Report 2017-116 Recommendation 2 Responses

Report 2017-116: Community Child Care Council of Santa Clara County: Because It Disadvantaged Some Families and Misused State Funds, It Could Benefit From Increased Monitoring by the California Department of Education (Release Date: April 2018)

Recommendation #2 To: Community Child Care Council of Santa Clara County

To ensure that families understand how to elevate appeals to Education, 4Cs should amend its notice forms and its handbook by October 2018 to consistently describe additional means for contacting Education beyond a mailing address and fax number, such as a telephone number, an email address, and a link to Education's website for online information about reporting appeals.

1-Year Agency Response

At the request of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, the agency made the following additions to its notification to families of the parent appeal process:

1. Added an email address to its Parent Handbook for parents to submit an appeal via email to the California Department of Education / Early Learning and Care Division (CDE/ELCD) Parent Appeals office. (This email was supplied to the 4C Council by the CDE/ELCD Parent Appeals office on April 4, 2019.)

2. Added the CDE/ELCD Parent Appeals office email address to the Appeal Policy handout that was completed by the agency February 26, 2018 and previously reported in the 60-day response.

3. CDE/ELCD updated the Notice of Action forms to include their contact phone number to the CDE/ELCD Appeals Coordinator. The phone number is now included on all parent notice of actions that are issued by the agency.

4. Updated agency website to include a link to the CDE/ELCD webpage on parent appeals and to the CDE/ELCD Parent Appeals office phone number.

Attachments:

1) Copy of Parent Handbook, pages 37-39 "Notice of Action Parent Appeal Process"

2) Copy of Appeal Policy Handout

3) Copy of CDE/ELCD Notice of Action (Form CD-7617)

4) Copy of page from agency website: https://www.4c.org/parent/appealing-a-notice-of-action.html

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

The agency has been provided technical assistance from CDE Consultants, Dr. Joe Martinez and Deborah Rawson on its handbook revisions. Dr. Joe Martinez has provided feedback and recommendations and also noted in an email dated August 23, 2018, that "the elements of the Santa Clara pilot are still in process, so finalizing the parent handbook may take a little more time." The pilot began January 12, 2018 so we have revised our Fully Implemented due date to January 2019. In the interim, parents are being provided with the revised notices and appeal policy that was submitted in the previous report. Supporting documentation, "Parent Provider Handbook with edits_8_23_2018"

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

The 4C Council provides written information to families of their appeal rights on the Notice of Action that is given to families and is written in the agency's Subsidized Child Care Programs Parent & Provider Handbook. 4C Council found ways to enhance its communication to families regarding the appeal process.

1. Enhancement of the Notice of Action by highlighting in yellow on the Notice of Action important dates, steps families would take to file an appeal and request a hearing, and agency contact person name and phone number. (Supporting documentation submitted of sample Notice of Action with fields highlighted in yellow).

In addition, on February 5, 2018, 4C staff were informed of steps to complete prior to sending a Notice of Action to families. A staff training handout was created of the steps to complete before sending a notice of action. (Supporting documentation submitted of "Notice of Action NOA Steps to Complete Before Sending NOA".

2. An "Appeal Policy" handout was created, February 26, 2018, that agency staff provides to parents. (Supporting documentation submitted "Appeal Policy FY 17-18".

3. Parents will receive the "Parent Appeal Information Pamphlet" developed by the California Department of Education March 2014. (Supporting documentation submitted "Parent Appeal Information Pamphlet" in both English and Spanish)

4. 4C Council developed the "Authorized Representative for Local Appeal Hearing" to give families who elect to have someone, other than themselves, represent them at the hearing. (Supporting documentation form, "Authorized Representative for Local Appeal Hearing")

5. 4C Council enhanced its website to provide on-line information and link to CDE Parent Appeal Information Pamphlet. In addition, parent can submit their request to appeal on-line. See agency's website page: http://www.4c.org/parent/appealing-a-notice-of-action.html

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

4Cs subsequently informed us that it has not yet updated the parent and provider handbook but plans to do so in July 2018. In the meantime, 4Cs developed an appeal policy for distribution that includes a phone number for Education, and it has updated its Notice of Action form with additional information on the process for appealing, including Education's phone number.

All Recommendations in 2017-116

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.