SB1557 Summary

• Prohibits expulsion of children from State-funded early childhood preschool programs; requires programs to document intervention steps, utilize community resources, and create transition plans before any removal from the program.

• Mandates early childhood programs receiving State funds to provide training and technical support to staff on social-emotional development, trauma-informed care, cultural competence, and addressing challenging behaviors, including access to infant and early childhood mental health consultants.

• Requires annual reporting to State Board of Education on planned transitions due to behavior, temporary removals, mental health consultant contact hours, broken down by children's race, gender, disability, language, and other demographics.

• Allows temporary removal of a child only in cases of serious safety threats, with the child returned to group settings as quickly as possible; requires parental permission for planned transitions to other programs.

• Extends expulsion limitations to licensed child care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes by requiring Department of Children and Family Services to adopt rules prohibiting expulsions based on persistent and serious challenging behaviors.