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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to funding for the school readiness 2
program; amending s. 1002.89, F.S.; providing for the 3
determination of school readiness program funding for 4
each early learning coalition; providing requirements 5
for such funding calculations; creating s. 1002.90, 6
F.S.; requiring the principals of the Early Learning 7
Programs Estimating Conference to annually develop 8
official cost-of-care information; providing 9
requirements for conference principals; requiring the 10
Division of Early Learning to provide conference 11
principals with specified data; requiring the 12
conference to annually provide the official cost -of-13
care information to the Legislature by a specified 14
date; amending ss. 1002.81 and 1002.82, F.S.; 15
conforming cross-references to changes made by the 16
act; providing an effective date. 17
18
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19
20
Section 1. Section 1002.89, Florida Statutes, is amended 21
to read: 22
1002.89 School readiness program; funding. — 23
(1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION FUNDING FOR 24
THE SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM. —If the annual allocation for the 25
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school readiness program to each early learning coalition is not 26
determined in the annual appropriations act or the substantive 27
bill implementing the annual appropriations act, it shall be 28
determined as follows: 29
(a) Computation of the basic amount to be included for 30
operation.—The following procedures shall be used in determining 31
the annual allocation to each early learning coalition for 32
operation of the school readiness program: 33
1. Determination of full -time equivalent population .—The 34
department shall annually request from the Office of Economic 35
and Demographic Research the number o f families by each county 36
who have children ages birth to 5 years old whose family income 37
is below 200 percent of the federal poverty level or 85 percent 38
of the state median family income, whichever is available. This 39
data shall be used by the Early Learni ng Programs Estimating 40
Conference pursuant to s. 216.136. 41
2. Determination of care level costs .—Annual cost factors 42
based on the relative cost differences between the following 43
basic care levels shall be established in the General 44
Appropriations Act usin g data submitted from the department 45
under s. 1002.90: 46
a. Infant care. 47
b. Toddler care. 48
c. Two-year-old care. 49
d. Three-year-old care. 50
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e. Four-year-old care. 51
f. Five-year-old care. 52
g. School-age care. 53
54
For Pinellas County, the care level cost for an infant shall be 55
based on the infant care level cost of 1.33, the care level cost 56
for a toddler shall be based on the toddler care level cost of 57
1.20, and the care level cost for a 2 year old shall be based on 58
the 2-year-old care level cost of 1.10. Any county that passes a 59
local ordinance after January 1, 2022, that limits its child 60
care teacher-to-child ratio below the ratio required by s. 61
402.305 shall be responsible for the cost of the child care 62
market impact of that ordinance. 63
3. Determination of county price level index 64
differentials.—The department shall annually compute for each 65
county a current year's price level index differential. The 66
price level index differential shall be calculated by adding 67
each county's price level index as published in the Florida 68
Price Level Index for the most recent 3 years and dividing the 69
resulting sum by 3. 70
4. Determination of the basic amount for current 71
operation.—The basic amount for current operation to be included 72
for funding the school readiness program for each county shall 73
be calculated as follows: 74
a. The cost factor for each care level multiplied by 22 75
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percent. The product derived from this calculation shall result 76
in the unweighted amount by care level. 77
b. The weighted amount by care level shall be derived by 78
multiplying the Florida Price Level Index differential for each 79
county by the amount calculated pursuant to sub -subparagraph a. 80
c. The average weighted amount shall be derived by adding 81
the amounts calculated pursuant to sub -subparagraph b. for care 82
levels infant through 5 years old and dividing the resulting sum 83
by 5. 84
d. Each early learning coalition's allocation shall be 85
derived by multiplying the average weighted amount for each 86
county within the coalition by the percentage of the elig ible 87
school readiness program population established in the General 88
Appropriations Act. 89
(b) Gold seal quality care allocation. —There is created 90
the gold seal quality care allocation. The allocation amount 91
shall be determined annually by the Legislature a nd shall be the 92
amount prescribed in the General Appropriations Act. Each early 93
learning coalition shall be reimbursed based on actual fiscal 94
year expenditures pursuant to s. 1002.945(6). All expenditures 95
from the gold seal quality care allocation shall be used by the 96
Division of Early Learning to help meet federal targeted 97
requirements for improving quality to the extent allowable in 98
the state's approved Child Care and Development Fund Plan. 99
(c) Program assessment differential allocation. —There is 100
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created the program assessment differential allocation. The 101
allocation amount shall be determined annually by the 102
Legislature and shall be the amount prescribed in the General 103
Appropriations Act. Each early learning coalition shall be 104
reimbursed for actual fisca l year expenditures pursuant to s. 105
1002.82(2)(o). All expenditures from the program assessment 106
