NEXT WEEK! - Upcoming TFC Events

Join TFC on April 14-15 for our Annual Statewide Training!

Thriving Families CA (TFC) Foundation is bringing our community together in Anaheim for a statewide training designed to spark ideas, strengthen partnerships, and support the professionals serving children and families across California. The training will take place just minutes from Disneyland Park.

Over two engaging days, participants will explore timely topics shaping the field, including:

• Practical uses of generative AI and emerging technology
• Implementation strategies for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children
• Fraud prevention and program integrity
• Trauma-informed approaches
• Leadership and professional growth

Through a multi-track workshop format, attendees can choose the sessions most relevant to their work while connecting with colleagues to share solutions, challenges, and new ideas.

Join us to learn, collaborate, and build momentum for creating THRIVING environments for children and families!

California State Budget, Legislature & The Capitol

California Budget Updates

To support our field keeping up with budget related information, TFC will host updates and information on our Budget Page . If you have information you would like to have hosted, click here.

Use this Excel document to help you track budget actions as it is updated in real time. Click here to see the 2026-27 budget summary.

Upcoming Budget Hearings

• April 6, 2026 (Monday)
• Assembly Budget Subcommittee 1 on Heath @ 2:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 127 - Calendar
• Medi-Cal budget, MCO tax
• April 8, 2026 (Wednesday)
• Assembly Joint Budget Subcommittee 2 on Human Services and Subcommittee on 3 Education Finance @ 1 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 444 - Calendar
• Transitional Kindergarten
• April 9, 2026 (Thursday)
• Senate Budget Subcommittee 3 on Health and Human Services @ 9:30 a.m. or upon adjournment of Session 1021 O Street, Room 1200 - Calendar
• Medi-Cal budget

Child Care Hearings to Put on Your Calendar

• April 23, 2026 (Thursday)
• Senate Budget Subcommittee 3 on Health and Human Services @ 9:30 a.m. or upon adjournment of Session 1021 O Street, Room 1200 - Calendar
• Child Care 

Recent LAO Publications



The 2026-27 Budget: Child Care and State Preschool

Bill Sign-On Letters

SB 902 (Grayson) Childcare: Electronic signatures

• Authorizes the use of electronic signatures in child care programs, aligning child care processes with longstanding practices already used in county-administered programs and everyday life.
• Provides flexibility for families and providers, reducing paperwork barriers by allowing forms to be signed and submitted electronically instead of requiring in-person or wet signatures.
• Speeds up enrollment and modernizes recordkeeping, allowing families to complete forms wherever they are at and giving organizations the ability to convert and securely store paper documents digitally.

Will be heard TODAY on Monday, April 6th in the Senate Human Services Committee

Click here to sign the SB 902 (Grayson) coalition support letter

• 30+ organizations signed on in support

Click here for a template support letter

• Click here to submit position letter

Have questions about this bill or the support materials? Please email mckenzie@thrivingfamilies-ca.org

AB 2314 (Rogers) "The Child Care Stability and Modernization Act"

• Maximizes use of child care funds to serve families, ensuring dollars are spent efficiently to reduce delays and reach families waiting to receive care.
• Protects continuity of care for families, ensuring children aren’t separated from siblings or moved between providers solely to balance enrollment.
• Supports stable, long-term child care, aligning funding practices with the 24-month eligibility to help families maintain consistent care.
• Reduces disruptions and increases transparency, with clear timelines for funding transfers and annual reporting to the Legislature on how funds are allocated and spent.

Click here to sign the AB 2314 coalition support letter

Click here for a template support letter

Have questions about this bill or the support materials? Please email mckenzie@thrivingfamilies-ca.org

TFC's Featured Bill of the Week

SB 902 (Grayson) Childcare: electronic signatures



Author: Senator Tim Grayson

Tim Grayson was previously elected to serve in the California Assembly in November 2016 and to represent the 15th Assembly District, which encompassed portions of Contra Costa County. He is the son of a Teamster father and his mother was a public transit worker. He is the first in his family to earn a college degree. In 2010, Grayson was elected to serve on the Concord City Council, winning reelection in 2014 and serving on the Council until his election to the Assembly. He also served as Concord’s Mayor from 2014-2015.

