.