Certification
Recertification Timelines

Guidance

Contractors enroll children when openings become available throughout the year.

Once a family establishes eligibility & need (if applicable), a preschool age eligible child will remain eligible & receive services for not less than 24 months OR until start of kindergarten or September 30th, whichever comes first, as long as child is age-eligible.

Regulations/Reference

Title 5: 17752 & 17752.5

Certification

Once a family establishes eligibility, and if applicable need, a preschool age eligible child will remain eligible and receive services for not less than 24 months OR until start of kindergarten or September 30th, whichever comes first, as long as child is age-eligible.

Initial certification date + minimum of 24 months (if age eligible for the whole time) + go to the next June 30 = Certification period end date.

If the Certification period end date is the same year child is age eligible for kindergarten - Then replace with “Until Kindergarten entrance, or September 30 [enter year from certification end date], whichever is first”.

Recertification

If a child is age-eligible to continue receiving preschool services at the conclusion of the family’s current certification period, for ongoing services the family must complete the recertification process. 

1. Notification to Recertify: Notification to recertify is sent to family on or after May 1st, with appointment date between June 1 – August 15

2. Recertification Appointment: Family brings in documentation AFTER June 1st. Recertification must be completed by August 15th

3. Denial | Termination: If family does not complete the recertification process by August 15th  OR if family is no longer eligible for services, issue a NOA to terminate/deny services.

• Issue NOA on August 16th

• Services continue up to the appeal date

Sibling Enrollment

Preschool admission priorities are based on the child, not family; therefore, if a family has a second child that is wanting to enroll into State Preschool, the sibling can not be enrolled until it is their turn to enroll based on the preschool admission priorities.

What this looks like in practice:

STEP 1: Place child on CSPP waiting list.

STEP 2: When child is selected from the waiting list for enrollment, review CURRENT certification period timeline AND collect any additional required documentation needed for enrollment.

STEP 3: Issue Notice of Action to enroll the sibling.

Program Transfers (CDSS to CSPP)

ONLY APPLICABLE if a contractor serves families in both CDSS Programs and State Preschool:

A family may request to transfer their child from a CDSS program, such as General Child Care, into your State Preschool program. Typically, this would be due to a child aging-out, or simply wanting to transfer into your State Preschool classroom. For continuity of services, if eligible, the family may transfer during their certification period into your State Preschool program.

What this looks like in practice:

STEP 1: Review CURRENT certification timeline

STEP 2: Transfer child to State Preschool and extend certification period

Issue Notice of Action to transfer child from CDSS program to State Preschool. Certification period will be extended through the remainder of the program year in which the certification period for the CDSS program would otherwise end.

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