Important Dates, Deadlines,

Hearings, and Bills

Dates & Deadlines:

• March 26, 2026 - Spring Recess begins upon adjournment.
• April 6 - Legislature reconvenes from spring recess

Upcoming Hearings:

April 6, 2026 (Monday)

• Senate Human Services Committee @ 3 p.m. @ 1021 O Street, Room 1200 - Calendar
• Click here to see the bills being heard
• TFC-sponsored bills being heard:
• SB 902 (Grayson)
• Click here for the SB 902 template support letter
• SB 1051 (Menjivar)
• Click here for the SB 1051 template support letter
• SB 1110 (Becker)
• Click here for the SB 1110 template support letter

Legislative Resources:

• See the tentative 2026-27 Legislative Calendar here.
• Visit TFC's Legislation Page to find a comprehensive list of bills of interest.
• Visit TFC's Budget Page for full budget bill details, as well as budget hearing video archive links.
• Click here to view all the bills that the Assembly and Senate introduced this legislative year.
• Click here to view legislative committee information, rules, and position letter deadlines.

Upcoming Events

April 11-17, 2026 - NAEYC Week of the Young Child

A fun-filled week celebrating early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities—now marking 100 years of NAEYC and the 55th anniversary of Week of the Young Child.

April 20-24, 2026 - National Home Visiting Week

Hosted by the Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals.

Friday, May 8, 2026 - National Provider Appreciation Day

Child Care Aware of America social media toolkit

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Day Without Child Care

Elections Information

News

• Voter ID could be headed to the California ballot
• Trump signs order on mail-in ballots and federally run voter lists as critics vow legal challenges

Deadlines for the 2026 California Primary Election:

• May 4 - Ballots mailed to voters
• May 5 - Ballot drop boxes open
• May 18 - Deadline to register to vote. Register HERE
• May 23 - Early in-person voting begins
• June 2 - ELECTION DAY
• Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Last day to vote by mail
• June 9 - Deadline for all mail-in ballots to be received

The State General Election will be on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Secretary of State Website Resources:

• Voter Information
• June Statewide Elections (November 5th)
• Congressional District 1, Special Primary Election - June 2, 2026
• 2026 County Administered Elections
• November 3, 2026, Statewide Ballot Measures

New Research from Stanford

Did You Know?

Child Care Q&A's

NOTE: If you have a question you would like answered or researched, please email.

Question: How much paperwork do families often have to complete just to enroll a child in care?

Answer: Families enrolling a child in care are often required to complete dozens of pages of forms, many of which must be printed, signed by hand, and submitted in person. For working parents—especially those juggling jobs, transportation, and appointments—these paper-only requirements can delay enrollment and make it harder to secure care when they need it most.

Allowing families to complete and submit forms electronically can remove unnecessary barriers and help children access care faster. SB 902 (Grayson) would allow electronic signatures on child care forms so families can complete the forms wherever they are at.

Federal Update

NEW Updates on CCDF and Federal Proposed Rule Posted to TFC's Webpage

Click here to be directed to our website page that will be continually updated with the latest news. The newest update includes:

• California judge issues injunction blocking feds from freezing $10 billion in child care funding
• Discussion draft of a reauthorization bill of CCDBG

The First Five Things to Know: Appropriations FY 2027

Each year, Congress determines funding levels for all federal programs, including those that support the care and education of young children as part of the annual Appropriations process, including:

• Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG): The largest source of federal funding for child care. Congress sets funding levels; states have flexibility in how funds support families and providers in their communities. 
• Early Head Start/Head Start: Delivers comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services for eligible children and their families. 
• Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5): Help states strengthen, align, and expand their early learning systems. 

This investment becomes the foundation of child care and early learning in our nation. Click here for the first five things to know about Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriations.

Take Action (4/7) - Letters to House and Senate Opposing Child Care Fraud Bills

From The Child Care for Every Family Network, CLASP, NAEYC, NAFCC, NWLC, and MomsRising:

Early this year, the Trump Administration launched a politically motivated attack on the child care system – relying on baseless claims of fraud to undermine child care for millions of families. Now, Senate and House Republicans are continuing that agenda by proposing a set of supposedly anti-”fraud” child care bills. These bills will do nothing to strengthen our child care system or help the millions of families struggling to find and afford the child care they need. Instead, these bills would further weaponize child care funding and deny support to children and families.

