AB 540: Child care: alternative payment programs: reimbursement rates.

The Child Care and Development Services Act has a purpose of providing a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective system of child care and development services for children from infancy to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop standards for the implementation of quality child care programs. Existing law authorizes various counties, as a pilot project, to develop an individualized county child care subsidy plan, as provided. Existing law provides for child care alternative payment programs, the purpose of which is to provide for maximum parental choice in child care. Existing law requires reimbursement for alternative payment programs to include the cost of child care paid to child care providers, plus administrative and support services costs. Under existing law, the total cost for administrative and support services is not permitted to exceed 17.5% of the total contract amount.