It has come to the attention of the Legislature that:
(a)
Existing law does not provide for an administrative appeal procedure to review and resolve disputes between the State Department of Education and the over 750 local contracting agencies which contract with the department to provide child care services to low-income families in California.
(b)
All disputes are currently resolved in the already overburdened California courts resulting in a time-consuming and costly process for both the contract agency and the department. Extensive funds have been expended by the State Department of Education for those purposes.
(c)
The presence of public and private agencies, small as well as large, in the subsidized child care delivery system provides client families with a range of desirable services, and cost-effective service mechanisms.
(d)
The presence of an efficient administrative appeal procedure will ensure program stability and encourage retention in the delivery system of a range of service-providing agencies.