The Child Care for Every Family Network, CLASP, NAEYC, NAFCC, NWLC, and MomsRising encourage any state, local, or national organization to sign on to two letters making clear that lawmakers must reject these bills and instead focus on real solutions to address the child care crisis, including delivering the robust resources families and providers deserve.

• Letter to the House - HERE: This letter urges House members to reject a set of bills that Republicans have already advanced through the House Education and Workforce Committee.
• Letter to Senate HELP Committee - HERE: This letter urges HELP Chair Cassidy to reverse course on a "discussion draft" bill he proposed on March 18.

Please note: These letters are open only to organizational signatories. If you are a child care provider or impacted parent, we still encourage you to express your concerns to the House and Senate HELP Committee. If you need support doing so, please reach out to christel@childcareforeveryfamily.org. 

SIGN ON TO BOTH LETTERS HERE. The initial deadline is COB April 7. We will also continue to accept sign-ons after this date, on a rolling basis. 

Please reach out to anali@childcareforeveryfamily.org and ruth.friedman@gmail.com with any questions or concerns!

Click here to read the most recent weekly federal update from the National Women's Law Center.

Federal Government Update 

The White House has officially requested a record $1.5 trillion from Congress for defense spending, while cutting domestic programs by 10% overall. More: Trump asks Congress to supersize military budget, slash domestic programs - POLITICO

This proposed budget slashes many programs that families, children, and educators rely on. While not expected to become law, it provides insight into this administration's priorities and where Congressional Republicans will feel pressure to adjust their budgets accordingly. Some examples:

• “Level-funds” CCDBG. As a reminder, flat funding operates as a cut due to inflation.
• Cuts Head Start funding.
• Eliminates Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS).

Additionally, in a speech this week, President Trump said that the government can’t “take care of daycare” and other crucial programs like Medicaid and Medicare because it is funding the war with Iran. More: 

• Trump suggests states raise taxes to pay for child care, says federal government can’t afford it - The Hill
• NWLC on Trump Saying He Won't Fund Child Care & Health Care Because of War

After sending the memo last week, the deal to reopen part of the federal government fell through. Congress has since left for its two-week recess without a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

Fraud Narrative

Good news! Court Blocks Trump-Vance Administration’s Politically-Driven Child Care Funding Freeze - Democracy Forward. A federal court has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful freeze of more than $10 billion in child care and family assistance funding, restoring critical support for working families, providers, and small businesses across the country. The order in AFSCME v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services et al. was issued from the bench this week.

This decision does not change the status quo -- because the same policy was already enjoined under New York v. ACF, but it adds additional stability to that injunction because if anything happens to the New York injunction, the 5-state targeted funding freeze will remain enjoined.

Recently, Senator Cassidy (R-LA), Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee:

• Sent letters demanding “accountability” regarding improper payment rates to MI, NY, and OR.
• Released a discussion draft of a reauthorization bill of CCDBG

The proposed reauthorization bill has numerous harmful provisions, but some toplines are: prohibits enrollment-based payments, presumptive eligibility, and timely payments; eligibility is changed from 12 months to 6 months; eligibility requires that parents be citizens rather than the child; lowers the income limit for single mothers; and initiates work requirements for married couples. This, in addition to many concerning anti-“fraud” provisions. At a time when families need more help with child care, the bill manages to penalize single moms, married couples, children, early educators, and mixed-status families.

Fraud should always be taken seriously and prosecuted when proven, and Minnesota has investigated and prosecuted fraud in the past. However, no credible evidence of current widespread or systemic fraud in Minnesota’s child care system has been publicly presented. State officials have indicated that many facilities named in recent claims were operating normally at the time of inspection. Investigations are ongoing, but broad funding disruptions lack evidence and harm children, families, and providers who are following the rules.

