California state preschool programs: funding.

Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer all California state preschool programs, including, but not limited to, part-day and full-day age and developmentally appropriate programs for 3- and 4-year-old children who meet certain eligibility requirements. This bill, commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, would continuously appropriate to the Superintendent from the General Fund an amount sufficient to enroll all 3- and 4-year-old children of families who meet eligibility requirements and who request enrollment. The bill would also specify the intent of the Legislature to impose a tax for purposes of fully funding California state preschool programs. To the extent that the funds appropriated by this provision are allocated to a school district or a community college district, those funds would be applied toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.