Bill > SF4879

This bill aims to improve access to educational and childcare programs for children in foster care by giving them priority enrollment and eligibility. Specifically, it mandates that school-age care and community education programs must offer the highest enrollment priority to children in foster care, and requires annual reports to include information on these priority policies. The bill also modifies how child care assistance is calculated, removing age-based reductions for children in foster care and ensuring consistency with other assistance programs. Furthermore, it mandates that licensing agencies provide prospective foster parents with information about child care costs and early childhood education programs, and clarifies that children in foster care are eligible for school readiness programs and early learning scholarships. Finally, the bill establishes a third priority for eligible foster parents seeking basic sliding fee child care assistance.