More:

• The Real Scandal is Failing to Protect and Support the Nation's Children | First Focus on Children
• EducationCounsel - Congress Considers Bills on Child Care Fraud
• BACKGROUND: Trump Administration’s Withholding of Child Care Funding (CCEFN)
• Feb 2026 Message Guidance for Attacks on Child Care_c3 friendly (CCEFN)
• Attacks on Somali Communities and Fraud Claims Fact Sheet (CLASP, NILC, ACT)

⇒ Take Action: Take action to restore child care funding! (CCEFN)

Take Action

• Take Action: Take action to restore child care funding! (CCEFN)
• Find in-person and online events here: CHN/partner events joint calendar
• Messaging Guide for Child Care (c3 version) (c4 version) (CCEFN)
• Join us at the Children Thrive Action Network! CTAN is a network of advocates and service providers at the national, state, and local levels. Our mission is to defend and support children in the United States in immigrant families. Organizations interested in a network to further this goal can join CTAN here.
• Raise Revenue, Raise our Families Toolkit (Community Change)
• Protecting & Supporting Immigrant Children & their Families in Early Learning Spaces | MomsRising
• Meals and Snacks - CACFP Federal Advocacy Toolkit 2025

Most Viewed Bills of the Week:

1.H.R.22 [119th] SAVE Act

2.H.R.4818 [118th] Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2023

3.H.R.7296 [119th] SAVE America Act

4.H.R.7147 [119th] Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026

5.H.R.1 [119th] An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.

6.S.1383 [119th] Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2025

7.H.R.4405 [119th] Epstein Files Transparency Act

8.S.3971 [119th] Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act

9.H.Res.939 [119th] Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States for high crimes and misdemeanors.

10.S.1180 [119th] Abolish TSA Act of 2025

CDSS & CDE Upcoming Events

Join us for the CCDD Community Call on April 6th, 2026!

The California Department of Social Services’ Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) invites you to our next Community Call webinar on April 6, 2026. Please use this link to register for the webinar. 

Our Community Calls are open to families, child care providers, program administrators, advocates, and the general public.  


During these webinars, CCDD will: 

• Showcase the programs that make up California’s child care landscape and celebrate the work of our child care community 
• Feature mini-trainings from experts that can strengthen the quality of care in all child care settings 
• Provide a space for a public forum concerning CCDD programs and statewide initiatives 

Contractor Connections Upcoming Webinar: Income and Eligibility Series - Eligibility

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Child Care and Development Division (CCDD), will host a training webinar on Eligibility scheduled for:

DATE: April 9, 2026

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Registration: Click here to register for this webinar

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.

This session is part of CCDD’s ongoing webinar series designed to support child care and development contractors in:

• Understanding contract and program requirements
• Reducing errors in family certification and documentation
• Promoting continuous improvement and program integrity

 This session will be an overview of eligibility categories as it pertains to all contract types, and some basic eligibility information as it pertains to the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility for Kids (CalWORKs) Stages 2 and 3 programs. The goal is to reinforce and strengthen participants’ skills and knowledge of eligibility categories and documentation requirements.

Information Session for the LUNA Family Support Services’ ESCALERAS Training Model to Support License-Exempt Providers Across California

On behalf of the LUNA Family Support Services’, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) invites you to attend an information session on the ESCALERAS Training Model. In Spanish, “escaleras” means ladders, and this training model is the first step in an Early Care and Education training lattice for License-Exempt Providers. 

The information session will introduce a free professional development opportunity for Community-Based Organizations that are interested in becoming trained in delivering the ESCALERAS Training Model.

The information session will provide an overview of the ESCALERAS Training Model health and safety topics, which serves as a resource for the professional development of all providers.

Following the information session, participants may apply to join the free professional development opportunity. Please note, only two Community-Based Organizations and up to two staff per organization will be selected. Participants will receive a certificate and badge as an approved ESCALERAS trainer.

Both the information session and the professional development training will be delivered in English.

Sign up for the Information Session to learn more about the free professional development opportunity!