differential allocation shall be used by the Division of Early 107
Learning to help meet federal targeted requirements for 108
improving quality to the extent allowable in the state's 109
approved Child Care and Development Fund Plan. 110
(d) Child assessment differential allocation. —There is 111
created the child assessment differential allocation. The 112
allocation amount shall be determined annually by the 113
Legislature and shall be the amount prescribed in the General 114
Appropriations Act. Each early learning coalition shall be 115
reimbursed for actual fiscal year expenditures pursuant to s. 116
1002.82(2)(o). All expenditures from the child assessment 117
differential allocation shall be used by the Division of Early 118
Learning to help meet federal targeted requirements for 119
improving quality to the extent allowable in the state's 120
approved Child Care and Development Fund Plan. 121
(e) Special needs differential allocation. —There is 122
created the special needs differential allocation. The 123
allocation amount shall be determined annually by the 124
Legislature and shall be the amount prescribed in the General 125
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Appropriations Act. This allocation shall be used to implement 126
the special needs rate provisions outline d in the state's 127
approved Child Care and Development Fund Plan. Each early 128
learning coalition shall be reimbursed based on actual fiscal 129
year expenditures. All expenditures from the special needs 130
differential allocation shall be used by the Division of Ear ly 131
Learning to help meet federal targeted requirements for 132
improving quality to the extent allowable in the state's 133
approved Child Care and Development Fund Plan Funding for the 134
school readiness program shall be allocated among the early 135
learning coalitions in accordance with this section and the 136
General Appropriations Act . 137
(2) INSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS. —All instructions to early 138
learning coalitions for administering this section shall emanate 139
from the department in accordance with the policies of the 140
Legislature. 141
(3) All cost savings and all revenues received through a 142
mandatory sliding fee scale shall be used to increase the number 143
of children served. 144
(3)(4) MATCHING FUND REQUIREMENTS. —All state, federal, and 145
local matching funds provided to an early learning coalition for 146
purposes of this section shall be used for implementation of its 147
approved school readiness program plan, including the hiring of 148
staff to effectively operate the school readiness program. 149
(4)(5) COST REQUIREMENTS.—Costs shall be kept to the 150
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minimum necessary for the efficient and effective administration 151
of the school readiness program with the highest priority of 152
expenditure being direct services for eligible children. 153
However, no more than 5 percent of the funds described in 154
subsection (4) may be used for administrative costs and no more 155
than 22 percent of the funds described in subsection (4) may be 156
used in any fiscal year for any combination of administrative 157
costs, quality activities, and nondirect services as follows: 158
(a) Administrative costs as described in 45 C.F.R. s. 159
98.54, which shall include monitoring providers using the 160
standard methodology adopted under s. 1002.82 to improve 161
compliance with state and federal regulations and law pursuant 162
to the requirements of the stat ewide provider contract adopted 163
under s. 1002.82(2)(m). 164
(b) Activities to improve the quality of child care as 165
described in 45 C.F.R. s. 98.53, which shall be limited to the 166
following: 167
1. Developing, establishing, expanding, operating, and 168
coordinating resource and referral programs specifically related 169
to the provision of comprehensive consumer education to parents 170
and the public to promote informed child care choices specified 171
in 45 C.F.R. s. 98.33. 172
2. Awarding grants and providing financial support to 173
school readiness program providers and their staff to assist 174
them in meeting applicable state requirements for the program 175
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assessment required under s. 1002.82(2)(n), child care 176
performance standards, implementing developmentally appropriate 177
curricula and related classroom resources that support 178
curricula, providing literacy supports, and providing continued 179
professional development and training. Any grants awarded 180
pursuant to this subparagraph shall comply with ss. 215.971 and 181
287.058. 182
3. Providing training, technical assistance, and financial 183
support to school readiness program providers, staff, and 184
parents on standards, child screenings, child assessments, child 185
development research and best practices, developmentally 186
appropriate curricula, characte r development, teacher -child 187
interactions, age-appropriate discipline practices, health and 188
safety, nutrition, first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the 189
recognition of communicable diseases, and child abuse detection, 190
prevention, and reporting. 191
4. Providing, from among the funds provided for the 192
activities described in subparagraphs 1. -3., adequate funding 193
for infants and toddlers as necessary to meet federal 194
requirements related to expenditures for quality activities for 195
infant and toddler care. 196
5. Improving the monitoring of compliance with, and 197
enforcement of, applicable state and local requirements as 198
described in and limited by 45 C.F.R. s. 98.40. 199
6. Responding to Warm -Line requests by providers and 200
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parents, including providing developmental a nd health screenings 201
to school readiness program children. 202
