Section 8211 - [Operative 7/1/2027] Priority for full-day programs(a) Each applicant or contracting agency shall give priority for full-day programs according to the following:(1) The first priority for services shall be given to three-year-old or four-year-old children who are recipients of child protective services or who are at risk of being neglected, abused, or exploited upon written referral from a legal, medical, or social service agency. If an agency is unable to enroll a child in this first priority category, the agency shall refer the child's parent or guardian to local resources and referral services so that services for the child can be located.(2)(A) To the extent that there are additional three- and four-year-old children with exceptional needs interested in enrolling beyond those already enrolled in the percent of funded enrollment set aside pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 8208, the second priority for services shall be given to all three- and four-year-old children with exceptional needs from families with incomes below the income eligibility threshold, described in Section 8213.(B) Within this priority category, children with exceptional needs from families with the lowest income according to the income ranking on the most recent schedule of income ceiling eligibility table, as published by the Superintendent at the time of enrollment, shall be enrolled first.(3)(A) The third priority for services shall be given to eligible three-year-old or four-year-old children who are not enrolled in a state-funded transitional kindergarten program. This priority shall not include children eligible pursuant to clause (v) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 8208 if they are from families with incomes above the income eligibility threshold, as described in Section 8213.(B)(i) Within this priority category, eligible children with the lowest income according to the income ranking on the most recent schedule of income ceiling eligibility table, as published by the Superintendent at the time of enrollment, shall be enrolled first.(ii) If two or more families have the same income ranking according to the most recent schedule of income ceiling eligibility table, a child who is identified as a dual language learner shall be enrolled first.(iii) If there are no children who are identified as dual language learners, the child that has been on the waiting list for the longest time shall be admitted first.(4)(A) The fourth priority, after all otherwise eligible children have been enrolled, shall be children from families whose income is no more than 15 percent above the income eligibility threshold, as described in Section 8213.(B) Within this priority category, priority shall be given to three- and four-year-old children with exceptional needs interested in enrolling beyond those already enrolled in the set aside pursuant to Section 8208.(C)(i) After the children enrolling pursuant to subparagraph (B) are enrolled, three- and four-year-old children without exceptional needs shall be enrolled in income ranking order, with the lowest income according to the income ranking on the most recent schedule of income ceiling eligibility table, as published by the Superintendent at the time of enrollment, being enrolled first.(ii) For purposes of clause (i), if two or more families have the same income ranking according to the most recent schedule of income ceiling eligibility table, the child that has been on the waiting list for the longest time shall be admitted first.(5) After all otherwise eligible children have been enrolled in the first through fourth priority categories, as described in paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, the contractor may enroll the children in the following order: (A) The contractor may enroll three- and four-year-old children from families that meet eligibility criteria pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 8208. Within this priority, contractors shall enroll families in income ranking order, lowest to highest, and within income ranking order, enroll four-year-old children before three-year-old children.(B) For California state preschool program sites operating within the attendance boundaries of a qualified free and reduced priced meals school, in accordance with Section 8217, the contractor may enroll any three- and four-year-old children whose families reside within the attendance boundary of the qualified school without establishing eligibility or a need for services pursuant to paragraph (1) or (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 8208. These families shall, to the extent possible, be enrolled in income ranking order, by lowest to highest income according to the most recent schedule of income ceiling eligibility table.(b) The Superintendent shall set criteria for, and may grant specific waivers of, the priorities established in this section for agencies that wish to serve specific populations, including children with exceptional needs or children of prisoners. These new waivers shall not include proposals to avoid appropriate fee schedules or admit ineligible families, but may include proposals to accept members of special populations in other than strict income order, as long as appropriate fees are paid.(c)(1) Children with exceptional needs enrolled in the percent of funded enrollment set aside pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 8208 shall be enrolled without regard to the priorities listed in subdivision (a).(2) Within this category, eligible children with the lowest income according to the income ranking on the most recent schedule of income ceiling eligibility table, as published by the Superintendent at the time of enrollment, shall be enrolled first.(3) If two or more families have the same income ranking according to the most recent schedule of income ceiling eligibility table, the child that has been on the waiting list for the longest time shall be admitted first.(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2027.Added by Stats 2024 ch 73 (SB 163),s 12, eff. 7/2/2024.