The session will be held:

Date: Wednesday April 22, 2026

Time: 10am PST

CDSS & CDE Information & Updates

Attorney General Bonta Provides Guidance to Child Care Providers of New Legal Obligations Relating to Immigration Enforcement Actions

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued guidance and model policies for licensed child care facilities and preschool programs in California regarding their new legal responsibilities under Assembly Bill (AB) 495. Known as the Family Preparedness Act of 2025, AB 495 was authored by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez (D-San Fernando) and took effect on January 1, 2026. AB 495, and this guidance, are intended to help early childhood education and child care providers develop practical plans to protect the rights of immigrants and their families to safely access these facilities by limiting support for immigration enforcement activities.

Read More Here.

Proposed Amendments to Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations Pertaining to the Child Development Permit

On March 20, 2026, the Commission on Teacher Credentialling (Commission) announced proposed amendment to Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations pertaining to the Child Development Permit.

The Commission proposes amendments to Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations §80105, 80107, 80109, 80110, 80111, 80112, 80113, 80114, and 80115. The proposed amendments remove the outdated Child Development Permit Levels and replace them with the revised Child Development Permit (CDP) matrix levels. As a result of the revised CDP Matrix, revisions to the Definitions were also added to clarify and make specific new terms. Additionally, outdated language to the application process is also proposed to be revised for consistency with existing regulatory language referencing application requirements.

Additional information can be found on the Commissions website under: Coded Correspondence 26-02: Proposed Amendments to Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations Pertaining to the Child Development Permit.

RELEASED March 24, 2026: Child Care Bulletin 24-22E: Erratum to California Resource and Referral Monitoring Tool Implementation

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) has recently posted the following document on its website: Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 24-22E: Erratum to California Resource and Referral Monitoring Tool Implementation 

The purpose of this erratum Child Care Bulletin (CCB) is to correct and clarify the annual self-evaluation submission process described in CCB 24-22. This erratum clarifies that the annual program self-evaluation will be completed through an online survey, rather than through a manual submission process. This erratum also removes the statement indicating that additional information on the California Resource and Referral Program (CRRP) Self-Evaluation submission requirements would be provided via a forthcoming CCB in Spring 2025, as this erratum provides the updated guidance. 

RELEASED March 17, 2026: Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 26-06: PROCESS FOR CONTRACTING AGENCIES TO MOVE FROM PROVISIONAL CONTRACT TO CLEAR CONTRACT STATUS

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) has recently published the following document: Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 26-06 PROCESS FOR CONTRACTING AGENCIES TO MOVE FROM PROVISIONAL CONTRACT TO CLEAR CONTRACT STATUS

The purpose of this Child Care Bulletin (CCB) is to provide information to Child Care and Development Contractors who are on Provisional Contract status. The information contained in this bulletin describes the programmatic and fiscal systems that must be implemented prior to agencies being moved by the Child Care and Development Division from a Provisional Contract to Clear Contract status.

Social Media Spotlight

Follow TFC on social media!

We would love for you to tag us in your posts and use the hashtag #TFC2025

On Our Reading List

Information & Updates

Happening This Week, April 6 - 10, 2026: 


Monday, April 6th:

• CCDD Community Call @ 9:30am. Register Here.
• Assembly Budget Subcommittee 1 on Heath @ 2:30pm.


Tuesday, April 7th:

• TFC Weekly Member Connections Meeting @ 1:00 p.m. Email to register.
  

Wednesday, April 8th:

• Assembly Joint Budget Subcommittee 2 on Human Services and Subcommittee on 3 Education Finance @ 1 p.m.

Thursday, April 9th:

• Senate Budget Subcommittee 3 on Health and Human Services @ 9:30 a.m. 
• Contractor Connections Upcoming Webinar: Income and Eligibility Series - Eligibility from 10:00am-12:00pm. Register Here.

Friday, April 10th:

• TFC Workgroup - CalWORKs, Prospective Pay, and More! @ 1:00 p.m.




Thriving Families CA Foundation is committed to supporting our field with a coordinated calendar. Click here to see our current calendar of events. If you have an event to add, email us and it will be added.

The Weekly Good

An uplifting way to start the week, for those of us who need a break from the chaos that is our lives.

During this time where we are all stressed, it would be great to celebrate the positive. Each week we will celebrate everyday heroes, inspiring movements and great things happening in our field.