(c) Nondirect services as described in applicable Office 203
of Management and Budget instructions are those services not 204
defined as administrative, direct, or quality services that are 205
required to administer the school readiness program. Such 206
services include, but are not limited to: 207
1. Assisting families to complete the required application 208
and eligibility documentation. 209
2. Determining child and family eligibility. 210
3. Recruiting eligible child care providers. 211
4. Processing and tracking attendance records. 212
5. Developing and maintaining a statewide child care 213
information system. 214
215
As used in this paragraph, the term "nondirect services" does 216
not include payments to school readiness program providers for 217
direct services provided to children who are eligible under s. 218
1002.87, administrative costs as described in paragraph (a), or 219
quality activities as described in paragraph (b). 220
(5)(6) LIMITATION ON THE USE OF PROGRAM FUNDS. —Funds 221
appropriated for the school readiness program may not be 222
expended for the purchase or improvement of land; for the 223
purchase, construction, or permanent improvement of any building 224
or facility; or for the purchase of buses. However, funds may be 225
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expended for minor remodeling and upgrading of child care 226
facilities which is necessary for the administration of the 227
program and to ensure that providers meet state and local child 228
care standards, including applicable health and safety 229
requirements. 230
Section 2. Section 1002.90, Florida Statutes, is created 231
to read: 232
1002.90 School readiness cost -of-care information.—233
Annually, the principals of the Early Learning Programs 234
Estimating Conference established in s. 216.136 shall develop 235
official cost-of-care information based on actual school 236
readiness direct services program expenditures and information 237
provided pursuant to s. 1002.92(4). Conference principals shall 238
agree on the cost of child care by level and care type, the 239
eligible population data, and the met hods of computation. The 240
Division of Early Learning shall provide the conference 241
principals with all requested and necessary data to develop such 242
information. The data may include a matrix by early learning 243
coalition of any full -time equivalent changes mad e by the 244
division as part of its administration of the school readiness 245
program. The Early Learning Programs Estimating Conference shall 246
provide the official cost -of-care information to the Legislature 247
at least 90 days before the scheduled annual legislati ve 248
session. 249
Section 3. Subsection (4) of section 1002.81, Florida 250
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Statutes, is amended to read: 251
1002.81 Definitions. —Consistent with the requirements of 252
45 C.F.R. parts 98 and 99 and as used in this part, the term: 253
(4) "Direct enhancement services" means services for 254
families and children that are in addition to payments for the 255
placement of children in the school readiness program. Direct 256
enhancement services for families and children may include 257
supports for providers, parent training and involvem ent 258
activities, and strategies to meet the needs of unique 259
populations and local eligibility priorities. Direct enhancement 260
services offered by an early learning coalition shall be 261
consistent with the activities prescribed in s. 1002.89(4)(b) s. 262
1002.89(5)(b). 263
Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (7) of section 264
1002.82, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 265
1002.82 Department of Education; powers and duties. — 266
(7) By January 1 of each year, the department shall 267
annually publish on its website a rep ort of its activities 268
conducted under this section. The report must include a summary 269
of the coalitions' annual reports, a statewide summary, and the 270
following: 271
(a) An analysis of early learning activities throughout 272
the state, including the school readi ness program and the 273
Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. 274
1. The total and average number of children served in the 275
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school readiness program, enumerated by age, eligibility 276
priority category, and coalition, and the total number of 277
children served in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education 278
Program. 279
2. A summary of expenditures by coalition, by fund source, 280
including a breakdown by coalition of the percentage of 281
expenditures for administrative activities, quality activities, 282
nondirect services, an d direct services for children. 283
3. A description of the department's and each coalition's 284
expenditures by fund source for the quality and enhancement 285
activities described in s. 1002.89(4)(b) s. 1002.89(5)(b). 286
4. A summary of annual findings and collect ions related to 287
provider fraud and parent fraud. 288
5. Data regarding the coalitions' delivery of early 289
learning programs. 290
6. The total number of children disenrolled statewide and 291
the reason for disenrollment. 292
7. The total number of providers by provid er type. 293
8. The number of school readiness program providers who 294
have completed the program assessment required under paragraph 295
(2)(n); the number of providers who have not met the minimum 296
program assessment composite score for contracting established 297
under paragraph (2)(n); and the number of providers that have an 298
active improvement plan based on the results of the program 299
assessment under paragraph (2)(n). 300
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9. The total number of provider contracts revoked and the 301
reasons for revocation. 302
Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 303