HB 847 2024
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hb0847-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the school readiness program; 2
amending s. 1002.87, F.S.; revising the criteria for a 3
child to receive priority for participation in the 4
school readiness program; conforming provisions to 5
changes made by the act; amending s. 1002.89, F.S.; 6
providing requirements for a school readiness program 7
provider to be eligible to receive specified funding; 8
providing an effective date. 9
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
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Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 13
1002.87, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 14
1002.87 School readiness program; eligibility and 15
enrollment.— 16
(1) Each early learning coalition shall gi ve priority for 17
participation in the school readiness program as follows: 18
(c) Subsequent priority shall be given, based on the early 19
learning coalition's local priorities identified under s. 20
1002.85(2)(i), to children who meet the following criteria: 21
1. A child from birth to the beginning of the school year 22
for which the child is eligible for admission to kindergarten in 23
a public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. who is from a working 24
family that is economically disadvantaged, and may include such 25
HB 847 2024
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child's eligible siblings, beginning with the school year in 26
which the sibling is eligible for admission to kindergarten in a 27
public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. until the beginning of 28
the school year in which the sibling is eligible to begin 6th 29
grade, provided that the first priority for funding an eligible 30
sibling is local revenues available to the coalition for funding 31
direct services. 32
2. A child of a parent who transitions from the work 33
program into employment as described in s. 445.032 from birth to 34
the beginning of the school year for which the child is eligible 35
for admission to kindergarten in a public school under s. 36
1003.21(1)(a)2. 37
3. An at-risk child who is at least 9 years of age but 38
younger than 13 years of age. An at -risk child whose sibling is 39
enrolled in the school readiness program within an eligibility 40
priority category listed in paragraphs (a) and (b) and 41
subparagraph 1. shall be given priority over other children who 42
are eligible under this paragraph. 43
4. A child who is younger than 13 ye ars of age from a 44
working family that is economically disadvantaged. 45
5. A child of a parent who transitions from the work 46
program into employment as described in s. 445.032 who is 47
younger than 13 years of age. 48
6.a. A child who has special needs and, has been 49
determined eligible as a student who requires additional 50
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accommodations beyond those required by the Americans with 51
Disabilities Act. The child's special needs and associated 52
accommodations must be validated by a licensed health care 53
professional, licensed mental health professional, or 54
educational psychologist. Such person may not be the child's 55
parent or a person employed by a child care provider. The 56
following documentation must be used to determine the child's 57
eligibility for such accommodations: 58
I. with a disability, has A current individual education 59
plan with a Florida school district ;, and is not younger than 3 60
years of age. 61
II. A current individualized family support plan; 62
III. A diagnosed special need; or 63
IV. A determination of required accommodations. 64
b. The child care provider of a child who meets the 65
requirements of this subparagraph may be eligible for additional 66
funding through the special needs differential allocation to 67
implement the special needs rate as determined in s . 68
1002.89(1)(d) needs child eligible under this paragraph remains 69
eligible until the child is eligible for admission to 70
kindergarten in a public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2 . 71
7. A child who otherwise meets one of the eligibility 72
criteria in paragraphs (a) and (b) and subparagraphs 1. and 2. 73
but who is also enrolled concurrently in the federal Head Start 74
Program and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. 75
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Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section 76
1002.89, Florida Statutes, is am ended to read: 77
1002.89 School readiness program; funding. — 78
(1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 79
READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING. —Funding for the school readiness 80
program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 81
accordance with this p art and the General Appropriations Act. 82
(d) Special needs differential allocation. —There is 83
created the special needs differential allocation to assist 84
eligible school readiness program providers to implement the 85
special needs rate provisions defined in the state's approved 86
Child Care and Development Fund Plan. Subject to legislative 87
appropriation, each early learning coalition shall be reimbursed 88
based on actual expenditures. All expenditures from the special 89
needs differential allocation shall be used b y the department to 90
help meet federal targeted requirements for improving quality to 91
the extent allowable in the state's approved plan. A school 92
readiness program provider is eligible for funding through the 93
allocation to implement the special needs differ ential rate upon 94
meeting all of the following requirements by July 1, 2025: 95
1. The provider has met or exceeded the minimum program 96
assessment composite score required for contracting as 97
determined by the department, as applicable. 98
2. The provider has completed 10 hours of training in 99
inclusive early childhood or inclusive school -age education 100
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practices within the preceding 2 -year period with the provider 101
completing an additional 10 hours of such training each 102
subsequent 5-year period as specified by th e department. 103
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 104