Florida 2024 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0847 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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10	10	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
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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to the school readiness program; 2
16	16	amending s. 1002.87, F.S.; revising the criteria for a 3
17	17	child to receive priority for participation in the 4
18	18	school readiness program; conforming provisions to 5
19	19	changes made by the act; amending s. 1002.89, F.S.; 6
20	20	providing requirements for a school readiness program 7
21	21	provider to be eligible to receive specified funding; 8
22	22	providing an effective date. 9
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24	24	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
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26	26	Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 13
27	27	1002.87, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 14
28	28	1002.87 School readiness program; eligibility and 15
29	29	enrollment.— 16
30	30	(1) Each early learning coalition shall gi ve priority for 17
31	31	participation in the school readiness program as follows: 18
32	32	(c) Subsequent priority shall be given, based on the early 19
33	33	learning coalition's local priorities identified under s. 20
34	34	1002.85(2)(i), to children who meet the following criteria: 21
35	35	1. A child from birth to the beginning of the school year 22
36	36	for which the child is eligible for admission to kindergarten in 23
37	37	a public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. who is from a working 24
38	38	family that is economically disadvantaged, and may include such 25
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47	47	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
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51	51	child's eligible siblings, beginning with the school year in 26
52	52	which the sibling is eligible for admission to kindergarten in a 27
53	53	public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. until the beginning of 28
54	54	the school year in which the sibling is eligible to begin 6th 29
55	55	grade, provided that the first priority for funding an eligible 30
56	56	sibling is local revenues available to the coalition for funding 31
57	57	direct services. 32
58	58	2. A child of a parent who transitions from the work 33
59	59	program into employment as described in s. 445.032 from birth to 34
60	60	the beginning of the school year for which the child is eligible 35
61	61	for admission to kindergarten in a public school under s. 36
62	62	1003.21(1)(a)2. 37
63	63	3. An at-risk child who is at least 9 years of age but 38
64	64	younger than 13 years of age. An at -risk child whose sibling is 39
65	65	enrolled in the school readiness program within an eligibility 40
66	66	priority category listed in paragraphs (a) and (b) and 41
67	67	subparagraph 1. shall be given priority over other children who 42
68	68	are eligible under this paragraph. 43
69	69	4. A child who is younger than 13 ye ars of age from a 44
70	70	working family that is economically disadvantaged. 45
71	71	5. A child of a parent who transitions from the work 46
72	72	program into employment as described in s. 445.032 who is 47
73	73	younger than 13 years of age. 48
74	74	6.a. A child who has special needs and, has been 49
75	75	determined eligible as a student who requires additional 50
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84	84	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
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88	88	accommodations beyond those required by the Americans with 51
89	89	Disabilities Act. The child's special needs and associated 52
90	90	accommodations must be validated by a licensed health care 53
91	91	professional, licensed mental health professional, or 54
92	92	educational psychologist. Such person may not be the child's 55
93	93	parent or a person employed by a child care provider. The 56
94	94	following documentation must be used to determine the child's 57
95	95	eligibility for such accommodations: 58
96	96	I. with a disability, has A current individual education 59
97	97	plan with a Florida school district ;, and is not younger than 3 60
98	98	years of age. 61
99	99	II. A current individualized family support plan; 62
100	100	III. A diagnosed special need; or 63
101	101	IV. A determination of required accommodations. 64
102	102	b. The child care provider of a child who meets the 65
103	103	requirements of this subparagraph may be eligible for additional 66
104	104	funding through the special needs differential allocation to 67
105	105	implement the special needs rate as determined in s . 68
106	106	1002.89(1)(d) needs child eligible under this paragraph remains 69
107	107	eligible until the child is eligible for admission to 70
108	108	kindergarten in a public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2 . 71
109	109	7. A child who otherwise meets one of the eligibility 72
110	110	criteria in paragraphs (a) and (b) and subparagraphs 1. and 2. 73
111	111	but who is also enrolled concurrently in the federal Head Start 74
112	112	Program and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. 75
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121	121	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
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125	125	Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section 76
126	126	1002.89, Florida Statutes, is am ended to read: 77
127	127	1002.89 School readiness program; funding. — 78
128	128	(1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 79
129	129	READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING. —Funding for the school readiness 80
130	130	program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 81
131	131	accordance with this p art and the General Appropriations Act. 82
132	132	(d) Special needs differential allocation. —There is 83
133	133	created the special needs differential allocation to assist 84
134	134	eligible school readiness program providers to implement the 85
135	135	special needs rate provisions defined in the state's approved 86
136	136	Child Care and Development Fund Plan. Subject to legislative 87
137	137	appropriation, each early learning coalition shall be reimbursed 88
138	138	based on actual expenditures. All expenditures from the special 89
139	139	needs differential allocation shall be used b y the department to 90
140	140	help meet federal targeted requirements for improving quality to 91
141	141	the extent allowable in the state's approved plan. A school 92
142	142	readiness program provider is eligible for funding through the 93
143	143	allocation to implement the special needs differ ential rate upon 94
144	144	meeting all of the following requirements by July 1, 2025: 95
145	145	1. The provider has met or exceeded the minimum program 96
146	146	assessment composite score required for contracting as 97
147	147	determined by the department, as applicable. 98
148	148	2. The provider has completed 10 hours of training in 99
149	149	inclusive early childhood or inclusive school -age education 100
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158	158	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
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162	162	practices within the preceding 2 -year period with the provider 101
163	163	completing an additional 10 hours of such training each 102
164	164	subsequent 5-year period as specified by th e department. 103
165	165	Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 104